Jennifer Doyle, founding director of Vangelis Consulting, explains how businesses can capitalise on their workspaces to engage their people.
 
The overlooked office stairwell. Hidden at the back of the building and used for fire drills or when the lifts are broken, it is an under-utilised engagement tool for businesses.
 
The lift is the quick route to the desk, or away from it. We frantically press the ‘close doors’ button when trying to escape the approaching boss and, once inside, stare intently ahead, secretly hoping no-one will ask us about that impending project deadline. Conversations in the work lift are limited to ten-second bursts and can be awkward if we feel self-conscious about the other lift users around us. Lifts are of course important in multi-storey buildings and have facilitated accessibility for those who cannot otherwise access the full work environment. But it’s worth considering whether the lift should always be the first choice.
 
By jumping in the lift and letting the cables do the work, we miss those moments of social interaction that improve office communications and brighten our day. We miss a great opportunity to get the blood pumping and the heart rate up a little, reinvigorating us for the work waiting back at our desks. We lose the opportunity to bump into colleagues we have been meaning to catch up with or meet new recruits who would appreciate an informal welcome.
 
The stairwell deserves a new lease of life. A fresh lick of paint, some pictures, better signposting and lighting. Savvy office developers keen to engender a lively, collaborative workspace are going further and designing office spaces with the staircase front of stage.
 
It’s time to think about the detail. Let Vangelis Consulting help you engage with your people.

Jennifer Doyle, our founding director, has been invited to attend a Parliamentary reception at the end of this month, as an ambassador for the Institute of Directors' 99 Network. Jennifer was selected from members of the IoD’s 99 Network to meet with MPs, senior and shadow ministers, and other business influencers. Jennifer says: “I’m very honoured to have been given the opportunity to discuss national business issues with senior-level decision makers and will be pleased to represent the IoD 99 Network at the event. I feel passionately that there are under-utilised ways to address the UK’s productivity gap and I look forward to raising these issues with those who can help to make a difference.”

A dose of cynicism can be useful in the business environment but the narrative around engagement is growing. Can engaging your people really make a difference to the bottom line and provide a way to get ahead of your competition?
Employee engagement refers to an employee’s connection with their work and employer
An engaged employee should feel able to:

• be focussed on performing their work role to the best of their ability
• be committed to their employer
• enjoy a high level of wellbeing

Research has found many attractive business and personal outcomes of engagement, including:

• improved productivity
• increased profitability
• greater employee wellbeing
• high customer service standards
• better employee retention
• reduced absences

Does the connection between engagement and these outcomes stand up to scrutiny?
Before establishing Vangelis Consulting, I had a successful career as an employment solicitor. My legal experience taught me the importance of robust evidence. I have analysed research findings, from both business and academia, and found strong support for the value of engagement to employers and their people.
During my legal practice, I was struck by how many employment disputes could have been avoided if the employees had been committed to their organisations and actively engaged with their work roles. For my legal clients, this translated into internal conflict, diverted management time and legal bills.

​Engagement is no management fad. It is key to driving business and personal success and can provide organisations with a competitive advantage.

Vangelis Consulting assists organisations to engage with their people. To discuss how we can help your organisation, please contact us at [email protected].