![]() By using well-designed modular casework and reconfigurable workspaces, facilities managers can easily add choices to office environments, creating an adaptable balance between open and closed workspaces. Old-school cube farms and new-style open plans can both be inflexible in their own ways. Offering tangible choices is a big part of the equation, too creating a physical workplace that people are happy to come to on a Monday morning is every bit as important as a good 401K. Choices can take a variety of forms, from flex hours to telecommuting to benefits. Businesses that build flexibility into the workplace are able to hire and retain top talent, and keep productivity at a high level. Photo © Bits and Splits / Fotolia Keep Your (Workplace) Options OpenĬhoice – it’s what employees want in their workplace environments. You may find that your proposal is swiftly granted. The next time you’re facing a difficult negotiation, try the active listening style Andy Raskin discusses in his Medium blog. It’s a technique that works in business life as well as international relations. And from that point of respect and understanding, negotiations could be resolved easily. Voss found that when active listeners acknowledged the emotions underlying their opponent’s position, the hardliners felt that their concerns had been heard and understood – a “that’s right” moment. Voss is particularly skilled at active listening – reflecting back a speaker’s words to create affirmation and stimulate them to continue the dialogue. How do you negotiate to get what you need while keeping everyone happy?Ĭonsultant Andy Raskin recommends getting the contentious parties to the point of “that’s right.” He cites the work of former FBI hostage negotiator Chris Voss, who ran high-profile negotiations in hot spots like Iraq and Colombia. Whether you’re discussing the acquisition of a secure high density storage system or simply trying to change a few light bulbs in someone’s office, you can find yourself facing a hostile personality. But buildings house people, and sooner or later, any facilities manager is going to have to deal with the human factor. “Shark Tank” uber-shark Kevin O’Leary said it: “So much of life is a negotiation.” Perhaps you chose a career in facilities management because you’re more comfortable dealing with buildings than with people. Photo © Rawpixel – Fotolia Facilities Manager or Hostage Negotiator Let the disorder spur your creativity, and talk to a consultant about a high-density storage system for all the “clutter” you need to save for the next task. Messiness is fine, as long as everything in the mess serves you for the current task. Palmer’s approach doesn’t advocate minimalism or arranging your books in alphabetical order. ![]() ![]() If it will be needed in the future, store it appropriately. If the item isn’t positive, then dispose of it. ![]() Is it something needed for the task at hand? Is it something for emotional uplift (a birthday party hat, a photograph)? Or is it something that’s been there so long it has become part of the background – negative, because it doesn’t serve the task at hand. He suggests that his clients assess whether each item is something positive. ![]() Organizational expert Brooks Palmer says it comes down to definition: Clutter amounts to the things we keep on our desks that do not serve us – for example, papers or equipment we don’t currently need. Can your office find a middle ground between stifling tidiness and creative disorder? In direct contrast is author Marie Kondo’s recommendation that you throw out anything you don’t absolutely love – minimize to the max. Disordered spaces seem to encourage people to think outside the box. How Office Clutter Affects Your CreativityĪ recent study by Kathleen Vohs at the University of Minnesota discovered that messiness may actually assist the creative process. ![]()
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