Jane Streat, Head of Lexington Reception Services (LRS), caught up with Clare Wray, Office Manager at LaSalle Investment Management. Here they talk culture, service, trust, wellbeing and the role of facilities in creating a winning team.
Research, published by Deloitte, shows culture, engagement, and employee retention are now the top talent challenges facing business leaders. With a large and growing body of research demonstrating how the workplace environment has a huge impact on the likes of engagement and productivity it’s clear facilities teams have a role to play in helping leaders create a great work culture.
LaSalle invest a lot of time to make sure they create a work environment that’s reflective of their culture, values and mission. The team’s mission is to deliver superior performance for their clients and this was evident from my first point of contact – they are continually looking for innovative ways to make things better.
Over the past six months we’ve worked with LaSalle to support their front of house offering, catering and hospitality.
Clare Wray, Office Manager at LaSalle said, “The changes we’ve made have not only helped improve the experience for guests but they’ve also created a more pleasant working environment, which has had a positive impact on staff.”
Here are some of the ways the facilities team, at LaSalle, has helped create a great company culture:
CREATING A COLLABORATIVE WORKSPACE
Five years ago LaSalle relocated from Oxford Circus to Green Park, which gave them the opportunity to refresh the environment and make sure the workspace reflects their work culture.
Instead of being separated across two floors they found an office where everyone sits on the same level and created an open plan environment to reflect their welcoming, trusting and collaborative working culture.
There’s now a central bar in the office where staff help themselves to a complimentary breakfast in the
There is a central bar in the office where staff can make breakfast in the morning, prepare a snack and grab a drink. There’s such positive energy around here with people talking and always a friendly smile.
Whilst collaborative working is key in LaSalle the relocation team were keen to meet everyone’s needs. They created a breakout area in the middle of the office for meetings and socialising, and designed what they call their “Library pod”, which provides a quiet area for staff to work when they need to be free of any distractions.
ETHICS AND TRUST
Clare talked about the importance of ethics and trust. She explained that integrity is a fundamental value and essential part of their culture.
In fact, earlier this year LaSalle was ranked 23rd, with JLL, on the list of the ‘100 Best Corporate Citizens’
by Corporate Responsibility Magazine and has been named one of the ‘World’s Most Ethical Companies’ for nine consecutive years by the Ethisphere Institute.
This is reflected in the way the team work. They have a very open culture and when they moved office they made sure to involve the whole team in order to understand what is important.
CREATING A SUSTAINABLE WORKPLACE
The team made the most of the opportunity that came with an office move to rethink the space and look at sustainability.
The lighting has been upgraded to make it more energy efficient. They also made some simple changes like getting rid of bins under every desk and creating a communal space where people can recycle.
Whereas before they had plastic water bottles the office now has reusable glass bottles. This, together with the catering refresh Lexington Catering has provided, has helped reduce waste.
Clare said, “We believe sustainability is of vital importance not only in the work that we do but in the o ces we occupy. For us, sustainability is not only about reducing our impact on the planet but also having a positive impact on society and, looking after our staff is a key part of that.”
HEALTH AND WELLBEING
Clare talked about the importance of Health and Wellbeing, When the team moved office they made sure there were showers available, they introduced regular Pilates classes and more recently they’ve teamed up with Lexington to provide healthier food options.
They also participate in the Corporate Global Challenge, which encourages employees to improve their physical activity, nutrition, psychological wellbeing and sleep in a fun and competitive format.
LaSalle is not alone. Research from the CIPD shows wellbeing in the workplace is steadily rising up the business agenda as more employers recognise the connection between a healthy corporate culture and a productive workforce.
We know from our work with LaSalle and many other organisations that it is a positive environment that helps create a great culture. It’s this that can lead to dramatic benefits for employers, employees, guests and the bottom line.
