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AGILE WORKING CHECKLIST
A guide to implementing an agile workplace
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© Office Principles 2015 0118 975 9750
officeprinciples.com
A GUIDE TO IMPLEMENTING AN AGILE WORKPLACE
CONTENTS
» What is agile working? Page 3
» What are the drivers for agile working? Page 3
» What benefits can I expect? Page 4
» When is the best time to implement agile working? Page 6
» Who should form part of the change management team? Page 7
» What are the obvious barriers to change? Page 9
» How do you carry out the research? Page 10
» What are typical agile working spaces? Page 11
» How do I communicate with my staff? Page 11
» What technology do I need for an agile office? Page 11
» What furniture do I need for an agile office? Page 14
» How do I measure the success of agile working? Page 15
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© Office Principles 2015 0118 975 9750
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WHAT IS AGILE WORKING?
Agile working is a workplace strategy that provides people with a choice of settings for a variety of
workplace activities. Rather than forcing individuals to undertake all their work at a traditional desk
setting, agile working allows people to decide themselves where it is most suitable work setting for
them to complete their work. Spaces are designed to create flow from intense, focused work to
impromptu meeting areas and formal meeting rooms, depending on the tasks that an individual is
undertaking. It empowers your staff to choose their working style and allows your business to contract
and expand in demand of headcount without expensive change management and alterations to the
built environment.
We need to be clear that agile working does not need to be a hot-desking programme in order for it to
be implemented. An agile office offers multiple work settings to support a shared desking strategy.
Also agile working isn’t a working from home programme. That can be part of an agile working
strategy if the organisation decides to implement a flexible working policy. However, agile working
essentially focuses on the experience the employee has whilst in their office environment.
Creating an office environment that will accommodate an agile working strategy can be daunting, but
by breaking everything down, and considering all the stages, it will make the task a lot easier.
WHAT ARE THE DRIVERS FOR AGILE WORKING?
There are several key drivers to agile working and if it is to be executed well, businesses should not
overlook the benefits that come with designing a flexible working concept. Adopting a smarter way of
working can result in a faster, cheaper and more sustainable methods of work strategy.
Does your workplace support business growth and objectives?
Does your workplace create brand differentiation?
Does your workplace drive talent retention and attraction?
Does your workplace support your sustainability credentials?
Is your workplace cost efficient?
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WHAT BENEFITS CAN I EXPECT?
In a recent letter to the Daily Telegraph, 22 corporate bosses, which include Ian Livingston, chief
executive of BT, Martyn Phillips, chief executive of B&Q, Mark Ovenden, chairman of Ford Motor
Company, and Adam Crozier, boss of ITV, said: "Our companies and organisations differ in size,
sector and location but we share a common view that workforce agility is generating significant and
tangible financial benefits for our businesses." Check which benefits could be important to your
company?
Reduce real estate costs
Traditional office space is costly for any business. Real estate is a big part of the equation
when it comes to reducing your overheads. By investing in an agile environment your
organisation can save on rent, service charges, rates, heating, maintenance, lighting, staff
turnover and more.
Space utilisation
A lot of companies are spending money on space that is under-occupied. The introduction of
agile working sees a significant improvement on workplace efficiency, as staff now require a
reduced amount of personal space. This results in a significant reduction in terms of fit-out and
occupational costs or can free up space for other work, social and leisure purposes.
Accommodate a fluctuating workforce
An agile office is built with change in mind, preparing your company for inevitable demands.
Because space and resource efficiency are key functions in an agile workplace, your business
can readily adapt to speedy expansions and contractions.
Increased productivity and efficiency
It is vital to create an efficient and optimal working area where your team can feel energised
and motivated. Not only can a great agile office design strategy elevate productivity and
morale, but it can also help to promote and reinforce a corporate identity. Agile working
empowers the staff and helps them feel engaged and appreciated.
Reduce carbon footprint
Designing a new office brings the opportunity to creating a greener and smarter workplace.
This can greatly improve sustainability while reducing cost and your company’s carbon
footprint.
Attract and retain the best talent
A stimulating workplace encourages staff to stay with their employer, inspires new talent to
want to join and generally builds the brand’s reputation as the employer of choice. Agile
working creates an environment that reflects the value of your brand and consistently attracts
and retains the best people which are a vital ingredient to the success of your business.
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Increase staff engagement
An agile office can increase flexibility in communication and staff engagement. In doing so the
business can create a more responsive and measurably productive way of working that can
lead to increasing profitability.
Reduce absenteeism costs
Absenteeism comes at a high cost for the employer. A survey performed by The Chartered
Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) showed that 56% of employers found that
absenteeism dropped after they adopted new ways of working. One of the major causes of
employee absence is lack of motivation. By optimising your workplace you can improve the
enjoyment that staff experience when coming into the office and therefore boosting the
incentive to come to work.
Business continuity
Agile working enhances corporate resilience and business continuity. Indeed, for many
organisations, the capacity to maintain operations through major incidents is the principal
business driver for agile working.
Improved staff performance
Take a look at exceptional companies such as Google, Unilever and BT who have maintained
an outstanding reputation as employers. By creating a stimulating workplace and valuing their
workers; they benefit from staff loyalty and high performance. A well-designed office will enable
staff to be truly dynamic through different styles of work and is the foundation for a high
performance workplace
Increased Innovation
Agile working is the key to increasing creativity and innovation within a workplace. An effective
design strategy can help to stimulate divergent levels of thinking by providing a surrounding
that is responsive to employee needs, therefore keeping workers engaged.
Increase brand equity
First impressions are everything in the corporate world. How a customer views your
organisation is crucial to your business image. A successful design can act as a great
advertising strategy by portraying your company as a strong and dynamic workforce.
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WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO IMPLEMENT AGILE WORKING?
Refurbishing & Relocation
These are the main catalyst when considering workplace optimisation. A new building is a
great opportunity to implement an agile strategy, as it starts as a blank canvas, saving you the
time and hassle of removing or changing existing structures, furniture and fixtures.
New Technology
Emerging technologies mean that your office will need to be able to accommodate how they
work if you want to keep up with your competitors. It’s a good idea to start thinking about
future-proofing your office for these advancements, in order to fully take on board a more
efficient way of working.
Leadership Change
A change in leadership can often be the motivation for change in the office and thus an
opportunity for a positive change. This is a great time to implement agile working to instil new
innovation; making the office work more efficiently is a great way to reshape the company and
stamp the new personality of new leadership.
Expansion & Project launches
You may need new spaces to accommodate new teams or product launches. A major benefit
of agile working is increased shared knowledge amongst colleagues, so the transition and
development of new workers into the office is seamless or at least minimises disruption.
Merger & Acquisitions
Merging companies can present issues with combining different cultures. You need to be able
to accommodate the growth or consolidation as well as personal needs from both
organisations. An in-depth analysis of both organisations and a change management
programme can bridge cultural differences and create a harmonious organisation.
Lease Event
A lease event can be a great opportunity to implement agile working. Given the efficiency of
agile working, you may find yourself needing less space, thus reducing property costs or it may
be possible to consolidate into less space and consider sub-letting some of your current floor
space.
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WHO SHOULD FORM PART OF THE CHANGE MANAGEMENT TEAM?
The CEO
The CEO will want the office to support his vision and brand, and will want to have the ultimate
say over the design and costs.
Finance Director
The finance director will want to reduce premises overheads whilst accommodating a growth
strategy, and will be very interested in the ROI that an agile working strategy will bring to the
company
IT Director
Technology will be important in the implementation of an agile working environment and the
company may need to make some heavy investments into new IT systems and telephony.
Operations director
The operations director will be interested in solutions to reduce the company’s carbon footprint
and meeting the sustainability targets as well as operational efficiencies.
Human Resources
The HR manager will be interested in creating an office environment that will motivate and
support the staff and attracts the best people for the future.
Facilities Manager
The facilities team will want an office environment that will respond to the challenge of more
staff in less space and to minimise churn and changes as the organisation develops.
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Office Manager
The office manager has an ear to the ground, and knows what is going on, on a day-to-day
basis. They will have valuable input into the type of office space that will best support your
employees. They also make good ‘change champions’ and are a vital link and mouth piece.
Marketing
Marketing will want to ensure that the new office environment reflects the company’s brand and
image.
Workplace Strategy Consultant
A workplace consultant will guide you through the change management process and provides
a needed conduit between the senior management and the staff.
Designer
A great design is critical to the success of an agile working environment, and your designer
needs to work closely with the workplace strategy consultant to define the brief and create the
perfect office layout.
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WHAT ARE THE OBVIOUS BARRIERS TO CHANGE?
Even with the best intentions, at least two thirds of change initiatives fail globally. Workplace change is
no exception. Few of the companies that have been exploring new ways of working have been able to
roll out their change programs without encountering some difficulties. Likely change management
challenges for agile working are:
Staff fear of the unknown and fear of change
Consistent and frequent messaging through the change management program is paramount
along with one-on-one reassurance and engagement workshops.
Fear of new technology
Technology is not only getting smaller, it’s getting a lot smarter, and evolving a lot more
quickly. The biggest demand in an agile environment is for bandwidth, and widespread
availability – there’s no point in offering instant connectivity, if everyone is greeted by the
spinning wheel of death whenever they try to connect. Employees should be well versed in
how to use the technical tools available to support them in an agile working environment.
Concern over loss of personal space / identity
Many department heads rail at the idea of giving up their offices and personal space, but those
that have, often report that they feel much more in touch with their teams and part of the
business as a whole.
Executive / Board buy-in
Executive coaching may be needed for leadership who are struggling to see the value of agile
working, or one-on-one sessions with individual resisters with the change management
consultant or executive sponsor.
Employees fear of ‘not being seen’ in the office
Agile working requires a change to a trust-based leadership model whereby leaders manage
by outcome rather than line-of-sight. Managing a mobile team requires managers to have a
higher degree of trust and a different communication approach to ensure objectives are clear,
achievable and measurable.
Cost
If your company is committed to an agile working solution then the first challenge that you are
likely to face is building a compelling business case. This will also serve as the ROI calculator
and ultimately contain a number of the effectiveness measurement metrics.
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HOW DO YOU CARRY OUT THE RESEARCH?
The first place to start is through a leadership workshop or briefing session. We would expect this to be
attended by the key project champions and senior stakeholders, who are in a position to make
decisions within the organisation. Through this meeting we will introduce the workplace strategy teams
that will transform your office into a highly cost-efficient workplace that minimises the disruption to your
business.
Goals for an agile workplace
It is important to capture the aspirations of a business through an outline brief. The drivers of
the project should be identified, which could range from creating a more efficient workplace
and rationalising space usage, to enabling a higher level of occupancy. Objectives, projections
and goals are all key building blocks that will help the team deliver an optimised workplace
design within the desired timescale and budget.
Space Occupancy Study
A space occupancy study (SOS) is a gathering of physical raw data based upon the current
workplace performance. This will enable analysis of the levels of utilisation as well as how
meeting rooms, cellular offices, break out and general support areas as well as the room
booking systems are performing. This data is obtained typically over a 2 week period and
during a time that is not public holidays, peak holiday season or including any specific event
which will likely impact upon the office occupancy.
Discovery Workshops
Once the SOS has been conducted the staff interviewing process can be started. This process
enables a dip check of all the data to be obtained and ensure that it is valid. Teams will be
monitored to understand key differences in the survey data and SOS as well as gain a more
thorough understanding of how team function within the larger organisation.
Staff Surveys
The interviews will be followed up with a staff survey. This can take the form of a paper based
questionnaire given to all staff or preferably, an email link to an electronic survey form. The data
obtained is strictly anonymous to ensure that a true understanding of staff and their concerns is
obtained.
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WHAT ARE TYPICAL AGILE WORKING SPACES?
When considering the design of your agile working environment you will need to ensure that there are a
number of different work settings that people can interact with. These can include:
Private spaces
Acoustic pods
Town hall area
Collaboration zones
Formal meeting rooms
Brainstorming areas
Team work benches
Sit-stand tables
Chill-out and social areas
Training spaces
Atrium settings
Informal meeting spaces
Kitchen and cafe areas
HOW DO I COMMUNICATE WITH MY STAFF?
Agile working is a ‘new way of working’, and you will need to communicate well with your staff in order
to ensure that they feel included. The communications should include:
Homeworking policy
When implementing agile working, you will need to be clear as to whether this includes working
from home. Properly detailed policies should be implemented so that managers and
colleagues are aware of when it is appropriate to work from home and when it isn’t.
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IT Protocols and training
Technology is often a significant percentage of the total investment for organisations who
implement agile working, so training should form an important component to the change
management programme. Employees should feel that they have the necessary skills and tools
available to support them in an agile working environment.
Way-finding and support
An agile working environment may have less than 50% of its space given over to fixed desking
and tables, which can see several changes of occupant each day. With almost half the
building made up of informal and collaboration zones, which again see high utilisation, the
pressure on good housekeeping is significant. In several locations where agility has been
introduced successfully, the building operators have also introduced a concierge service for
each floor. The concierge’s role is to ensure that the building is being used most effectively.
Alongside this staff need to understand the new ‘housekeeping rules’ so that everyone is
looking after the space and keeping it tidy.
Leadership / Management by results
Agile working requires moving to a trust-based leadership model whereby leaders manage by
outcome rather than line-of-sight. Leadership need to refine their approach to accommodate
the greater diversity of personal and professional preferences that are likely to materialise in an
agile working environment.
Flexibility / Working hours
Within the agile working strategy you will need to decide how much flexibility you will give to
employees including home working, flexible working hours, part-time work and compressed
work week.
WHAT TECHNOLOGY DO I NEED IN AN AGILE OFFICE?
Cloud Services
With the introduction of Cloud services, your company may benefit from remotely hosted
information and storage; potentially saving on the costs of everyday software products. Major
corporations are now using iPads and other on-the-go technology to achieve maximum
productivity. Young workers can easily access social networking platforms and blogs to
engage with clients. This new way of working has resulted in data being easily stored and
accessed from anywhere at any time. The inconvenience of a power loss causing your
company to lose valuable data and work are a thing of the past. With agile working, the remedy
to this problem is for your team to simply relocate to somewhere they can gain access to the
internet. In today’s world it’s as simple as connecting to a different network especially with Wi-Fi
becoming widely accessible for free.
Video Communication
Within the last 5 years we have seen a huge rise in video conferencing. People are able to
access video communication using free applications such as Apple’s Face-Time feature and
Skype’s video chat. In particular, the utilisation of Skype for video conference and collaboration
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allow companies to communicate more effectively while avoiding disruption to their daily
schedule. The cost savings of travel time and flight expenses can be significant.
Flat-screen Displays
Flat-screens have become hugely popular in the corporate world. Because advanced
technology is readily available to us, with a little creativity, flat-screens can become a valuable
business tool. These systems can also be linked to other mobile devices and cloud services
allowing you to access data you may not have on hand. Some monitors like Apple TV come
fully equipped with a program that allows you to mirror your computer screen; a powerful tool
for PowerPoint presentations and when you need to share a screen with clients.
Laptops & Tablets
Tablets and personal computers are handy on-the-go tools for any business. A new trend in
the workplace is the use of these mobile and personal devices instead of desktop systems.
With staff not always working from the office these devices provide an efficient means of
communication across the team. You will find that all laptops and tablets are able to access
cloud services and with software like Dropbox, workers can easily send and receive files from
anywhere there is access to the internet. Tablets are designed as a user-friendly tool and are a
great way to stay connected to social media platforms. With this in mind, workers of all age
groups can utilise them with ease.
Mobile Units
With the evolution of mobile technology and gadgets, we have seen an increase in Wi-Fi
hotspots that are available to anyone. This free global technology means businesses are no
longer tied to a particular location. Workers can connect to their workplace without physically
being there, simply by utilising cloud technology and remote access. This is becoming
increasingly true as we have even begun to see mobile printing. ‘Follow-Me’ printing is
becoming ever so popular with its on-the-go features allowing users to print from any enabled
device, from anywhere. With full flexibility in mind, you can even print using your smart phone or
tablet device.
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WHAT FURNITURE DO I NEED FOR AN AGILE OFFICE?
Demountable pods and booth areas
Discover the benefit of having flexible furniture that allows for privacy within the hustle and
bustle of an open plan office. There are numerous ways these semi-closed pods can help your
company save on refurbishing. They don’t require planning permission and there’s no need to
go to drastic measures of constructing or deconstructing walls. Not only are office pods space
efficient and cost-effective; they can be utilised by all kinds of workers from different
demographic and personality groups. The implementation of high-back seating areas has
evolved into a sophisticated tool for offices, as it provides flexible and informal, private meeting
areas.
Collaboration benches & Soft seating areas
Face-to-face interaction is important for the well-being of staff and is a basic human necessity.
Establishing a collaborative area where employees can come together for team projects can
have an enormous effect on interactivity. Collaboration benches and open seating areas
encourage communication within the comforts of an informal setting and can be highly efficient
way to utilise space. Alongside the pods and semi-closed booths, collaboration benches
support a flexible approach to working and allow staff to flow freely from group assignments to
concentrated tasks.
Personal locker space
When you implement agile working and remove the safe zone that is a personal desk, it’s vital
that staff still have a space to keep their things. People need a touch of personalisation in order
to feel they have control of their environment. To unlock the full potential of an agile office,
employees need to understand that not having an assigned desk does not mean their position
is under threat. Incorporating personal lockers can also efficiently utilise space, it is a
compromise that means staff will become more comfortable with the idea of flexible working.
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HOW DO I MEASURE THE SUCCESS OF AGILE WORKING?
Companies that implement agile working should have a combination of both qualitative and
quantitative metrics to measure overall effectiveness.
Quantitative - The easiest way to demonstrate value is from a real estate perspective, which might
include:
Reduced rental costs
Ability to consolidate locations
Reduced churn costs
Energy savings
Improved space utilisation
Extended life of assets
Improved product cycle times
Positive impact on human performance
Financial performance
Overall organisation performance
Reduced dilapidation liabilities
Qualitative – In addition to the hard and fast metrics outlined above, most organisations have also
pursued some qualitative metrics to get an overall read on the effectiveness of their agile working
program. These include:
Increased collaboration
Ability to get projects across the line quicker by forming and dissolving clusters with relevant
teams through the life of the project
Better access to leadership
Less reliance on paper documentation
A clearer understanding of the strategic direction of the organisation
Improved staff engagement and involvement
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If you feel that agile working could benefit your organisation then speak
to a member of the team at Office Principles who would love to discuss
your individual requirements. Our phone number is 0118 975 9750.
Cyril Parsons
Managing Director
cyril.parsons@officeprinciples.com
Hannah Nardini
Workplace Consultant
hannah.nardini@officeprinciples.com
Stuart Jefferson
Senior Designer
stuart.jefferson@officeprinciples.com
Office Principles
Principle House
472 Basingstoke Road
Reading
RG2 0QN
Tel: 0118 975 9750
Email: theteam@officeprinciples.com
Web: www.officeprinciples.com
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