Modern workplaces: The effects on the property and construction sector

With the rise and adoption of dynamic working and collaborative workspaces within UK businesses in the last few years, we are seeing shifts in the way businesses approach their attraction and retention strategies. It’s becoming more important for employees to feel comfortable in their working environment and to have a healthy work-life balance that encourages them to have a life outside of work.

So, what modern workplace strategies are affecting the property and construction sector, and how can you aim to boost your attraction and retention rates by incorporating them to your business? 

Improving your working environments

The candidate market has changed substantially in recent years. It is now more important than ever for businesses to consider different skills and experience so that they can fill their vacancies with valuable and talented people. Rather than looking at candidates with a certain background, similar to the ones of the people that already work for the business, hiring managers are now looking at soft skills such as collaboration or stakeholder management to boost the current working environment.

Furthermore, businesses are beginning to understand the importance of having appealing working environments as they boost productivity and creativity. This all started with IT and tech businesses, as they promote collaborative working spaces and often don’t have fixed desks in the office. This trend has now moved over to the financial services sector, as previously they were losing their best people to IT organisations because they weren’t offering the same dynamic working spaces and the flexibility that encourages a better work-life balance.

For example, HSBC, one of the largest banking and financial services organisations, undertook a relocation project whereby their entire IT department was moved to a different office, which was more aesthetically pleasing and creative. This allowed them to replicate the environments of the larger tech giants, but still attract people who were keen to work in the banking sector. Meaning that their employees were still doing the work they enjoyed but were in a better space. Although this approach isn’t feasible for every business, it is key to work around what you have to promote employee happiness. 

Making the transition in your business

It can be difficult to figure out what change should look like in your business and how to communicate that message. Senior stakeholders and senior members of the business should be bought in and invested in the project from the outset. The senior member of your teams should drive internal communication so that junior members of their team are aware of what to expect when projects move forward.

If the senior members of the business are keen to lead by example and make those first steps, it is more likely that people who are reluctant to change will follow and be more reassured throughout the process. 

Workplace vs performance

When developing your workplace environment, it is important to remember that the environment that your teams are working in is directly linked to their productivity. The workplace that you create can be used as a tool to support collaboration, through innovative workspaces and sufficient meeting rooms.

You should aim for your office environment to be technologically advanced, attractive, and comfortable. Only through this can you expect your people to work at their best productivity levels, and feel happiest in the workplace. More often than not, if you’re people aren’t happy in the workplace or don’t feel comfortable in the office environment, it could be a contributing factor to them leaving the company for a space that better suits their needs.

In order to make this possible, you will need to hire a workplace strategist. Here are some of the key skills to look for when recruiting for these professionals:

• Using detailed data analysis to make evidence-based decisions. (Both qualitative and quantitative from end-user engagement interviews and workshops, staff satisfaction surveys, and space utilisation studies).
• Prince2 qualified.
• Experience with RAG analysis.
• Experience dealing with Auto Cad, Test Fit, and Space Plan.

If you are interested in learning about how to create a culture of high performance, read our informative article today. At Michael Page, we can help you to develop your teams. If you are interested in hiring top talent for your organisation, get in touch with one of our specialist recruitment consultants today. Alternatively, if you are looking for new career opportunities, make use of our Job Match tool to discover what doors your skills and experience can open for you.

Laras Citra
Manager, Michael Page Property, Construction & Facilities Management