Mirvac’s adaptive workplace pilot, which gave employees the ability to work from home or in its Sydney offices as they please, has been a resounding success, with an 88 percent employee satisfaction rating achieved from the trial.

The company gave employees the ability to curate their own space, which resulted in a 40 percent uptake in office attendance. Half of those surveyed reported positive behavioural change in the way they worked in the new environment, as well as an uplift in productivity.

Paul Edwards, General Manager of Strategy and Customer for Mirvac’s Asset Management, says the report created from the study and survey will define the company’s hybrid work models in future.

“Taking a scientific, evidence-based approach to the design of the pilot, measurement of its usage and analysis of its results revealed some interesting differences between what employees think they want in the workplace and what their behaviours have proved they need or don’t need,” he says.

“For example, our employees told us they needed desk space, but when we looked at the data, it was clear from their behaviour that individual workstations weren’t utilised as much as expected.

“Learnings like this helped us redesign the workspace and delivered tangible outcomes, validated by real research, which our customers can now be confident about implementing in their workplaces as they undergo their own transformations.”

Survey insights from Swinburne University, XY Sense sensor and occupancy data, direct user feedback and observational findings have been analysed to measure employees’ experiences. Data indicates that while 95 percent of desks were booked, 30 percent were not occupied, with desks used for an average of 2.3 hours a day.

The Adaptive Workplace zones lived up to their names, reconfigured a dozen times in the wake of user feedback, which was made easier by furniture on wheels and wireless power and data sources. A horseshoe-shaped space became the configuration of choice for teams when working together. Phone booths and team and collaboration zones were also implemented to address issues of a lack of meeting room availability.

“Our employees told us that changing just one piece of furniture changed the culture and dynamic of the whole floor,” Edwards continues.

“They also told us how much they value being in the office to connect with their teams in person and how important it is to have the right spaces and technology available, so they can easily collaborate with colleagues working from home too.”

The pilot’s learnings have been shared with other businesses to learn more about hybrid work, with tours conducted with 240 externals from over 65 companies. Edwards says flexibility is key.

“Examining multiple data-sets and overlaying this with observational studies, even though they may deliver conflicting results, is critical to ensuring employers are identifying the right way forward.

“It’s certainly not a clear path, but we know from the pilot that employers and employees need to be flexible and by allowing employees the choice to decide not only where they work, but how to curate their space when they choose the office has the ability to increase productivity, engagement and overall satisfaction.”

To read the report, click here.

Jarrod Reedie

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