Mark McCord: Successful Workplace Transformation Projects Create Cohesion

Workplace transformation, when done right, can achieve truly remarkable results. Oftentimes, employees feel drawn to the new space—even when they have other options like coworking and telecommuting. People have a sense of pride in where they work and want to share it with others, creating viral interest that rapidly spreads beyond initial expectations. Ultimately, a successful workplace transformation can even have a beneficial influence on the very culture of the organization.

“People like coming in to the space— they feel drawn to it.”

Every successful workplace transformation project I’ve seen creates a sense of cohesion and togetherness. People like coming in to the space—they feel drawn to it. We know that in this day and age, people have multiple options when deciding where they want to work. They can go to a WeWork, or they can work from home if they like, but they choose to come to the new space. They’re there because they want to be. That’s a really big sign that a workplace transformation has been successful.

Companies can measure the success of their workplace transformation by examining how many people come into the office and how much of the space is being utilized. They can assess these factors using metrics like the utilization of space, the cost per person, and the square foot per person. Some of these hard outcomes that come through are really important, but it’s generally the soft ones that I mentioned that are the most remarkable and the most meaningful.

This is an excerpt from 8 Experts on Workplace Transformation. The eBook was generously sponsored by Iron Mountain.