According to a recent Gallup poll, quiet quitters make up at least 50% of the American Workforce. I see it in my office. Extroverts arguing with each other and introverts ignoring each other. In the courtyard and in the hallway of my office building, baby boomers, gen x’ers and gen z’s debate loyalty, duty, and obligation over purpose, meaning, and wellness.

Personally, I think as individuals we are big oscillating fans moving from “I’ve had it with this b@#s*t” to “That was an amazing project.”  As a business owner, I know this sentiment is affecting sales and client relations.

As owners and employers, we know that balancing the needs of the overall organization with individual needs and resources with revenues is a tricky act. The workplace is a minefield of unseen and unspoken hazards. Human resource managers know that it’s important to tackle the issues facing us today, such as workplace stress and depression, blocking burnout, and tackling bullying, or macho mentalities. But as a small business owner I’ve realized something –

 and I don’t have to be an HR expert to understand this.

Start with a Plan

When designing and furnishing your office, understanding the process is the best way to become more productive.

I don’t mean you spend hours researching and building an elaborate plan. Getting educated and creating a workplace design with furnishing and technology objectives is as easy as answering four simple questions.

1. What are your overall business mission and objectives?

Define or update your mission. How does it connect your work culture with customers and the community? Next, define objectives for sales, operations, and finance. Are you ramping up or growing your business? How did you do last year? Is your process outdated? What do you want to earn this year? What’s the gap? If you haven’t already, write or update your individual job descriptions for sales, customer service, etc. with competencies and assess which areas you need to improve.

Ask your employees to complete a one-page plan detailing their individual goals that help move the needle on the overall objectives of the company. Ask for specifics about how they will achieve those goals and milestones. Ask them to define two unique characteristics they have that can support your mission. Ask what barriers to success exist for them and have a live conversation! Engage. Ask how they want to be recognized when goals are achieved.

2. Assess your workspace

Before deciding on the ideal workspace strategy, understand better how growth in your company and its workforce translates into the need for space. What’s missing? Invest in a space that connects people with your mission. This can be as simple as reconfiguring your space or more involved using a design professional. The key to designing a great workspace is balance. One that you and your team can feel.

3. Design and procurement

Do you have enough furniture and equipment? Have you established a standard for future purchases, or do you recreate the wheel each time you have to add or update a space? Do you have an inventory of your existing assets, and do you know who to call when there are warranty or service needs? Standardizing how service requests are made and resolved goes a long way to reducing down time. Selecting designers or suppliers to help you with furnishings procurement is a great way to save time, money and create a space that supports your overall financial goals.

4. Rework work

Do your employees dread using the audio/visual equipment or community meeting spaces because there is confusion about how to use these items or is there a scheduling conflict. Is there too much light or not enough? Are there sounds that impact concentration? How are you addressing dispersed work or hybrid work? Are you aware of employees’ needs? Are you supporting heads down work, collaboration, and creativity with your current workspace settings?

The keys to improving the workspace

Most business owners will tell you they don’t have time to worry about minor details and just want to buy the most inexpensive furniture. But initial cost is not the only factor. Consider life-cycle cost analysis and think about the soft costs. Getting ahead of problems is always more efficient.

Talking about the workspace as part of your regular planning can mitigate moments of quiet quitting. We will always have bad days or bad moments but ignoring this important part of your business has financial, operational, and wellbeing implications.

Remember, great workspaces connect people seamlessly with instant access to information and settings that improve the quality of life when they work together.

It’s impossible to always balance the organization and individuals with revenues and resources, but you can make improvements, you need someone:

• who can help you answer important questions.
• who has experience and resources.
• and who uses your mission and objectives to create a space that supports your purpose, priorities, brand, and vision.

If you are an owner or manager planning or thinking about a move or update, contact me for a free consultation. We will help you breathe easier.