Workplace Environment Optimization

What if the secret to sharper decisions lies not in your strategy, but in your surroundings? We spend much of our leadership energy on strategy and systems. Yet the physical environment we work in...the light, the noise and the temperature shapes our ability to think clearly and make good decisions. Researchers note that exposure to light not only governs vision but also influences alertness, cognition and mood. Bright light reduces sleepiness and improves neuro behavioural performance. Conversely, high levels of noise, particularly irrelevant speech, diminish cognitive performance more than temperature. In one study, researchers observed optimal cognitive performance at a moderate temperature with noise levels around 55 dB. I saw this play out when we refreshed the back office of a restaurant I was overseeing. The team had been working under harsh fluorescent lights and constant background chatter from the kitchen. People were tired, mistakes crept in and tensions rose. After reading about the effects of the environment, we replaced the lighting with softer, brighter bulbs, opened blinds to let natural light in and set up a quiet area away from the busiest machines. Within days, the mood lifted. Staff reported feeling more alert and less stressed. For leaders looking to harness the environment, here are a few considerations: 1. Let in the light. Where possible, increase exposure to daylight or use bright lighting. Evidence suggests that this helps maintain alertness and reduces sleepiness. 2. Control noise. Background chatter and irrelevant speech can impair concentration. Aim for moderate noise levels and quiet zones if your space allows. 3. Mind the temperature. Studies have found that cognitive performance peaks at moderate temperatures and falls when rooms are too cold or too hot. 4. Observe and adjust. Walk through your workspace at different times. Notice where people seem energised or drained. By managing light, sound and comfort, we give ourselves and our teams a better platform to perform. Have you made any changes to your environment that improved focus or morale? I would be keen to hear what worked for you.

Is your office space truly working for you, or is it an underutilized asset? At Worklytics, we've analyzed office and meeting room utilization patterns to provide data-driven insights that can help organizations optimize their work environments. For REWS leaders, these findings offer a roadmap for making informed decisions on space utilization, enhancing both employee experience and cost-effectiveness. Here's what the data reveals: 📊 Colocation Density & Collaboration: In highly distributed teams, only 5% of time is spent working with people in the same building. Contrast that with highly localized teams where 83% of work happens with in-office colleagues. This variation highlights the importance of tailoring spaces to the team's unique collaboration needs. 🏢 Identifying Underused Offices: Offices with low visit frequency and high lease costs—like those with average commute times over 60 minutes—are prime candidates for divestment. Replacing these with co-working spaces closer to where employees live could save over $2M annually while maintaining morale. 👥 Meeting Room Utilization: Offices with high collaboration demands often require hybrid meeting support. Ensuring spaces are equipped to handle both in-person and virtual participants can significantly improve productivity for cross-functional teams. 🔍 Optimizing for Frequent & Infrequent Users: Some offices are heavily frequented weekly, while others are only used monthly or rarely. Understanding these patterns enables targeted investment in facilities that drive the highest value for in-office work. By leveraging insights from digital tool data, REWS leaders can make strategic decisions about space, reduce costs, and improve the employee experience. Make sure to check out the comments below for additional insights. How is your organization using data to shape workspace decisions? #RealEstateStrategy #WorkplaceOptimization #SpaceUtilization #HybridWork #DataDrivenWorkplaces

The debate over working from home versus returning to the office seems to be calming down, with the consensus being that it largely depends on the industry, sector, or customer needs. Organizations are now indeed embracing a triangulation of digital workplaces, physical workplaces, and workspaces, showcasing a blend of remote, in-office, and hybrid models. This integration is aimed at optimizing productivity, collaboration, and employee satisfaction. Here's how each component is expected to evolve: 1. Digital Workplace: This area includes the tools, platforms, and technologies that enable work to be done from anywhere. The digital workplace is poised to become more advanced, integrating AI and machine learning to automate routine tasks, enhance communication, and offer a personalized employee experience. Technologies like virtual and augmented reality could further enhance remote collaboration by creating immersive environments. 2. Physical Workplace: The significance of physical office spaces is being reconsidered but remains essential for nurturing company culture, facilitating collaboration, and accommodating work that benefits from face-to-face interaction. The design of these spaces is evolving towards more flexibility, incorporating hot-desking, open collaborative areas, and social interaction spaces. Factors like health, well-being, and sustainability are increasingly influencing physical workplace design. 3. Workspace: Workspaces are environments that stimulate energy, enthusiasm, and creativity through their ambiance. This concept expands the notion of potential work locations beyond the home or office to include coworking spaces, cafes, libraries, or even parks—essentially, any place that supports productive work. There's a growing appreciation for the importance of work-life balance and the role diverse workspaces can play in achieving it. Advancements in technology will facilitate seamless work from these varied locations, ensuring easy access to necessary resources and connectivity. The future is likely to see organizations adopting a more adaptable approach to work, granting employees the autonomy to select the most suitable work environment for their tasks. Employers will strive to create a cohesive experience across digital, physical, and various workspaces, ensuring that employees have the environments and tools they need to be productive, engaged, and content. This strategy will necessitate careful integration of technology, space design, and policies that encourage flexibility while fostering a robust sense of community and organizational identity.

DO CLEANER WORK PLACES MAKE MORE MONEY? Does it pay to have a cleaner, neater, tidier workplace? With the ongoing kina depreciation, we have to continue to tighten our belts and squeeze out more profitability. If you can't compete on price, then compete on cost. Be a low cost provider. Be the most efficient in your market. Make less mistakes than your rivals. Get things done faster. I have been reading into operational efficiency and came across the Japanese principle of lean management. The basic premise is that by being, net and tidy, clean, and organized, you are more productive, waste less time, make less mistakes, and ultimately, make more money. I am sharing my conversation with ChatGPT on this topic below; //////////////////// Lean management is a powerful approach to improving operational efficiency, and a fundamental component of lean management is the 5S methodology. This system focuses on workplace organization and standardization, which can significantly enhance productivity and efficiency. Here’s a detailed look at the 5S methodology and how it can be implemented by small businesses in Papua New Guinea (PNG). What is the 5S Methodology? The 5S methodology is a systematic approach to workplace organization, originating from Japan and used extensively in lean manufacturing. It consists of five steps: Sort, Set in Order, Shine, Standardize, and Sustain. Each step plays a crucial role in creating an efficient and effective workplace. The 5S Steps 1) Sort (Seiri) Purpose: Eliminate unnecessary items from the workplace. Action: Go through all tools, materials, and equipment in your workspace. Remove anything that is not needed for current operations. Outcome: Reduces clutter, freeing up space and making it easier to find essential items. 2) Set in Order (Seiton) Purpose: Organize the necessary items so they are easy to find and use. Action: Arrange tools and materials in a logical order. Use labels and signboards to ensure everything has a designated place. Outcome: Improves workflow efficiency by reducing time spent searching for items. 3) Shine (Seiso) Purpose: Clean the workplace and keep it tidy. Action: Regularly clean the workspace, equipment, and tools. Establish cleaning routines and responsibilities. Outcome: Creates a safer and more pleasant working environment, and helps identify potential problems early. 4) Standardize (Seiketsu) Purpose: Establish standards for the first three steps. Action: Develop procedures and schedules to maintain sorting, ordering, and cleanliness. Create checklists and visual controls. Outcome: Ensures consistency and sustainability of the 5S practices. 5) Sustain (Shitsuke) Purpose: Maintain and review the established standards. Action: Continuously train employees on the 5S practices. Conduct regular audits and encourage feedback to improve the system. Outcome: Embeds the 5S methodology into the company culture, ensuring long-term adherence and continuous improvement.

Workers in green-certified offices outperform those in non-certified offices on cognitive function. For years, we’ve known these buildings reduce energy use and lower emissions. But the data now shows something even more compelling: they enhance health, boost cognitive performance, and drive productivity. As cities grow and more of us work in commercial offices, the case for prioritizing sustainability in the built environment has never been clearer. The numbers speak for themselves: 📈 26% higher cognitive function scores in green-certified buildings 🔍 38% higher focus and 44% better applied activity scores ⚡ 73% improvement in crisis response 💡 30% fewer health issues, like fatigue and headaches 😴 6.4% better sleep quality reported by occupants These results come from studies by Harvard and MacNaughton et al., and they highlight how optimizing air quality, lighting, thermal comfort, and acoustics transforms workplace environments. The takeaway is clear: green-certified buildings deliver measurable outcomes for people and the planet while giving businesses a competitive edge. At CIM, we’re proud to support building managers with tools like the PEAK Platform to optimize performance, achieve sustainability goals, and create spaces where people thrive. Read more in our latest blog article: https://lnkd.in/eVUrMa5B

Our 2025 Employee Workplace Experience Investment Guide is out! 👇 🌟 Why Workplace Matters Now More Than Ever 🌟 As organizations navigate economic uncertainty, evolving return-to-office expectations, and the rise of hybrid, AI-driven, and asynchronous work, employee needs are changing rapidly. Today's workforce values flexibility, wellbeing support, and a sense of purpose in their work environment. A recent survey canvassing the top concerns of our clients worldwide found that improving the #EmployeeExperience was at the top of the list. 🔍 Our Data-Driven Approach 🔍 Through our Cushman & Wakefield, Experience per Square Foot™ we analyzed data from over 6,000 employees across 15 organizations in 2024 to uncover what drives better workplace experience. 👉 Key finding: Satisfaction with top-impact features was low, presenting a big opportunity for targeted improvements. 🏢 Top Workplace Investments for 2025 🏢 1️⃣ Energize the Workplace: Optimize space to ensure all areas are actively used—use lighting, color, natural elements, and ergonomic furniture to create an engaging atmosphere. 2️⃣ Reflect Company Culture: Design workplaces that support and enhance company culture. 3️⃣ Provide Quiet Spaces: Offer enclosed or private areas for focused work. 4️⃣ Minimize Noise: Enhance acoustics to reduce distractions. 5️⃣ Support Private Conversations: Incorporate dedicated, sound-buffered spaces for phone and video calls that reduce disruptions. 📈 Key Takeaways 📈 Satisfaction with these features significantly boosts Experience Scores (77% vs. 51% when dissatisfied). The 26-point gap underscores the potential for improvement through targeted investment. Understanding what shapes your employees' #WorkplaceExperience is key to making informed investment decisions. It starts with measuring the your company's employee experience and uncovering your drivers of that experience. Please reach out if you want to learn more on how your company can measure experience and replace subjectivity with real data and insight driven by the voice of the employee. #WorkplaceWellbeing #FutureOfWork #WorkplaceDesign