POC System Answers
Experts answer your questions about logistics, system implementation, workflows and more to help you capitalize on your dynamic space.
Recent Answers
How to Manage Your Office Layout to Prevent Gender Bias
Employees spend a significant portion of their day in the workplace, so it's important that they feel included and comfortable. Creating an office layout that doesn't promote gender bias is one way you can ensure this. I won't be surprised if office layout is probably one of the last things that come to mind regarding gender bias. However, you might be surprised to find out how small, yet important, changes to your office layout can help to reduce gender bias drastically. How Can Office Layout Result in Gender Bias? A gender divide can be seen in how office space is allocated and accessed. Traditional offices are typically squared-off and segmented—thereby literally creating divides. This setup is best suited for hierarchies and a chain-of-command approach, which can lead to perceptions of being left out and undervalued. Alternatively, open space offices can be more congenial and egalitarian. With fewer structural barriers, a more democratic work environment is possible that encourages collaboration among all employees. ■ Cater to different employee needs through flexible workspaces Mitigate Gender Bias With These Office Layout Suggestions Mitigating gender bias in the office boils down to creating more open spaces than traditionally closed ones. Consider these suggestions to help you manage your workplace better: Make sure your workspace can be transformed easily One of the easiest ways I make sure I can transform my office on the fly is via portable desks, sliding doors, and movable wall sections. This can prevent gender bias by increasing visibility, while also ensuring privacy. Allow for flexible working arrangements I believe time flexibility greatly boosts employee morale. With flexible working hours and arrangements, employees can manage their work-life balance better and reduce the stressors and invisibility issues they might feel in the workplace. A hybrid work model could be the exact solution you're looking for. Design your office around collaboration An open-office layout increases the flow of communication and encourages collaboration, especially for those working in customer service or on projects that require cooperation. I've found that open workspaces also create a sense of inclusivity and allow for an equal playing field, promoting gender equality in the workplace. How an Automated Solution Can Help You An automated solution like POC's space management software can help you to optimize your office space. This user-friendly cloud-based solution allows you to customize your office setup and employee seating plans easily. Real-time data and regular reports make it a breeze to determine whether changes to your office space are effective. ■ Want to try it for yourself? Book a demo We're All Equal Here Gender bias in the workplace, just like proximity bias, is a serious issue that shouldn't be taken lightly. To create an inclusive and comfortable environment, I urge employers to take employees’ needs and preferences into account. Office customization and layout flexibility can be the first step. ■ Follow these additional office space optimization tips to increase employee satisfaction further
Asked 4 days ago
7 Useful Tips for Ensuring Proper Meeting Room Etiquette
Meeting rooms are a key resource within any office, even coworking spaces. Their constant use by all employees for multiple reasons necessitates that meeting rooms are managed accordingly to ensure office space optimization. Here are some tips to follow to stay professional and use meeting rooms efficiently. 1. Meeting Rooms Need to Be Booked to Be Accessed Booking meeting rooms means that the use of the room for that specific timeframe is documented. This helps avoid clashes between multiple teams wanting to use the meeting room simultaneously. Meetings also don't have to be missed or rescheduled because teams couldn't access the meeting room. 2. Schedule Bookings Early & Appropriately Book the meeting room as soon as your meeting is confirmed. You'll have a greater chance of securing your preferred day and time. Additionally, make sure you only book the meeting room for the time you need it. If you overbook, then another team could've used the meeting room during that time. 3. Cancel Bookings Punctually If you need to cancel your meeting room booking, do it as soon as possible. Other teams can then access the meeting room instead. 4. Leave Promptly When the Meeting Ends Once your meeting has officially ended, leave swiftly. You don't want to infringe on another team's time, especially if the meeting room is booked back-to-back. 5. Take Care to Leave the Meeting Room as Found When the meeting is done, clean up any messes that were made. This includes putting away chairs and tables, wiping down the surfaces, and generally leaving the room as you found it. 6. Be Considerate in Accommodating Others When working with a group of people, be considerate of others. This includes keeping noise levels down, so you don't disrupt others in the office and being considerate of the schedule, so you don't keep people waiting. 7. Use a Room Booking System to Avoid Double-bookings A room booking system ensures that all bookings are organized and makes it easy to view the schedule, identify open slots, and cancel any bookings—all in an effort to avoid double bookings. Mind Your Manners Following meeting room etiquette ensures everyone has a positive and productive workplace experience. A digital booking system can easily manage the entire process for you: employees can access the program from anywhere and share booking information directly with colleagues, while the system automatically updates bookings and cancellations. ■ Need a booking system solution? Consider POC System's booking app
Asked 5 days ago
What Is an Agile Work Environment? Understanding the Basics
For many, the idea of an agile work environment might seem foreign. But in fact, it's something that many organizations are moving toward. The agile approach to business has been proven to increase efficiency and productivity in large and small companies. Keep reading to learn about the agile work environment, its features, and how you can use it to configure your own workplace. Agile work environments are synonymous with flexibility. The company provides different workspaces, each with specific resources. Employees are encouraged to move freely between them and use the spaces best suited to their objective at that time. The purpose is to increase the quality and quantity of work done. ■ Do office spaces influence employee performance? Optimize your office space for employee satisfaction Characteristics of an Agile Work Environment Accessible Agile work environments are built on the principles of collaboration and communication. The space should have no barriers and encourage seamless movement, both physically and by sharing ideas and opinions.Comfortable An agile office utilizes available space efficiently and ensures employees are comfortable. If a space is set up uncomfortably, employees waste time adjusting to it and may even eventually not use the room at all, thereby wasting resources.Easily adaptable Agile spaces need to give your employees the freedom to do their best work. This includes the flexibility to adapt to employee needs every time they change. In the long term, agile environments can help to attract and retain talent in the organization. Conducive Finally, as the goal of an agile environment is increased productivity, employees must be able to focus in the workspace. Therefore, distractions and interruptions must be minimized. Get an Agile Start With POC System The biggest value of agile working is it improves space efficiency, thereby eventually reducing costs and improving productivity. Partnering with a solution like POC System will provide you with the office space management tools to effectively implement an agile work environment suited to your company. ■ Want to see how POC System works? Request a demo
Asked 5 days ago
Office Space Optimization: 4 Easy Steps to Ensure Employee Satisfaction
You may not know it, but the quality of your employees' workspace greatly contributes to their productivity and the overall stress level in the office. Employees are the lifeblood of any organization, but keeping your employees happy can be tough when you're short on space in your office. If you're in a similar situation, don't fret! Here are four easy steps that will help you optimize your office space and increase employee satisfaction. 1. Champion Comfort Above All Else Start by thinking carefully about the types of furniture and equipment in your office space. Comfortable chairs, ergonomic keyboards, light and visually engaging decor, comfortable room temperatures, and a breakout space contribute to a positive work experience. 2. Create Spaces That Foster Collaboration While giving your employees their own space to do their work is important, it's also crucial that you create opportunities for collaboration and teamwork. Consider setting up communal spaces in your office where team members can gather to brainstorm and make decisions together. ■ Are you using your meeting rooms optimally? Set etiquette guidelines for your meeting rooms 3. Consider Employee Needs Employee needs are often related to their roles, tasks, and functions. While some tasks can be accomplished at home easily, others need office space that meets specific requirements to complete those tasks effectively (e.g., special equipment). Office space must also take any employee disability into consideration (e.g., wheelchairs). 4. Plan For & With Technology With the growing popularity of remote work, it's more important than ever for organizations to stay on top of the latest office technology trends. This includes everything from cloud-based file-sharing software to video conferencing tools. Investing in these tools will not only save you money but help increase employee satisfaction by making it easier to get their work done effectively. Not Getting Any Satisfaction? Ultimately, optimizing your office space is about meeting the unique needs of your employees so they can feel comfortable, productive, and engaged in their work. Consider investing in a space management tool to streamline this process, giving you a custom solution for your office and employees. ■ Looking for an office space partner? Explore POC System's solutions
Asked 5 days ago
Space Utilization Analysis: What It Is & Why It Matters
Space utilization analysis can help you learn how to maximize your existing space. Instead of relying on guesswork, you get the precise data you need to determine how and when different areas are being utilized, e.g., meeting rooms, employee desks, event spaces, small gathering areas, collaborative workspaces, etc. What Is Space Utilization Analysis? Space utilization analysis is a data-driven approach to understanding and managing your workplace. By analyzing key metrics like space usage, occupancy rates, and trends in activity and demand, you can gain valuable insight into how people are using your office space and make future decisions accordingly. Several factors can impact space utilization, including changes in business needs or demands, shifting employee demographics and preferences, and new technologies influencing work patterns and behaviors. ■ Unsure where to start? Calculate these key space utilization metrics first What Insights Can You Get From Space Utilization Analysis? Some of the insights that you can gain with a space utilization analysis include: Volume: The number of people that move through the specified spaces dailyUsage: Which workspaces are being underutilized and possibly wasting resourcesCapacity: Which workspaces are regularly over capacity and should be developedCost: How much the mismanagement of workspaces cost the companyReal estate: Consider whether renewing your lease, renovating your current space, or looking for completely new real estate is best ■ Want to improve employee satisfaction? Optimize your office space Optimize Your Space Usage With POC System Your office space is one of your most valuable resources. If you manage it properly, it will reduce costs and improve employee productivity. Whether you decide to invest in a hybrid working model or an agile work environment, POC System can provide a solution for seamless implementation. ■ Curious about POC System's offerings? Explore POC System's solutions
Asked 5 days ago
Recent Posts
Can't find what you're looking for?