Companies choose not to introduce flexible work spaces due to anxiety of the reaction from employees.
For many organisations, changing the internal systems can be an anxiety inducing decision. Implementing a new way for the employees to work can be a big step which is what keeps some from switching, regardless if the new system is more efficient than the old one.
MyDesk have asked employees from a number of companies about their considerations regarding the introduction of flexible work spaces.
“You are only seen, when you are in your seat”
Many places are still under the preconception that the good employee is the one who is the first to arrive, last to leave and is seen, not necessarily the one who creates the greatest results. When the fixed work space is removed, it can lead to a change of that culture.
“You feel safe, when you can show up to the same space everyday”
Humans are creatures of habit and we will typically sit in the same spot at home as well as the office. However, often something good can come of breaking the habit and in no instances have we encountered negative responses or results. If an employee still wishes to sit in their usual spot, they can continue to do so without problems.
“Some groups have special needs that require fixed spaces”
In some offices there are groups who require certain hardware or have a lot of paper work for whom a flexible work space is not possible. These work functions can easily be combined with the MyDesk system, since changing work spaces do not have to apply to all employees.
“I need to sit with my team”
Flexible work spaces do not eliminate the option of sitting together with your team. MyDesk provides the option of administering rights to locations, so that for instance only finance employees may reserve spaces in the financial department. Specific areas may hereby be chosen for the single team.
“It is too much change at once”
In some companies we have experienced that rolling out flexible work spaces works best when it happens step by step. Many of our clients start off by making specific areas flowing in which making reservations is necessary in order to sit. For the rest of the office, one only needs to announce whether they make it in or not. If they do, they can sit in the same spot that they are used to.
In a later fase, the clients will expand so that the flexible work spaces include more and more areas in which the users need to book a desk, if they wish to sit there.
“I need to always sit with the same people”
In many organisations specific work groups need to sit close to each other. Initially, they were placed where they are at because the people ran projects together and hereby created relations. In some places, the challenge is that when the project group or the assignment changes, the employee stays because it is comfortable and cozy, not because they are sitting close to the most ‘relevant’ people.
With flexible work spaces you can continuously update your preferred team and book a desk where most relevant. When you are forced to consider sitting position, there is a greater chance of sitting in the place that provides the most value.
“The employees do not want to book a space before they go to the office, since it is too laborious”
We are already used to checking our email, registering work hours and many other habits as a fixed part of our work day. MyDesk is a very simple system that is available on all units including Outlook, IOS and Android. Common for all clients is that they are surprised how easy it is to use and how quickly they get used to it.
Contact Us
In the statements above, we have tried to list some of the most common concerns that can occur with considerations of introducing the new system. We welcome all issues and are pleased to inform about the benefits of the MyDesk system for you.
Contact Michael Ries: +45 40279941/mr@mydesk.io to hear more and get a price on rolling out the system in your company.