It’s no surprise that The Sundance Company is a commercial real estate leader as well as a strategic link in providing quality and desirable office and industrial space in the Boise metropolitan area. Established in 1976, The Sundance Company has the experience to help you with your commercial real estate needs in Boise, Meridian, Nampa, and the greater Treasure Valley. If your requirements include property management, leasing, real estate development, project planning, construction or space planning then look to us. The Sundance Company has more than 1.5 million square feet of office and industrial space available in prime Boise and Meridian locations.
In the past, when meeting with current or prospective clients, we did not often rely on data as a primary talking point. After all, these conversations instead solely revolved around the proposed execution of transactions, the vast reach of the firm, or market-specific strategies. But while those topics are undoubtedly important and will continue to remain key points of emphasis, in recent years we’ve seen the shift of how data tends to peek its nerdy little head into the conversation as well. Real estate portfolios are rich in data, and we are beginning to lean on this information to formulate strategic decisions more than ever.
Data in the Present Day
We need to be smarter about understanding the different types of data we have access to and what it can tell us. Publicly available data sources such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics and Census Bureau can help us gain a better understanding around labor and population trends. We can also tap into internal resources like integrated workplace management systems, HR software, badge readers and employee surveys, and draw insights into who sits where, for how long and what their expectation is for returning to the office. Is your space big enough? Is it too big? Is the layout working for your employees? Are your employees traveling too far to the office? What does the headcount growth forecast look like and how will it affect my office requirements? What would a hybrid work model look like? These are questions we can answer using quality resources that produce reliable data.
Lease-related data like critical dates and upcoming lease expirations can help us have proactive discussions with our clients about their future and how using occupancy and HR data can help fortify those decisions. Occupancy data driven through workplace software and badge readers can tell the story of attendance trends and popular seating or collaboration areas. From an employee growth standpoint, HR data can assist our planning needs and equip us with data points regarding where our employees are commuting from and if the location is working for the team and key stakeholders. As we plan to transition back into the office post-COVID, extracting and analyzing the right data from internal and external resources will be extremely important in building the right strategies to retain current employees and attract new talent.
We Have the Data, Now What?
Collecting data is crucial, but continuing to track, interpret and analyze that data is just as significant. By collecting data frequently, findings become more compelling, and help to determine trends that will indicate what the future holds. It is a practice in being more proactive and educated. Some companies rely on complex modeling and trend analysis to get a better understanding of “What’s happening today?” and “What does the future hold?”. Others go a little further and leverage business intelligence technologies and geospatial platforms to comprehend their real estate landscape at both macro and micro levels. These models and types of software enable the data to tell the story of where we are and how we can be successful going forward, particularly regarding the return to office.
Portions of this article originally appeared on the CRESA website.
The Sundance Company Established in 1976, The Sundance Company has the experience to help you with your commercial real estate needs throughout the Boise Valley. If your requirements include property management, leasing, real estate development, project planning, construction or space planning then look to us. The Sundance Company has more than 1.6 million square feet of office and industrial space available in prime locations in the Boise metropolitan area. More information is available at www.sundanceco.com or 208.322.7300.
The Sundance Company Established in 1976, The Sundance Company has the experience to help you with your commercial real estate needs throughout the Boise Valley. If your requirements include property management, leasing, real estate development, project planning, construction or space planning then look to us. The Sundance Company has more than 1.6 million square feet of office and industrial space available in prime locations in the Boise metropolitan area. More information is available at www.sundanceco.com or 208.322.7300.
What will business as usual look like in the post-pandemic office? Will some of us continue to use our private spaces as workspaces? Do we need to be in the same place as our colleagues to take advantage of the creative frictions that physical colocation is known to encourage? Or can we get by with a curated combination of remote work and in-person work, as the popularity of hybrid arrangements suggests?
Prioritizing Human Connection
In the January 2021 report “Shaping the Future of Work for a Better World,” global commercial real estate company JLL predicted that accelerated digital workplace transformation, coupled with an emphasis on the worker, will “address both the rising expectations of the workforce and the growing importance of human connection.” Future workspaces will need to be more flexible, less centralized, and more people-centric to both attract and retain the best talent while ensuring that these workers are energized and creative both when working remotely and in person.
In fact, in conversations about what we’ve missed most about the offices we left behind last year, a persistent theme has emerged: We’ve missed our colleagues. We miss the opportunities for chance interactions with people we know well and those from other teams we may know less well.
Especially for people new to a company, the ability to network and connect in person is critical to building what Mark Granovetter, a sociology professor at Stanford University, identified in 1973 as weak ties — those casual acquaintances who move us outside our established and familiar “strong tie” networks. Weak ties offer us the opportunity to learn and expand, and in fact most people learn about and get their next job through such connections.
Reshaping Boundaries
Physical boundaries between work and domestic life have shifted radically for many; so too has our perception of what’s needed for productivity and collaboration, as has the meaning of “the office” itself. These shifts necessitate a rethinking of what kinds of activities are most suited to colocation and which ones are best left to more private venues, whether a home office or a third space. A simple reset to pre-pandemic policies based on outmoded notions of face time and presentism are no longer assumed nor, in many cases, desired or sustainable.
The time has come for more nuanced approaches to workplaces as ecosystems rather than discrete physical locations. We need to be asking ourselves and, more important, asking our employees what kinds of experiences benefit from what kind of spaces — a question that can no longer be treated as though “one size fits all.”
The process of reimagining office spaces introduces critical, overarching questions: How will our imaginations around the concept of workspaces and the evolving use of technology support our work practices? What do today’s transformations suggest about what it means to be human at work?
Within this flux, one fact remains: People are social animals. Personality traits of introversion or extroversion aside, people need people. Advances in digital tools as intermediaries for enabling connection are not enough. Serendipity, while not a new concept in workplace architectural design and planning, will become a more pressing one as hybrid approaches limit workers’ opportunities for in-person interactions. Leaders will need to anticipate and shape the kinds of social moments that enable richer, more meaningful human connections in our offices and work lives.
The Sundance Company Established in 1976, The Sundance Company has the experience to help you with your commercial real estate needs throughout the Boise Valley. If your requirements include property management, leasing, real estate development, project planning, construction or space planning then look to us. The Sundance Company has more than 1.6 million square feet of office and industrial space available in prime locations in the Boise metropolitan area. More information is available at www.sundanceco.com or 208.322.7300.
Most of us understand that work-life balance is an important aspect of a healthy work environment. But now, more than ever, we need to openly discuss what work-life balance really is, what it means for different people, and the best strategies for obtaining it.
What is Work-Life Balance?
Let’s start with the basics. Work-life balance can be described as a state of equilibrium. It’s the equal prioritization of personal and professional demands. When work-life balance is off, the two states tend to bleed together, and people find themselves focusing on job demands when they should be present in the home. Whether it’s a busy parent attempting to help their kids with remote learning while also taking business calls or finding yourself answering work emails in the middle of the night, many people have found themselves pulled in unhealthy directions.
Why it’s Important
There are endless studies emphasizing the important role that work-life balance plays in one’s life. One of the most obvious reasons for this is the improvement in relationships, both at home and in the office. But it also boosts productivity and performance in both situations because the person is able to fully engage with their responsibilities. There is also significant research that shows a successful work/life balance improves physical health, preventing everything from the flu to heart problems. Employees that have the time and space to practice mindfulness will be able to reduce stress and prevent burnout by being able to focus on the task at hand. No matter their work style, flexibility gives employees the autonomy they need to function best. After all, not everyone operates the same way nor are any two home lives the same. Whether they’re Baby Boomers, Gen Zers fresh from college, or anywhere in between, everyone appreciates a flexible schedule.
How Organizations Can Achieve Work-Life Balance
1. Autonomy & Flexibility In order for team members to achieve a sense of work-life balance, employers need to provide them with a sense of autonomy. According to a survey of 3,500 employees conducted by Sage, 81% of respondents placed importance and value on flexible working, because they want to be trusted to manage when, where and how they work.
2. Amenities For employees that do come to a physical workplace, providing onsite amenities, ranging from gym and meditation facilities to healthy foods, are amazing resources for teams. Exercise and a healthy lifestyle are essential for alleviating stress, and many team members rely on these perks to maintain their well-being, especially when they are taking the time to commute to an office.
3. (Really Good) Benefits Another important factor in achieving work-life balance is providing extraordinary benefits – not just the standard offerings. It’s no secret that health insurance is incredibly expensive, as is childcare. Company paid services like these, as well as tuition assistance and longer paid maternity and paternity leaves, serve as important indicators of how companies value their team members while also contributing to a healthy work-life balance.
4. People and Culture Additionally, we have to remember that the people you hire create your company’s environment. That’s why it’s so important that team members are a good fit for the culture and type of company that you want to build and grow. Naturally, this means some existing employees who demonstrate toxic behaviors might need to be let go. While making these choices is tough, they’re extremely necessary if you want to cultivate an environment where people can thrive.
5. Lead by Example The way those in leadership and managerial roles lead their organization is a direct indicator of work/life balance too. Through leading by example and demonstrating a strong sense of empathy and practicing a healthy work-life balance themselves, team members will understand the type of culture you promote and support in your workplace. This allows them to go forward and practice those same principles in all their affairs, and in turn hopefully find a healthy work-life balance for themselves.
By coming together and finding ways to support work-life balance for your organization, you’re able to dedicate your focus on your company’s bright future and with limited employee turnover along the way.
Portions of this article originally appeared on the CRESA website.
The Sundance Company Established in 1976, The Sundance Company has the experience to help you with your commercial real estate needs throughout the Boise Valley. If your requirements include property management, leasing, real estate development, project planning, construction or space planning then look to us. The Sundance Company has more than 1.5 million square feet of office and industrial space available in prime locations in the Boise metropolitan area. More information is available at www.sundanceco.com or 208.322.7300.
The Sundance Company Established in 1976, The Sundance Company has the experience to help you with your commercial real estate needs throughout the Boise Valley. If your requirements include property management, leasing, real estate development, project planning, construction or space planning then look to us. The Sundance Company has more than 1.5 million square feet of office and industrial space available in prime locations in the Boise metropolitan area. More information is available at www.sundanceco.com or 208.322.7300.
Burnout is a big deal these days. Whether it’s the seemingly constant change, unreasonable expectations, the anxiety of living in a global pandemic, or simply not having the resources (whether it’s social, physical, emotional, or financial) to deal with everything, burnout has taken shape in some form or fashion over the last year and more.
Studies estimate that burnout has increased between 48% and 64% over the course of the pandemic. And in a much less scientific poll, when I polled my own LinkedIn network, I found that 96% of people reported feeling burnt out at some point over the past six months. It’s likely few of us have the same energy levels as we did before 2020.
We are all trying to do the same—or maybe more—with fewer resources and more constraints. It’s only natural that our physical, mental, and emotional energy will slowly drain away.
Typical tips for fighting burnout often include taking a break, asking for help, and spending time with friends and family; however, leaders and organizations can also mitigate burnout by keeping tabs on energy levels and ensuring sufficient resources are provided. There is, however, an innovative method for fighting burnout that research is finding to be quite effective: Trying to forgive.
Why Forgiveness Matters
Burnout is about losing your mental and emotional energy. When you run out of the energy needed to overcome daily challenges, you feel as if you are unable to make positive improvements in your situation, and you become skeptical and cynical that things will ever change, you are burnt out. To prevent burnout, you have to minimize unnecessary or wasteful uses of your mental and emotional energy. Forgiveness is one way to do this. And it has been linked to lower levels of depression, stress and anxiety, and of course, burnout.
It may sometimes be easier in the short run to not forgive, but in the long run, it saves your energy. Think of it like this. When you do not forgive—when you hold onto resentment or frustration, focused on someone else or yourself—you are burning mental and emotional “gas.”
Tips for Using Forgiveness as a Burnout Cure
Start by forgiving yourself. Research suggests that, when it comes to fighting burnout, being able to forgive yourself may be even more important than forgiving others. After all, you have a front-row seat to your own failings, so there’s more to waste energy over when you cannot forgive yourself. Observe and label the specific things for which you may need to forgive yourself. Pause whenever you start beating yourself up with negative generalities (those phrases that start with “I always . . . ,” “I never . . . ,” and “I’m such a . . . “). Generalities exacerbate burnout feelings of helplessness and hopelessness. It’s much easier to forgive yourself when you can identify the specific thing you are choosing to let go of.
From there, try to lead with forgiveness. Bad leadership has an outsize effect on burnout—increasing burnout by as much as 230%. If you are creating an unforgiving environment where failure is unacceptable and mistakes are heavily punished, you are setting your people up to burn out. Instead, foster creativity, collaboration, and cohesion in your teams by consistently modeling forgiveness. Make it clear to others that it is safe to make mistakes, provided they learn from them.
Focus on solutions, when embracing forgiveness. Forgiveness isn’t always easy, and it is easier for some than others. If “forgiveness” sounds like an obligation that would be draining in itself, you may want to think about creating a few mitigation techniques to manage problems before they arise. So, identify where mistakes are made most frequently and institute preventative checkpoints. After all, the fewer mistakes there are, the less you will have to forgive.
Also, forgive selfishly. If forgiving others sounds like a burden, try thinking of it as a way to stay in control of your relationships, for you. This isn’t about having a death grip on every circumstance in life, but rather preventing situations from spiraling out of control. Grudge-holding begets grudge-holding. Vengeance begets more vengeance. Even if your forgiveness doesn’t completely rectify the situation, it will prevent you from wasting more emotional energy reacting to something you cannot control.
Finally, practice empathy. Sometimes forgiving is harder than other times, especially when others’ bad behavior seems ridiculous or malicious. Counter this by remembering that we all fall victim to the fundamental attribution error, or the mistaken thinking that others fail because of who they are, whereas we fail because of our circumstances. Put differently, it is natural to think to ourselves, “I would have never done that.” Instead, think about what would have made you do whatever it is you are frustrated about, and you will find it much easier to forgive.
Forgiveness can empower individuals to take back some of their mental and emotional energy and mitigate the burnout we are all feeling. If you are a team or organizational leader, I’d like to leave you with one caveat and an exhortation.
Remember, Forgiveness is not a Magic Elixir
Don’t weaponize forgiveness by challenging people (“Tet’s try to be more forgiving”) while you continue to induce burnout through unsupportive and overly demanding leadership. Assess your role in the burnout process, then be proactive in providing support and resources for preventing burnout (and reversing it when it does occur).
Portions of this article originally appeared on the Fast Company website.
The Sundance Company Established in 1976, The Sundance Company has the experience to help you with your commercial real estate needs throughout the Boise Valley. If your requirements include property management, leasing, real estate development, project planning, construction or space planning then look to us. The Sundance Company has more than 1.5 million square feet of office and industrial space available in prime locations in the Boise metropolitan area. More information is available at www.sundanceco.com or 208.322.7300.
About The Sundance Company Established in 1976, The Sundance Company has the experience to help you with your commercial real estate needs throughout the Boise Valley. If your requirements include property management, leasing, real estate development, project planning, construction or space planning then look to us. The Sundance Company has more than 1.5 million square feet of office and industrial space available in prime locations in the Boise metropolitan area. More information is available at www.sundanceco.com or 208.322.7300.
About The Sundance Company Established in 1976, The Sundance Company has the experience to help you with your commercial real estate needs throughout the Boise Valley. If your requirements include property management, leasing, real estate development, project planning, construction or space planning then look to us. The Sundance Company has more than 1.5 million square feet of office and industrial space available in prime locations in the Boise metropolitan area. More information is available at www.sundanceco.com or 208.322.7300.
Over the past year, we witnessed a fundamental change in the role of office. As we quickly transitioned to virtual and digital workspaces, we saw leadership change their perspective on remote working and physical space. Business leaders have also shared concerns over workplace purpose and rightsizing their future office requirements, yet they have been awed and inspired by the complexity of the single question: “What is the future of work?”
Through this disruption, organizations are boldly questioning conventional business norms and expressing concerns about the shift from dedicated, individual spaces to more agile, shared workspaces. Key questions business owners are asking include:
What is the best office size and configuration?
What are the long-term, post pandemic implications on real estate decisions made today?
How do we establish organizational culture and maintain employee engagement in a blended/hybrid workspace?
What technologies will be needed immediately to successfully transition and support the physical office of the future?
Components of The New Generation Space
The New Generation Space is a purpose-built environment that drives employee engagement: a memorable and inspiring place where people want to work and be. This hybrid workplace can also be viewed as a “Hive;” the place people return to for human connection that supports the activities an individual does not want to do, or cannot do, from home. And although it is not one-size-fits-all (with solutions tailored to each company’s unique needs) there is a general emphasis on the following elements:
Leadership: Presence and vision are the heart of an organization. Associates, both new and seasoned, will need to see and be seen to fully connect with the company’s culture and vision.
Cultural Experience: The work environment is a physical manifestation of a company’s values, organizational purpose and brand promise. In-person employee engagement also helps create the social capital that binds organizational culture.
In-Office Employees: Though many employees will embrace remote work, others will still prefer the in-office environment. Resident employees will likely be in the office most of the time and may require individual, assigned workspaces. Companies should consider building in flexibility to expand and contract as on-site headcount needs adjust.
Collaboration and Innovation: Although platforms like Zoom and Microsoft Teams have made virtual meetings more successful than most would have anticipated, virtual collaboration misses out on the nuances of body language and other visual cues in communication that impact the brainstorming process. The “Hive” will incorporate innovation labs, project rooms and other areas for team-based work and tactile learning.
Agile Workspace: Similar to an activity-based work model, agile workspace allows associates to choose a preferred setting based on the task being performed. A hybrid workforce requires the freedom to choose between focus areas, quiet zones, and collaboration spaces that are tech-enabled to promote productivity and cross-pollination of ideas.
Three Steps to Attaining the New Generation Space
Companies are currently experiencing varying degrees of readiness and acceptance of the hybrid workplace model and the concept of the “Hive.” Organizations have extensive investments in existing real estate, deeply ingrained leadership styles and cultural history, often supported by well-established industry norms. To address these issues, a new methodology has been developed to guide businesses through the uncertainty and help them find the best solution for their needs. Following are three key steps to help your organization achieve your New Generation Space.
1. Confirm Your Purpose
The process begins with listening and understanding leadership as it confirms – or redefines – the organization’s vision, mission, values and culture, and how those may be impacted by a dynamic workforce or new business processes. This self-examination will undoubtedly create uncertainties and provoke many questions. Addressing these concerns is imperative for a united leadership direction and guiding the company to the right workplace solution. During this process, we also identify leadership’s threshold for change regarding remote work, digital processes and financial commitment.
Secondly, assessing the employee work-from-home (WFH) experience is crucial to understanding what is working and what can be improved in terms of: technology, performance, distractions, engagement, social isolation, and organizational connection. Through employee experience surveys, businesses with support of an interior architecture partner can capture feedback regarding preferred future WFH schedules, in-office activities, desired on-site resources, and amenities. This helps organizations understand the individual personas within their company and provide insight to the new workplace purpose. These surveys coupled with leadership’s goals are key in identifying the issues, priorities and expectations that will be addressed in the next step, “Future of Work Sessions.”
Future of Work Sessions include participants from a cross-section of the organization representing various departments, cohorts, and responsibilities for a broad perspective on beliefs, needs, and expectations. These set the stage for creating opportunities and exploring the process of moving from “where we are” today to “where we want to be” tomorrow. Future of Work Sessions utilize several tailored exercises based on a modified design thinking methodology – a human-centered approach to problem solving. One such exercise develops “How might we?” questions to frame the challenge from a different perspective. Examples include:
How might we design a workplace that is intuitive/easy for all occupants to use?
How might we design a workplace that improves remote worker engagement?
Not only does Future of Work Sessions align all stakeholders on the vision and purpose of the new workplace environment, but it establishes the “seeds of change” and becomes the basis for developing new workplace processes and protocols, and then determining what change management is required for a successful transformation.
2. Develop a Strategy
The next step applies the results of the Future of Work Sessions to real-world applications. Using these ideas and solutions we can test what impact various “What if” scenarios might have on the future office needs. Some examples might be: “What impact does remote scheduling have on the total real estate requirement?”, “What if we implement a desk-sharing system?” or “What if everyone shows up on the same day?”
As individual space becomes shared space and alternative work settings are utilized, space plans are no longer measured simply by the number of workstations and private offices. A capacity analysis can determine how many “seats” will be needed to meet current and future demand as associates adapt to this new way of working.
Finally, developing a comprehensive workplace strategy must include aligning IT and HR. This strategy should address how to best support an untethered workforce and what new tools and platforms should be provided. The appropriate technology infrastructure must be implemented to support a seamless user experience. These may include integrated employee dashboards, booking systems, or sensor technology that manage the relationship between people and spaces. HR’s involvement regarding policy and protocols are also established during this step, as changes in space may require new behaviors and training to maximize use of The New Generation Space.
3. Create an Experience
The heart of the New Generation Space is connecting individuals as part of an extended community and embracing the human side of an organization. With well-planned migration patterns and deliberate touchpoints, the environment becomes a memorable experience that drives engagement. As the physical manifestation of a company’s brand promise, it embodies an organization’s culture and values. It will be purpose-built and tech-enabled, integrating positive sensory experience for all.
This workplace model will be easy to use and intuitive with seamless, plug-and-play technology. Integrated platforms will provide organizational insights, that track trends and schedules, and improve the overall communication and user experience across the hybrid workforce. When designed efficiently and effectively, the New Generation Space will build both personal and professional relationships, drive engagement, and foster collaboration and innovation.
About The Sundance Company Established in 1976, The Sundance Company has the experience to help you with your commercial real estate needs throughout the Boise Valley. If your requirements include property management, leasing, real estate development, project planning, construction or space planning then look to us. The Sundance Company has more than 1.5 million square feet of office and industrial space available in prime locations in the Boise metropolitan area. More information is available at www.sundanceco.com or 208.322.7300.
The Sundance Company 