Workplace consultancy is the strategy to make the workspace not only economically more efficient but also more convenient for employees in the hope of making them also more efficient.
This service is intended to optimize space utilization and hence reduce rental costs, improve productivity and staff retention while overall enhancing the workplace environment for both employees and the company.
However these goals can be only achieved with the participation of management and staff in the initial data collection and analytical process.
To achieve these aims the Pickard Consultancy team need to understand how much space is necessary for the normal functioning of the office, which work spaces are regularly used and whether they need extension or reduction and the specific real needs of employees and departments to function effectively and productively.
As an example many companies have a large meeting or conference room. However numerous surveys show that this space is often dramatically underutilized and that it would be considerably more cost efficient to rent space when required or in a large business centre share with others. A space requirement, which is often ignored, is isolated space for important phone calls.
One of the major and the most important part of the project is involving staff in the process of creating the strategy by collecting their opinions about the current working environment and their needs for productive working time. This is achieved by surveying all employees and organizing focus groups that will help to better understand work patterns, the value of community and innovation and provide an opportunity to listen to any concerns staff may have.
While proceeding with these steps the Pickard consultants also conduct the space utilization study – the process of observing and analyzing how space is currently used and identifying the types of activities occurring within the workspace. This analysis is an important element for understanding utilization and occupancy levels as well as an understanding of daily staff activity.
Once data from the space utilization study and workplace survey is collected, analyzed and prepared to be discussed for the opportunities for the teams and staff to work in a more flexible way the consultancy team develops the strategy that includes the floor zoning strategy with 2-3 sample layouts of one typical floor, space planning and recommendation for materials, colours, finishes, furniture, signage and branding and other elements.
After all responsible executives agree the workplace consultancy strategy the project commences implementation.