Constructing Effective Workspaces

The Power of Clean and Organized Workshops: One fundamental practice often overlooked is maintaining a clean and organized workshop. A well-kept workspace isn’t just about aesthetics; it enhances efficiency, safety, and productivity. Here’s why and how hotel engineers should prioritize workshop organization. A cluttered workspace slows down operations. When tools and materials are scattered, valuable time is wasted searching for what’s needed. A streamlined setup allows engineers to work faster, make precise repairs, and complete tasks efficiently. Hotels prioritize guest safety, but workshop safety is just as critical. Loose tools, spilled fluids, or tangled cords can lead to injuries. A well-organized workshop reduces hazards, minimizing trips, falls, and equipment malfunctions. A neat workshop reflects professionalism and discipline. It fosters a culture of accountability where every team member respects shared resources. When everything is labeled and stored correctly, there’s less risk of tools going missing or getting misplaced. • Remove unnecessary items that take up space. Dispose of broken tools and redundant supplies. • Arrange tools in logical, easy-to-access locations. Use pegboards, labeled bins, and shadow boards. • Regularly clean work surfaces, floors, and equipment to maintain a spotless environment. • Standardize: Establish and document procedures for maintaining organization and cleanliness. • Encourage consistent habits and responsibility among all engineers. Labeling shelves, drawers, and toolboxes ensures that everyone knows where things belong. It also helps new engineers quickly adapt to the system without disrupting workflow. Adopt a “Clean as You Go” Mindset Waiting until the end of the week for a deep clean often leads to overwhelming messes. Instead, instill a habit of cleaning up after every task—wiping down surfaces, returning tools, and disposing of waste immediately. Grouping tools based on usage makes them easier to locate. • Electrical tools in one section • Plumbing tools in another • HVAC-related equipment in a designated area Use tool chests, pegboards, or modular storage units to keep everything systematically arranged. Unused or broken items can pile up, leading to unnecessary clutter. Set a quarterly inspection schedule to review tools and materials, discarding or donating what’s no longer needed. Establish Workshop Zones Designate specific areas for different activities: • A repair station for fixing appliances • A storage zone for spare parts • A cleaning area with proper waste disposal and recycling bins This zoning system helps keep the workflow smooth and organized. A poorly lit and stuffy workshop isn’t just uncomfortable—it can be unsafe. Ensure that workspaces have adequate lighting, proper ventilation, and air circulation to create a safe and productive environment. Your workshop reflects the quality of your work. Keep it clean, keep it efficient, and watch your productivity soar!

Remote Facilitation Tip: Your physical space matters, even in a fully remote job! 🏡💻 Working remotely doesn't mean lounging in a beanbag with your laptop all day. While occasionally fun, doing so daily will take a toll on your health. Let me give you a tour of my remote facilitation and teaching setup. What's not pictured: - A door for privacy and minimizing distractions 🚪 - Two large bookshelves filled with reference books 📚 - An antique rolltop desk for writing ✍️ - An 8+ hour rated office chair 🪑 - A guest chair for family visits 👨👩👧👦 - Comfy shoes for all-day sitting or standing 👟 - A UPS battery on my network router to prevent disconnects during power flickers 🔌 - A Jackery Battery Generator for power outages ⚡ Notable things in the picture: - Good lighting so people can see you 💡 - Three monitors for ample screen real estate 🖥️🖥️🖥️ - A backup computer for facilitation and teaching security 💻 - Quick reference books: Agile Retrospectives, Participatory Decision Making, Liberating Structures, Software Profit Streams 📗📘📙📕 - Backup keyboard, mouse, and ethernet cable 🖱️⌨️🌐 - Snacks, water, and coffee for hydration and focus ☕🍿💧 What else do you notice: Take a scan around the picture. What else do you notice that would help to maintain a healthy work environment? Call them out in the comments below. 👇 Creating a comfortable, well-equipped workspace is essential for not just for remote facilitation, and teaching. It is important for anyone who wants to maintain a sustainable pace indefinitely. Invest in your physical space to ensure a sustainable and healthy working environment. 🌿 What are your must-haves for a productive remote workspace? Share your tips in the comments! 👇 #SustainablePace #SustainableValue #RemoteFacilitation #RemoteWorkspace #ProductivityTips #HealthyWorkEnvironment #RemoteTeaching #WorkFromHome

CBRE has released a compelling 5-part series on the Future of Work, offering valuable insights for aligning workplace environments with business objectives and corporate culture. In Part 4, titled "Effective Spaces," the focus is on the necessity of redesigning workplaces to accommodate the shift to hybrid work. This involves moving from static layouts to dynamic, flexible, and human-centric spaces to enhance employee experience and productivity. The key highlights from this installment include: - **Evolution of Space Allocation:** A transition from traditional assigned desks to hybrid desk-sharing models, reflecting a preference for flexibility and diverse work areas. - **Enhancing Employee Experience:** Organizations are prioritizing the creation of engaging workspaces by incorporating physical amenities and fostering collaboration. - **Technological Advancements:** Smart buildings, utilizing IoT and AI, are reshaping workplaces by personalizing spaces and promoting collaboration through virtual tools. - **Strategic Co-Working Spaces:** Flexible office setups are crucial for supporting growth, especially for medium-sized portfolios, emphasizing the importance of workplace adaptability. - **Influence of Hybrid Work Models:** The shift to hybrid work necessitates a reevaluation of work practices, communication methods, and office utilization, emphasizing the need for activity-based environments and human-centric spaces. This series delves into the transformative trends impacting office occupiers, offering a roadmap for organizations to create innovative and adaptive work environments that cater to the evolving needs of the modern workforce. For more information, please see below and of course, you can always reach out. #FutureOfWork #WorkplaceTrends #ReturntoOffice #Hybrid #Remote #CBRE

One of the interesting things we've been talking about as we leverage traditional UX methodology in physical spaces is: A place can be *functional* but not yet *performative.* (In UX we'd talk about something being usable but not yet delightful.) Our CXO David Dewane likes to explain that a trailer can be a functional space for a classroom but it is not performative. What things help make a space delightfully performative? A few we've been noting: ➕ Variety in space types People, especially when we're talking about work but in other situations as well, are more likely to thrive when they are able to select an area that fits their in-the-moment needs. Do they need to focus? Are they craving sociability? Do they just need to reliably connect to yet another dang video call?? A performative space offers variety to accommodate these diverse needs. 🙋♀️ Personalization This will obviously vary in the literal sense of personalizing, as something like a lobby would need very little, while things like workspaces can benefit tremendously by allowing people to add a bit of themselves to the spaces they use regularly. But go beyond the strict sense of the word and think about how to connect a space to what people value or desire. It could be making the lobby feel more like a living room, or a restaurant more like a family dining experience. 🌳 Connection to nature Bringing in natural light, allowing for outside views, and adding natural textures have all been shown to increase feelings of well-being. Even just a few plants can make a big difference.  It’s relatively straightforward to bring a building to functionality, but we should never stop at usable. What other things can you think of that help a space become performative? #builtenvironment #UXinspaces

How do we redefine office spaces to maximize team collaboration and workplace value? In hybrid workplaces, 70% of employees report insufficient focus time, while 2 in 5 meetings now involve 10+ attendees. How do we adapt our office spaces to meet modern demands while driving productivity and collaboration? Here are the latest trends shaping the future of workspaces: 🌟 Workflow intensity and meeting overload: ➡️ 70% of individual contributors (ICs) report insufficient focus time, which directly impacts their ability to deliver high-quality, creative work. ➡️ Workday spans have increased by 30 minutes, reflecting the growing demands of hybrid work schedules. ➡️ 2 in 5 meetings now involve 10+ attendees, reducing effectiveness and creating a drain on resources. ➡️ Managers attend 2-3x as many meetings as ICs, underlining the need to optimize leadership schedules to create space for strategic work. 🌍 Low peer density in non-HQ locations: ➡️ In satellite offices, fewer than 30% of peer collaborators are in the office on the same day, limiting the value employees gain from in-office interactions. ➡️ Employees in low peer-density environments report feeling disconnected, impacting collaboration and the perceived ROI of office time. ➡️ Increasing peer density through anchor days or more thoughtful scheduling can yield significant gains in cross-functional collaboration. 📊 Evolving space needs: ➡️ Cross-team network gains are directly tied to in-office time, but collaboration-heavy anchor days have led to a surge in demand for smaller spaces, especially for 1:1 interactions. ➡️ Hybrid meetings dominate, yet many offices are under-equipped for the shift, creating a significant need for additional 1-person rooms. ➡️ The data shows that flexible workspace design and responsive space allocation can drive better alignment with how teams actually work. 💡 Key considerations for REWS leaders: ➡️ Focus time optimization: Consider implementing quiet zones or schedules that protect focus hours, as ICs thrive on at least 3-5 hours of uninterrupted work daily. ➡️ Peer density strategy: Introduce policies or incentives that drive peer alignment on in-office days, especially in satellite locations. ➡️ Space utilization redesign: Analyze hybrid meeting trends and allocate resources toward smaller, tech-enabled spaces for 1:1 and small-group interactions. For REWS leaders, the challenge is clear: balance collaboration, flexibility, and efficiency with data-driven space designs. At Worklytics, our actionable insights help organizations navigate these changes with confidence. Check the comments for additional strategies from our latest research. How can you align your office spaces to better meet the demands of hybrid work while maximizing real estate ROI? #WorkplaceExperience #WorkforcePlanning #WorkplaceStrategy #REWS #CRE