Great Offices
How Intentionally Designed Systems in Your Workplace Can Make it Great
You’ve heard of the difference between the hard issues and the soft issues. (Enter your own joke here)
In a workplace, we can readily spot the systems that involve tools or mechanical resources – like the hiring process or the customer complaint box in the lobby. But the soft ones are a tricky dealio. And those of us that are intuitive have good sensors for sniffing out these more obtuse systems. They are, in fact, keenly people-based.
Just what are these two domains and how can you become more aware of how they are affecting your productivity … and morale?
The SYSTEM FACTOR
A properly-working system includes a procedural, documented process that has steps or visible progress of some sort. These steps are repeatable and measurable. By designing it the way you want it to look, the outcome becomes predictable. By making something predictable, it has less error. By having less error, we all maintain our sanity, to a degree because some of us are just not fixable.
But regardless of that ….
To tidy up your systems, start simple and build and adjust.
The PEOPLE FACTOR
Whatever your product or service is, your business is about people.
You may have the best tools, resources, mechanisms, equipment. You can throw all the money you want into investing in new technology.
NONE OF IT WILL WORK … unless you have the people properly trained and aligned, and happy to be there or at least somewhat engaged.
A good analogy is an orchestra.
Well-composed music, perfect arrangements, world-class instruments.
How predictable will the quality of the sound be?
OR
Errors are careless and avoidable.
Lack of commitment causes low morale.
Little creativity in implementing improvements.
No ownership.
Not everyone’s heart is in it.
When the orchestra IS aligned, tuned up, and interacting with each other, the concert hall sings with attuned vibrations. Good good good vibrations. The result is a swollen wave of intense collusion. Beautiful.
Get your team singing.
Use the systems listed above to start your journey to a harmonized team. Consider each one. Weigh where you are and what you need. Then use the balanced symphony approach (people and systems) to begin your job as their maestro.
The ten systems of a great office consider a balance between the soft and the hard. Review where you may be in your office or department.
| GREAT OFFICES HAVE THESE TEN SYSTEMS | |
| JOB DESCRIPTIONS | Clear job description development and tracking |
| TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT | Ongoing employee training & development |
| RECOGNITION | Employee-involved recognition programs |
| GOALS | Goal-setting at the employee level and upward |
| PRODUCTIVITY SYSTEMS | Simple, clear systems for tracking and posting productivity |
| COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT | Community involvement activities |
| HIRING | Ruthless hiring practices |
| COMMUNICATION PLANS | Formal & informal communication plans |
| SOCIAL | Social interactions that get the mind off work |