Nura Space's Co-Founder, Anton Schiavello, is often asked about strategies for implementing a hybrid working platform and his answer is never the same. This is mainly due to the fact that every organisation differs in terms of their workplace needs and culture. Here he shares his insights and observations on how companies can cultivate a successful tech-enabled hybrid working culture.
As remote work becomes more prevalent, many organisations are turning to hybrid working models to find a balance between in-person and remote work. And whilst implementing a hybrid working platform can seem overwhelming, with the right approach and preparation, it can be a smooth and successful transition.
I often get asked how to implement a hybrid working platform and my answer is never the same. This is because, just like humans, all businesses are different. I like to compare an organisation to a human, in that just like a human, a business has many departments (organs) all making the business (body) function. As individuals, we have our unique values and characteristics and ways in which we interact with others. This can also be said for the physical space and digital workplace experience in an organisation and the image it wishes to portray.
How does this have anything to do with implementing a hybrid working platform? Well, everything really! As it all starts with culture, which starts with people. And the greatest measurement of success for your hybrid workplace is its uptake and usage by employees.
Here are some ways to ensure the greatest uptake and positive interactions with the platform to ensure you as an organisation get the most out of it and the hybrid working model.
Successful implementation of a hybrid working platform starts with the organisation's culture and people. The goal is to have employees embrace and use the technology, so it's important to understand their needs and expectations.
Like individuals, organisations are unique and the culture varies greatly depending on the industry or location they operate in, which influences the demographic of their employees and openness to change. Then there are micro-cultures across the departments within a company - such as finance, IT, and marketing - whose needs all differ.
Respecting your business' overall culture and sub-cultures as well as your employees' unique needs helps increase the buy-in of a new technology. Define your culture and employee personas and ask yourself what they are ready to take on what could help them perform better in their roles.
And if you want to influence the culture to head in a certain direction over time, take it slow and be realistic as this will help avoid pushback in the short term.
Clear and consistent communication is key to a successful implementation. This includes the purpose of the implementation, a plan with go/no-go milestones, the success metrics, and the responsibilities of those involved. Paint a clear vision for the release and engage employees in the process to drive deeper inclusion and support.
Change champions, or employees who have a strong organisational network, can be helpful in rallying support for the implementation. They can lead pre-knowledge and training sessions, as well as provide post-implementation support and feedback. However, it's important not to have too many champions as it can become overwhelming for both the champions and the implementation team.
Involving IT and facilities early in the rollout process can greatly contribute to a successful implementation, which would include the development of a documented and easy-to-follow support process for end users and clear support levels for IT and facilities to follow. This shows the end users and organisation that ample attention has been given to the success of the platform and user experience.
When implementing new technology, it's crucial to define the problem statement and success factors. Keep it simple, useful, and valuable. The technology should fix or support a problem and the success factors should be measurable.
Ask yourself what the technology fixes or supports, how it will do this and what success looks like in measurable terms. I like to use regression analysis and post analysis to support both identifying and defining the problem statement and measuring the outcome of the implementation. Of course, there are many other methods, all of which have their benefits.
KPI’s are also a very common method of setting clear measurables. These can include:
▪ User adoption metrics and feedback in the onboarding phase
▪ Cost-benefit analysis
▪ Active usage metrics (bookings, etc.)
▪ Ongoing user experience feedback via surveys or verbatim
▪ Admin and support feedback
In conclusion, successful implementation of a hybrid working platform starts with understanding the organisation's culture and people, having clear communication and expectations, using change champions, and having a well-documented support process with IT involvement and finally, understanding what success looks like to your organisation in order to stay on track.
As a local, flexible and scaleable workplace management tool, Nura Space has the hands on support you need to ensure a successful rollout and ongoing return on investment.
The way we see it is, we are workplace people creating tech, and not the other way around. So features are informed on workplace needs rather than simply tech capabilities.
With that said, here is how we get involved and help our customers rollout a successful workplace management tool:
Our Product Owner is a people and culture expert who also works closely with client's internal teams to understand their needs and customise the product accordingly.
Our Project Manager works with external clients to map out their platform project needs and then manages internal development teams to see each project through.
You will be also be assigned a Customer Success Manager who assists stakeholders and users get the most out of their platform; from onboarding, training, support and strategy.
Sound like something you could benefit from, or are you simply curious to know more? Get in touch for an obligation-free chat today, or go ahead and arrange a free demo to try out Nura Space for yourself.
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