-By Joe Flynn
I recently attended an IFMA Boston panel discussion on Mobility. The panelists were; Kate Thibeault, VP Governance, Policy and Process Optimization, Global Property, Pearson; Melodee Wagen, President, Workspace Strategies, Inc.; and Jessie Wigfall, Senior Manager, Design & Construction Operations, Liberty Mutual Insurance.
“Engagement” – All parties agreed that the greatest benefit of instituting a mobility program was the immediate boost in employee engagement. They shared that creating a flexible work program has a profoundly positive impact on most employees.
They shared the following lessons learned:
- There must be senior leadership advocacy before initiating any mobility policy.
- A solid partnership between facilities, HR and IT is critical for any launch to be successful.
- In order to present a case for mobility, it is essential that the justification extend beyond the topic of cost savings and include the potential boost to employee performance and moral.
- It is necessary to engage both Change Management and Employee Engagement consultants to support the process before, during and after.
- Select one department as the “guinea pig”, ideally one that supports mobility. Track the metrics of their performance and satisfaction.
- It is ill advised to assume that significant real estate savings will be realized. She cautioned that existing spaces should be reimagined as more fluid, open and collaborative.