Author: Rob Zimmerman

Now that we understand what WX is and is not, we can dive into the important trends across the different curators of the workplace. IT, Real Estate, and HR are all key stakeholders in making the workplace a strategic asset for their organizations. Let’s take a look at how the best and brightest in the industry are doing just that.

Critical Shifts in the IT Landscape

We brought together a panel of IT experts to discuss what key tech trends are impacting WX today. IT is constantly evolving, and increasingly employees are seeking easily-adopted, consumer-like experience. As technology improves, it can be overwhelming to know what strategies to implement and which tools will gain greatest adoption and help your employees stay engaged and effective. Michael Advani of BCG suggests that one of the key functions of technology is to keep your organization connected as you scale. Another panelist urged technology leaders to focus on unmet user needs before focusing on the technology, stating, “there has to be a specific problem the tech is trying to solve.” Tom Gregorio of WeWork suggests that we need to “think holistically, and use technology as a means to an end.” That end, he would argue, should be human connection. When great minds collaborate, great work gets done.

Continue reading “WX Summit Session 2: Important Trends in WX”

The final session of the summit focused on the future of WX. By evaluating emerging trends and working to understand their place in the WX landscape, we can collectively continue to transform the workplace into a greater asset in enabling employee happiness and effectiveness.

Understanding Color and its Role in WX

Leading color and materials expert, Laura Guido-Clark, opened our eyes to the power of color. Color is more than just paint on the walls. The brain perceives color through wavelengths, and different wavelengths have proven physiological effects on our neural pathways. To leverage color as a meaningful part of WX in your office, it cannot be an afterthought. Companies who default to covering every surface of their workplace in brand colors are likely missing out on an opportunity to make a powerful impact on the mood and productivity of their workers. Understand the goals of your organization and color your space to support those goals.

Continue reading “WX Summit Session 3: The Future of WX”

To create a foundation on which to build throughout the week, we began discussing how we define Workplace Experience. While the convergence of so many areas can make it difficult to define concisely, hopefully this summary will help you understand the complex challenges that come with creating a great workplace.

What is WX? (And what ISN’T it?)

Adam Day, VP of Enterprise Experience at WeWork, started the day off leading the conference through a design exercise to save a struggling dive bar a la reality TV shows like “Restaurant: Impossible” on Food Network. By presenting human experience in a framework most people are familiar with (can you feel the soles of your shoes sticking to the floor of your favorite dive bar?), we were able to understand the key components that go into experiencing a space. Adam focused on messaging, service, space, programming, and technology. These five pillars are some of the key components to creating a human experience in any space, and can be applied to an office just as easily as a dive bar.

Continue reading “WX Summit Session 1: What is WX?”

Last week we wrapped up our inaugural WX (Workplace Experience) Summit in beautiful Park City, Utah. After a weekend of heavy snowfall, the stage was set for a first-class week nestled in the foothills of the Wasatch mountains.

Continue reading “The Inaugural WX Summit: A Recap”

Darkness falls across the land… The meeting hour is close at hand. Employees crawl in search of rooms but cannot find one… to their doom…

Continue reading “Ghost and Zombie Meetings®: The Monsters Eating Company Productivity”