Esme Banks Marr is Strategy Director at BVN Architecture in London where she is passionate about communications to support change and applied research. Mike Petrusky asks Esme about her career journey in the world of FM and the built environment. They take a close look at how communication is essential for the future of work and in the workplace, and Banks Marr explains why articulation is crucial for driving workplace change and how using pulse surveys and sentiment analysis tools can deliver important insights for future decision–making.
Agenda
• Role of communication in workplace leadership
• Importance of understanding users of your spaces
• Need for better surveying and sentiment analysis tools
• Potential for artificial intelligence (AI) in supporting workplaces
• Importance of understanding users of your spaces
• Need for better surveying and sentiment analysis tools
• Potential for artificial intelligence (AI) in supporting workplaces
What you need to know: Workplace takeaways
Takeaway 1: Articulation and communication are the key to successful workplaces
Banks Marr begins by stressing the importance of articulation and communication in creating successful work environments, pointing out that it requires many different people to communicate effectively.
“I think [it’s] one of the things we could do better at as an industry, but I wonder if we could all do better at it as individuals …” she says.
A lack of communication can lead to the arrival of new challenges. Banks Marr suggests that unless you understand the users of your space and you can communicate why you might be making some differences, you can end up either losing talent or having people who are actively disengaged from the work that they’re doing.
Takeaway 2: Leaders must create workplaces where employees want to be
One of the key roles for leadership is in the creation of workplaces that attract employees and inspire them to do their best work.
“I think to lead, and I’m not the only one who said this, of course, is to create somewhere where people ultimately want to be. You need to create somewhere that supports them, that pulls them in to want to do their work. And not only their work, but their best work there,” she says.
Takeaway 3: Understanding and utilizing workplace technology are important for success
Understanding and utilizing workplace technology is important, especially in the context of feedback loops and sentiment analysis, Banks Marr explains.
“I think the technology that’s out there and seems to be rising in importance, but also there seems to be more platforms coming to market that do this is the idea of pulse surveying and sentiment analysis.”
Combining data from multiple sources can deliver new insights. For example, Banks Marr discusses how the layering of human sentiment data with building performance data can provide valuable insights for improving the overall employee workplace experience.
Takeaway 4: Generative AI can support workforces and workplaces
There are potential roles for AI for the workforce and in the workplace but finding them is a process we must actively engage with.
“Generative AI can be a great enabler, I think, but it’s for us to upskill ourselves [to discover] where generative AI can support workforces, support the workplace, support everything and anything, but we’ve got to upskill ourselves,” Banks Marr explains.
“Get out there, read, uncover, test, trial, all of that … On the generative AI front, absolutely.”
Workplace management insights
• Workplace leaders need to understand the users of their space and provide them with what they need to do their job well. This is true for all types of workplaces, not just commercial corporate property.
• Communication is crucial in driving workplace change and improvements. Leaders need to articulate their plans and ideas effectively and engage with their teams regularly.
• Pulse surveying and sentiment analysis are promising tools in workplace technology. They allow for more regular and nuanced feedback from employees.
• Layering experience data from both humans and buildings can provide a more comprehensive insight into workplace performance and needs.
• Generative AI has significant potential in supporting workplaces, but industry professionals need to educate themselves about it.
• Communication is crucial in driving workplace change and improvements. Leaders need to articulate their plans and ideas effectively and engage with their teams regularly.
• Pulse surveying and sentiment analysis are promising tools in workplace technology. They allow for more regular and nuanced feedback from employees.
• Layering experience data from both humans and buildings can provide a more comprehensive insight into workplace performance and needs.
• Generative AI has significant potential in supporting workplaces, but industry professionals need to educate themselves about it.
