JLL assures better office experience for hybrid workforce

Services provider JLL has unveiled technology designed to help companies simplify the implementation of a hybrid work strategy that re-energises their workforce.

Experience/Anywhere is designed to enable firms to connect employees across the office, at home or anywhere that work happens, and actually put into practice the hybrid concept that many have talked about, but is no small task to deploy.

The system complements JLL’s Healthy Return software, which has been authored to help companies that are beginning to look at office return strategies in earnest. But JLL says re-entry is just the first step in the journey to hybrid work and companies will need to carefully consider how they manage and operate their space – an undertaking that it says will require “always-on” dynamic optimisation to solve for more fluid work schedules.

JLL says that even though the pandemic has produced a desire from many workers to have greater flexibility to work from other locations (at home or near home), there is still a very real dilemma for many employees of not feeling connected to their office culture when working remotely. Experience/Anywhere is said to be a holistic offering designed to manage employers’ hybrid workplace programmes and support employees via resources that enable wellbeing, productivity, connectivity and collaboration.

Experience/Anywhere has two central components. The first, Program Management Office, is designed to operationalise hybrid workplace strategies and provisioning policies and ensures seamless transition for employees into this modern workplace model. The programme is designed to reduce overall costs, mitigates employer risk in key areas, and supports employee experience through high-touch engagement. Activities that can be undertaken include employee communication, third-party contract management, onboarding services, financial management and a resource library.

The second component, The Hub, is intended to offer employees wellbeing resources and practical conveniences focused on health and human performance through a digital portal and marketplace. Resources include the ability to procure home office furniture and supplies, as well as an ergonomic assessment and guided training to enhance physical wellbeing and productivity.

Experience/Anywhere also works directly with other JLL offerings, including Strategic Consulting Advisory Services, Flex OnDemand and JLL Jet to create an integrated set of systems to deliver on, and manage, a hybrid workplace programme. JLL uses artificial intelligence to personalise workplace experiences, empowering employees to streamline everyday tasks such as reserving desks, accessing corporate information, and submitting requests for services such as IT and facilities.

“The hybrid model is more than a flexible workplace programme – it has a durable presence in the future of work,” said Cynthia Kantor, corporate solutions chief product officer at JLL. “Experience/Anywhere is the next technology integrated service in the hybrid workplace ecosystem of offerings and creates a powerful platform to enable companies to reach the full potential of their hybrid goals.

“There is certainly no substitute for the office when it comes to enabling collaboration and innovation while fostering culture, but at times people also crave the flexibility that remote work can provide. Experience/Anywhere allows our clients to bring the office and their workplace culture to their employees wherever they are working.”