Changing perceptions: how to create an inspiring office space
The office space is often at the heart of business culture, as it creates collaboration for meetings and group work, enhances relationships across the business and helps with in-house training and development opportunities. However, increasing numbers of professionals across the world are finding office workplaces uninspiring and uninviting, with the after-effects of the pandemic causing a shift in work attitudes. According to a report by the International Workplace Group (IWG), for 70% of the people they've surveyed, a choice of work environment is a key factor when evaluating new career opportunities.So, what can businesses do to improve the office space? Becky Turner, Workplace Psychologist at the British interior design firm Claremont Group Interiors, explains more in our interview: Q. What can businesses on a budget do to update their office space to suit the modern workforce?A. On a budget, it's all about prioritising maximum impact. You’ll probably want to consider phasing some work and so potentially, if your maximum impact is to create a lot more spaces for your colleagues to connect and collaborate with each other, then you might bring in some open collaboration areas, some booths that you can have semi-private conversations in.But don't lose sight of the bigger picture. Consider a wider programme of works that you might want to do over five years. Maybe create a five-year plan of your real estate and then you can phase it into certain pockets of activity. So, like I say, you're spreading that budget over those five years.So, design for maximum impact first. Make sure you're communicating with your colleagues about the plan, if you can be as open as possible. Really take them on that journey with you, because then, all these little bits of disruption over the period that you're going to be doing some work, they'll be on board with because they understand the impact that it's going to have on them in the future.Q. What sort of approach should business leaders take when designing their office space?A.It's all about engagement. So, engagement with your colleagues at all levels. What do they need?In this hybrid way of working, which a lot of organisations are taking on board, what's going to be that thing that makes people decide, when they wake up in the morning or they're planning out their diary, ‘am I going to come into the office that day or am I going to work from home?' What's going to make them want to come into the office?To do that it's not a case of just thinking ‘I know my people, I know what they'll say’, because they might surprise you. It's all about understanding their needs and requirements because they're the ones who're going to be utilising the space, not making assumptions.Q. How can organisations prioritise energy efficiency for next-generation workplaces?A.This is a really interesting topic. It's hot on the cards for every organisation: you’ve got standards to meet, there's new and innovative ways to try and meet those standards, and really there's a couple of options here.It was staggering when we did some independent research and, bearing in mind it was in January so we were going through this cost-of-living crisis and things were a little bit uncertain, we found that 28% of people were coming into the office for the energy and for the heating, which is just absolutely staggering. It's so important; if people are going to come in for the energy, for example, then we need to make sure it's efficient within the workplace as well.It's largely about designing in some really smart ways to support your energy usage. You might try and look at your mechanical and electrical first and unfortunately, that's usually the biggest chunk from your budget. It’s going into things that are above the ceiling and below the floor that you can't even see, but it's going to make a huge difference to the bill at the end of every month, but also the comfort levels of your colleagues.Q. How much does an office space impact an employee’s satisfaction and overall productivity level?A.Employee satisfaction and productivity go hand in hand, they're highly correlated. It’s massive the impact your workplace can have on numerous levels.Purely functionally, as long as you can come into your space and you can work in the way that you work best, that's going to massively maximise your productivity. If you're an extrovert and you might be doing a bit of admin work, sitting in an area where actually you can get some stimulation, that's going to be important to you and maintain your focus, which for some might seem a little bit backwards, but that's what the research shows.And then equally, if you've got somebody coming in to do that same role, who might be an introvert or who might be hypersensitive, a little pod, such as the one that I'm in now, is nice and small. You can come, you can plug in, you can control the lighting and the temperature, and it's nice and quiet so you could get your head down and work.So really providing lots of different spaces where people can feel comfortable getting their work done and work to the best of their ability, that's going to massively improve their satisfaction levels and equally productivity.Q. How important is personalisation when revamping an office space?A.It's a really big deal, actually. Historically, if you think about offices and how they were portrayed in movies from the nineties and the early noughties, especially in America, people are in cubicles, and they've all got pictures of their dogs, their family, their kids. People have always enjoyed personalising their spaces; it's their safe space.So this is a big challenge when you're then opening areas up, and having a slightly more open plan office, particularly now in hybrid working, where not every everyone might have a designated desk. That's where maybe there's this idea that ‘oh no, I'm not going to be able to control my space anymore. I'm not going to be able to personalise it. It's not going to feel like mine.’It's a change in mindset, about thinking ‘ok, this isn't my space only, it's not my den, it's our space that we all share together and collectively, so how could we all get involved in the design process?’ And this takes me back to one of those first points about engaging with your colleagues. What do you want? What do you need? What's going to make it comfortable for you?That's the sort of bigger picture of personalising on a grand scale. Everybody's getting a bit of insight and an opportunity to put their thoughts forward within the design. So in a sense it's being created as a collaborative process.But then alongside that, you can create hackable spaces. These are areas where actually the function might be multifunctional; it's going to really maximise the space that you've got, particularly if you've not too much space. It could be a meeting room that's got walls that could fold back, it could have panels that you can move around. There's a lot of furniture that's on wheels nowadays, so you can move it, you can create the kind of experience that you need. So, on a day-to-day, you can equally personalise it to get exactly what you need from the space.I'd say an important thing here is that it's great to give somebody a little space that they do own. That might just be a nice sized locker so that people can put their valuable things they might have, especially if they've cycled in, they've got somewhere that they can lock everything up, that's just a little place that somebody owns.Q. Socialisation is a key part of office life. How can businesses utilise its space to help enhance socialisation and collaboration with colleagues?A.We’ve almost got two points here where socialisation and connection with your team is so important. We saw over the enforced lockdown period when people were feeling a lot more isolated, mental health went down in general because of this isolation and also the fact that people were unsure of what was going to happen and had lack of control.The amount of insight you can get from non-verbal communication – by body language for example – is huge. By connecting over teams, you don't quite get that full experience. We've evolved as social creatures to be in front of each other, so I don't think that there's anything that could quite replicate that.So, what we've been doing quite regularly is creating essentially a social heart to office spaces. Say you’ve got a three-storey office, rather than putting a big social space or a nice kitchen on each floor, you put a few tea points where you can go and get your water, make sure you stay hydrated and maybe a quick brew on each floor, but maybe on the middle one, you'd have a big social space. So that would have your really good coffee machine, as anyone that likes a good coffee will go up to that space and connect with other people that they might not do on a day-to-day basis.It's the space that you would go to for lunch, and it's the space that you would then go to for events in the evening if you had any social events or ‘lunch & learns’, if that's what your organisation does. Just really social things to get everybody together in one place rather than disperse across the three floors because that's the sure-fire way to create silos if you don't have a central space.So that's your heart. And that's where everyone's going to come together.Then you've got the collaboration side as well, and that could be informal. You could use this big social space and that could also be a big collaboration space. It could be an innovation area because it looks and feels a bit different. So you just have to move the furniture around a little bit, creating some tiered seating areas so you could hold big town hall meetings, for example, or present something or get an external organisation to come in and present to you. That way you're really showing that you value your colleagues, you're supporting them through their development, but it's all about providing the platform with your space to enable that.Looking for your next hire? Speak to one of our expert consultants today.
Internal communications: how to add value to your business
As workplaces evolve, internal communication (IC) is more important than ever – serving to strengthen bonds between employees and employers and foster an inclusive, supportive community. Often undervalued, the role of the internal communicator is that of mediator, successfully marrying fixed business objectives to the changing needs of the workforce. The Institute of Internal Communication drives standards through training, thought leadership, awards and qualifications across the UK and we interviewed the Chief Executive Jennifer Sproul (pictured below). Read the interview below on how businesses can enhance their internal communications strategy.InterviewQ. What is the value of internal comms, and how have strategies changed since the pandemic?A.Internal communications refers to the practice of communicating with employees, and helps drive organisational success by fostering engagement, collaboration and alignment. Its ultimate purpose is to improve the overall employee experience, contributing to high productivity and reducing turnover by keeping the workforce informed, engaged and motivated.Since the pandemic, employers have been adopting new IC strategies, such as increasing the use of digital channels, focusing on employee wellbeing, and enhancing transparency, authenticity and empathy.IC also played a big role in keeping employees engaged during the Covid lockdowns through online community-building activities. It continues to provide an opportunity and platform to keep everyone in the business updated, allowing stories to be shared and achievements celebrated.Q. To what extent is it only larger organisations that need employees who are dedicated to IC?A.Determining when to employ an IC professional largely depends on the company size, structure, and communication needs. Smaller businesses may not need a dedicated person for the role and opt instead for someone who can handle general comms tasks alongside other responsibilities. However, as the organisation grows, a team may be needed to manage the volume and complexity of communication channels. The goals for the business will shape the comms strategy.Q. What should small companies without the budget for people dedicated to IC do to improve their internal comms?A.Some options to consider when budget is tight might be to establish regular communication channels such as weekly meetings or a company-wide newsletter to keep employees informed about news and updates.Many people relish the chance to learn something new at work. Training and development programmes in communication can be a great way to improve employees’ soft skills. After all, good communication helps in all areas of life and work: leadership, presentations, influencing and mediation, for example. Confidence with communication can inspire staff to take on new tasks and more responsibility – increasing career prospects.It’s also good to encourage open and transparent communication among team members and provide opportunities for feedback and suggestions. It goes without saying that keeping up to date with the latest tech is crucial. Leverage affordable technology solutions such as instant messaging and video conferencing tools to facilitate remote collaboration.Regardless of the budget or size of organisation, understanding your workforce and prioritising a culture that emphasises communication, collaboration and engagement, can lead to better employee satisfaction.Q. Do you feel company intranets are an overlooked resource? What can be done to make them more attractive and valuable to employees?A.Company intranets are often viewed as a tool for top-down communication rather than a resource for employee collaboration and information-sharing. Several steps might be taken to enhance them, such as designing an intuitive and user-friendly interface that is easy to navigate and find information, and ensuring the intranet contains relevant and up-to-date information, including company news, policies, procedures, and resources.Social media has resulted in people being far more enthusiastic about using comms professionally and personally – encouraging employees in forums or discussion boards to share ideas, feedback, and best practice can foster a positive culture.You could also consider the intranet as a learning platform featuring online courses, webinars, or podcasts. Fill it with easily-accessible tools and applications that make work more efficient, such as project management software or collaboration tools – and send reminders of any key changes that employees might find most useful and interesting.Q. IC can sometimes be undervalued – what are the signs of success?A.It’s all-too-often the task of the IC professional to have to explain or prove the value of their role to stakeholders who don’t fully understand its purpose.The success of IC can be measured by increased employee engagement, improved productivity, better morale, lower turnover, and increased innovation. When employees feel informed, supported and valued, they are likely to be more invested in their work and committed to the organisation’s goals. Good IC creates a sense of community and belonging.Q. What are some of the common challenges when responsible for IC?A.Every day presents new challenges, and probably greatest of all is striking the balance between the type, tone and timing of messaging sent. It’s not always easy to get right – employees have busy days when they barely have time to check their emails, so an understanding of when to try and capture their interest is key to engagement – and avoiding information overload. And it’s important to always be mindful of topical issues outside the workplace before releasing information that might be perceived as tone deaf because it was poorly timed.The job also involves ensuring consistency in messaging, a readiness to adapt to change, and overcoming language and cultural barriers. Empathy and confidentiality are important factors too.Q. Is it more usual for an IC role to sit within a marketing team than HR – does it matter?A.Where the role of IC sits depends on the business and its goals. Marketing teams often focus on external communication and promoting the company’s brand, whereas HR teams typically focus on internal comms and employee engagement. IC roles can fit into either team but should be where they can best support and enable effective company-wide communication.Ultimately, it’s essential for the IC professional to have a clear understanding of the company’s communication goals and work with both external comms and HR teams to achieve them.Q. What are the greatest industry changes the Institute of Internal Communication (IoIC) has noticed in recent years, and how might IC change in future as workplaces continue to evolve?A.The IoIC has observed several significant industry changes. One major trend is the increasing use of digital channels for IC, such as the adoption of enterprise social networks, instant messaging, and video conferencing tools, which have enabled remote and flexible working arrangements.Another change is the growing emphasis on employee engagement and culture. Organisations are realising effective IC plays a key role in fostering a positive workplace culture that pays dividends in the longer term.As workplaces continue to evolve, the role of IC is likely to become even more critical. We could see IC professionals adapting to new communication technologies and channels, such as artificial intelligence (chatbots) and virtual and augmented reality balanced with human-centred communication. Those working in IC will also need to develop strategies to communicate with a diverse workforce, including remote and contingent workers, to ensure success.Looking for hire new professionals for your team? Get in touch with one of our specialist recruitment consultants today.
Download - ESG interview questions for senior roles
ESG or environmental, social and governance is a holistic approach to sustainability. Getting the right people to implement any environmental, social and governance (ESG) strategy is clearly important, making the interview stage for senior ESG appointments a key moment. Choosing the right ESG interview questions will allow employers to understand the sort of leadership capabilities a candidate has alongside the expertise they bring. What is ESG?: At the most basic level ESG stands for environmental, social and governance, with these three criteria broken down individually within a company’s ESG policy. Environmental: The environmental aspect of ESG looks at how a business operates as a steward of the natural environment, focusing on all aspects of sustainability including waste, pollution, greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. Social: The social element of a company’s ESG framework examines the impact of operations on the human rights of workers, covering areas such as diversity and inclusion, workplace equality and pay and conditions. Governance: The governance aspect of ESG looks at how a business polices itself and its corporate governance. This can relate to issues such as transparency, accountability, and compliance. ESG interview questions: Our downloadable template contains ESG job interview questions that should be asked of someone applying for a senior environmental, social and governance role. It includes important questions such as: What experience do you have with ESG frameworks? What do you see as the three essential pillars of ESG? What ESG key performance indicators do you work towards? How do you keep track of evolving trends in ESG? What ESG certifications do you hold? These questions will allow employers to understand the sort of leadership capabilities a candidate has alongside the expertise they bring. You will find many more on our downloadable template to give you the best possible chance of recruiting the highest calibre of ESG professional. Download our free template, ‘ESG interview questions for senior roles’, by clicking on the button at the top of the page.
Second interview questions to ask candidates
The second interview may seem like there is a light at the end of the tunnel after weeks of recruitment to find someone for an opening at your business. Your previous interviews have removed candidates who don't fit the role, which leaves only a handful of people, one of whom you most certainly will be working with in the near future. But working out who this person should be is often decided by running a second interview.The second interview is an important comparison task for you and your team and therefore the questions you use need to give you some real insight into the person you may employ. Yet, just as in your first round of interviews, asking the right questions can be crucial in order to understand if a candidate is suitable for the role.Although there are never a fixed set of questions to ask in the second interview, here are our selection of questions for employers to ask which will hopefully allow you to understand a candidate more fully before making a decision on who to hire.Second interview questions to ask candidates:What are your personal long term career goals?The way your candidate answers this question will give you an insight into where they would position themselves within your company in the long term. If they answer directly referencing your business then they are thinking of remaining within the company for the future and will work hard towards achieving their own career goals whilst working hard for the business. It also allows for you to gauge their personality as their honesty will be very important when making a final decision about who to hire.Do you have any questions about the business or the role since your first interview?This gives your candidate the opportunity to ask questions they may not have thought of during the nerve-wracking first interview. This is good for both of you as it allows you to see how much they have prepared for this interview but also gives them the chance to ask the really good questions they probably thought of on the journey home from the first time they met you.What skills do you think are needed for this role?This does not directly ask them what they could offer but questions their ability to comprehend the role and think critically. It then invites them to state the skills they have and how they compare with what they think is needed.Why would you not be suitable for this role?This asks your candidate to think about problem and resolution - how they would overcome any professional issues they may have in the role. How positive they are in answering this question gives you an idea for their own motivation for achievement.What changes would you make at this company?This invites your candidate to analyse the business constructively from the research they may or may not have undertaken prior to the interview. It gives you the opportunity to see how they would deal with negative questions and how they would positively bring about change. Good answers could include more specific training or offering more responsibility to certain members of the team.How soon would you be able to start this role?This is quite a typical question but an important one as the logistics of taking on new staff can be an administrative nightmare. It can be purely comparative as some candidates will be able to start sooner than others. It also shows their commitment to their current roles and how professional they are in their conduct. If they mention leaving their current position without serving notice they may do this to your business as well.Ultimately, good questions are essential in establishing who will be best for your business. Hopefully, having met with a candidate for the second time, you will have a much better understanding of their skills, capabilities and – most importantly – whether or not they would be a good fit for your business.
How to prepare for an interview presentation
Particularly for executive level positions, a presentation stage can be an integral part of the short-listing process.Many employers opt for a presentation interview as it gives a better overview of your general aptitude when compared to (or combined with) a traditional question and answer interview. The presentation is your opportunity to showcase your knowledge, experience and communication skills as well as your general organisation and diligence.Here are our tips on how you can ensure you deliver the best interview presentation possible.Preparing your presentation for an interviewKeep each slide short and significant, aiming for no more than 10 slides. This ensures the information you deliver is memorable and will help you to stand out from other intervieweesUse a range of formats to help illustrate your points. Include graphs, statistics, diagrams, video clips, and images to help break up large volumes of text and maintain the attention of the interviewersInclude quotes from industry leaders and/or research pieces. This helps give your points authority and demonstrate your commercial awarenessIncorporate company colours or fonts in the design of your presentation. This will show you’ve done your research and highlight your brand awarenessCheck spelling and grammar thoroughly – small mistakes can really undermine the content of your presentationPresenting tipsPresent confidently and enthusiastically. Remember to speak clearly, make eye contact and use open body languagePractice, practice, practice. Ensure you are well rehearsed so that you are familiar with the structure and are able to deliver your presentation smoothlyArrive early to give yourself time to set up the presentation and settle any nervesGet comfortable with PowerPoint and presentation equipment. Make sure you know how to work the projector, visual screens or remote control before you begin to avoid any awkward stumbles or pausesHave access to multiple sources of your presentation. Email the file to yourself and the recruiter, bring a copy on a USB stick and bring printed handouts. This way you are covered if anything goes wrong with the file you’re intending to useStay within the allocated time. If you have not been given a guidance on length, aim for the 10 minute mark. Time your presentation when you are practising to make sure it will fit within your allowed time slot. If you need to reduce the content of your presentation, cut out the least relevant or weakest pointsBe prepared to adapt. You may have practiced your presentation in a certain way, but the interviewer might not respond accordingly. Be prepared to be stopped for questions or further discussion unexpectedly10 minute interview presentation templateBelow is an example for the structure of your interview presentation. Use this as a baseline and adapt or reorder where appropriate based on the task you have been set by the interviewer.Slide 1:Introduction – Reiterate the objectives you have been set and lay out the structure of your presentation so that the interviewers know what to expectSlide 2:About you – Detail your professional experience, skills and working styleSlide 3:Company history – Give a brief summary of the company history, any milestones or awardsSlides 4-7:Answering the brief – Give your responses to questions you’ve been asked to answer, the benefits and limitations of your suggestionsSlide 8:Question and answers – Include a slide titled ‘questions and answers’ as a cue to pause for interactionSlide 9:Conclusion – Sum up the key points you have made, reach a decision and explain your reasoningSlide 10:Personal achievements – End the interview on a high with a brief slide on achievements that show you will succeed in the roleTaking these steps should help you to succeed in your presentation interview.
Top 10 competency-based interview questions to find the perfect candidate
This list of competency-based questions encourage interviewees to use real-life examples in their answers. You get to understand how a candidate made a decision, and see the outcome of their actions.Our top ten list of competency-based interview questions will help you recruit the skills your team needs.1. What are your greatest strengths?This is a classic interview question, and with good reason.It’s a chance for your candidate to prove they have the right skills for the role. Keep the job description in mind to see whether the interviewee understands how their skills relate to the role.Remember you’re looking for transferable skills, not proof that they’ve done the role before.2. What will your skills and ideas bring to this company?This competency-based question is an opportunity to see which of your candidates stand out from the crowd.A good candidate will show an understanding of your company goals within their answer. A great candidate will offer practical examples of how their skills can help you achieve that vision.3. What have you achieved elsewhere?Confidence is key in this competency-based question. It gives your candidate an opportunity to talk about previous successes and experiences that relate to your vacancy.Make sure the achievements you take away from their answers are work-related and relevant to what you’re looking for.4. How have you improved in the last year?Candidates can tie themselves up in knots trying to disguise their weaknesses. This competency-based interview question is a chance to show a willingness to learn from their mistakes.It’s also an opportunity to test the candidate’s level of self-awareness and desire to develop."Competency-based interview questions ask for real-life examples to show a candidate’s skills."5. Tell me about a time you supported a member of your team who was strugglingThis competency-based question will test your candidate’s ability to show compassion towards their colleagues without losing sight of their own objectives.Those further along in their career should be able to reference training or mentoring that not only helped their co-worker but also improved team performance.6. Give an example of a time you’ve had to improvise to achieve your goalIn other words: “Can you think on your feet?” It is increasingly important to be able to react to unexpected situations.The candidate’s answer should highlight their ability to keep their cool and perform in a scenario they haven’t prepared for.7. What was the last big decision you had to make?The answer to this question should be a window into your candidate’s decision-making process and whether their reasoning is appropriate for your role.This is a competency-based question designed to highlight how an interviewee makes decisions. Do they use logical reasoning? Gut intuition? However they manage big decisions, does their approach match what you’re looking for?8. Tell me about a time you dealt with a difficult personAll candidates should be able to reference an experience of working with a challenging colleague. Look for them to approach this question with honesty and a clear example of working through the experience.Rather than passing blame, there should be a recognition of the part they have played in the situation, and how they might tackle it differently next time.It’s essential to get a sense of how candidates would fit and thrive within your company culture.9. What was the last thing you taught?You’ve asked the interviewee about their skills, but can they show a capability for teaching others about these skills?This question isn’t restricted to managerial or senior roles, and should be asked whenever you’re looking for a candidate who will add value to your team.10. Why are you a good fit for this company?The key to this competency-based question is whether the candidate can explain how their transferable skills would fit your role. This tests both an awareness of their own abilities and an understanding of what you are looking for in a new employee.The candidate should be able to confidently explain why they want to work for your company, and convince you that they would fit your team culture.If you’re interested in learning more about interviews, please contact your local recruitment specialist.