Is cost-per-visit part of your reporting?
Claremont workplace psychologist Becky Turner explains why understanding the cost-per-visit is the first place for any organisation to start if considering attendance mandates for driving people back to the office.
Hybrid working still remains the most popular for organisations post pandemic, back to work mandates are becoming more popular as business leaders push to make office attendance compulsory. The practiced reality around return to work mandates can be as subtle a change as two set days a week in the office, but the very word can carry strong undertones of authoritarian and outdated leadership styles.
The latest insight report from office interior design experts Claremont, reviews the impacts both positive and negative mandating employees back to the office can have on an organisation and its people. The balanced, conclusive guide is well worth a read for anyone reviewing policies around office attendance and is available here for free.
One of the key takeaways from the report (of which there were many), was the idea of driving visits not mandating attendance and with this, attributing an ROI against cost-per-visit.
For decades the industry has measured value of office space in square feet with footplates equalling the total number of desks the space can hold, but in a tech-connected post pandemic workplace, it’s not just desks organisations need. It’s call booths, hot-desks, break-out spaces, quiet zones, meeting rooms and a whole host more. Dedicated desks and cellular offices are fast becoming a thing of the past.
Set-up correctly, an office can be like a multi-functional member’s lounge dedicated to bringing employees together, naturally driving productivity, culture and creativity. And it’s by looking at the office as a member’s lounge dedicated to bringing employees together, organisations can think more creatively about how they drive attendance.
Expensive real estate being underutilised is every CEO’s worst nightmare, but by running a cost-per-visit exercise, organisations can quickly understand how much a space costs by each day and by each visit. This practice highlights what days it delivers the least value and by understanding this, organisations can begin to drive off peak attendance and in some cases monetisation.
Becky Turner, Workplace psychologist for Claremont said: “The pandemic changed the way we work dramatically, supercharging our adoption of technology to do business. It gave employees more autonomy, brought them closer to their loved ones and made them more productive. That rapid adoption of technology means offices can be left completely empty for a number of days a week and as a result, organisations are calling into question the value of its underutilised space.
“There are plenty of arguments for mandating attendance to make better use of this expensive real estate, but it isn’t something organisations should choose to do without also considering the adverse effects it can have on an organisation, its culture and its ability to recruit and retain top talent.
“For anyone looking to get a rounded picture here, I recommend you read our insight report on mandating workplaces, but for now, I’d like you to consider how much each visit costs your organisation and how you could incentivise visits before ‘laying down the law’ on when people should attend? And with this, consider what a creative approach to off-peak office use could look like?
“Every organisation we speak to knows just how important their office is for embedding company culture, bringing people together, increasing creativity and getting stuff done. Quite often they come to us with problems too. They want employees to use their workplace more. Post-pandemic the office isn’t working for them like it used to. In many cases, that’s down to office design and the way we’ve adopted technology, but for some employees, home feels like a more compelling place to be. For example, those with caring commitments are likely to feel as though a long and busy commute is eating into time they can be getting on with their work, whilst adding daily stress when it comes to school or nursery pick-up.
“The benefits work both ways too, that parent with care commitments may be able to work later because that commute isn’t part of their day. They’re better connected to their devices, less stressed, working longer hours and feeling more productive. Throwing an office mandate into that person’s life, is a sure-fire way to get them to jazz-up their CV and look for a role which offers more flexibility.”
“If increasing visits is the target outcome, how could an organisation offer fluid working hours to support those with care giving responsibilities? If empty, underutilised space is the problem, how could the organisation drive monetised out-of-hours use through its workforce?
“Cost per visit can also provide a better benchmark for the power of location. A well-connected location can drive visits, it can support recruitment of underrepresented groups. It can reduce the requirement for dedicated workstations, demonstrates the value of shift patterns and team days.”
“By getting a cost per visit base line, organisations can quickly understand what activity has the most cost-effective impact on attendance. Can it be the backdrop for an early morning yoga club that creates a community use with free attendance for employees (can that club help to drive attendance and embed culture)?
“Training, mentoring, creative workshops, socials are all great ways to bring people into the office on off peak days where the implications of booking meeting rooms out could have a greater impact on peak days.
“It’s by shifting away from traditional bricks and mortar valuations of office space and adding a cost per visit approach into the mix, we can start to think more creatively about how we drive attendance rather than just stipulating attendance which can only be a positive.”
To download the complete insight report by Claremont visit: https://claremontgi.com/mandated-workplaces/
