If innovation and technology are the keys to creating a more efficient workplace environment, why are we still so busy all the time?

I believe time allocation plays a significant role... Not from the individual associate but from the decision-making process used to determine what workplace responsibilities are required, how much training is actually “required” for implementation, and how the time requirement was determined.

 This is where the UI/UX playbook comes to mind. Just in case you were not sure, the UI/UX acronym equates to User Interaction & User Experience. When software and applications are being developed UI/UX plays a significant role in determining the outcome.

Part of the UI/UX design process is finding the right connection between business needs and user experience. It is a rational target for consideration.

Now, think about the decision-making process at your company, when determining what responsibilities should be required to meet the business needs, are those determinations taking into consideration the needs of the associates?

If not, you should.

From a completely empathetic perspective, we should be showing our teams that we consider their needs in our decision-making process. From a business perspective, employees that feel that their time is valued are more committed and focused.

UI/UX Designers ask tons of questions to better understand how the user will interact with the software or application and what the experience will be like for the user. Then, they use those answers to determine what direction they should take to meet both needs.

This approach is taken because they realize that the needs of their company and the needs of their customers are both very important. This is no different that the multifamily industry.

So, the next time you plan on rolling out a new system or changing a protocol, ask yourself a few extra questions, like these:

Is it the right time to make this change?

Consider things like time of year, other urgent projects, or conflicting priorities.

How will your team feel about the change?

Seek input to find out how your team feels about the change and if they understand the purpose and value of new initiatives or changing processes.

How much of their “limited time” will this take?

Any new initiative requires extra time for training and implementation, this should be thoughtfully considered so that the amount of required time is meaningful.

If you choose to snag this simple process from the UI/UX playbook, you may start to change the dynamics of how workplace responsibilities impact your workplace culture.