5. DEFINITIONS
Workplace Literacy refers to
a competence or understanding in
applying key concepts
when thinking of,
and taking advantage of,
the workplace
10. Syntax
system of rules that govern how words
can be meaningfully arranged…
Vocabulary
the words that make up a language
Meaning
innate and constructed
11. Syntax Depends on Context
High = word choice very nuanced inside the group – harder for outsiders to
understand
Low = tends to be more explicit – makes it easier for outsiders to understand
High = French ≈ 70k words
Low = English ≈ 300k words
15. STATE OF THE ART: INCORPORATING THE NEWEST IDEAS AND THE MOST UP-TO-DATE
FEATURES
• What you understand (vocabulary) limits what you can see
• What you know influences how you think
• Policies that don’t align can be a source of hold-ups
for exploring progressive initiatives
• Inconsistencies lead to lack of trust
• Hacking and work-arounds are commonplace
(with and without permission) which can lead to innovation
17. MEANING & CONTEXT
Culture is what we make of the world.
If we think of culture as context,
meaning, vocabulary and syntax are all relevant only within the culture.
Cultures can be open (low context) or closed (high context).
Open cultures are more easily entered as an outsider,
whereas closed cultures are more difficult to enter in.
21. WHERE IS EVERYONE?
Over 230 studies with 40-60% vacancy
during the work day
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
8:00 9:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00
Empty, but not recently occupied
Empty spaces
Daily Activity Pattern over Two Weeks: 238 Workspaces
Computer Work
40% Residency
63% Occupancy
22. BY TYPE OF WORK/POSITION
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
15 Directors / Deputy
Directors
10 Mid-level supervisors 18 Team leaders 151 Project
manager/professionals
and Professionals
35 Support staff
Empty
Unoccupied
Not obtainable
Pausing
Paper handling
Reading
Writing
Talking
Telephone
Computer
Meeting
24. REAL ESTATE LANGUAGE
• Cut Costs
• Reduce Overhead
• Speed Transaction Time
• Increase Density
• Increase Satisfaction
= Decrease Complaints
• Wonder What’s Going On
BUSINESS LANGUAGE (REALITY)
• Increase Performance
• Business Goals
• Business Metrics, including
costs, not only costs
• Balanced Scorecard
• Out of the Cubicle =
Out of the Box
• Support Work Anywhere
• Re-Define Work
THE GREAT DIVIDE
31. • Closeness ¹ Connectivity
• Mobility: “Work is What You
Do, Not Where You Are”
• First Costs vs. Value
• Outcome vs. Process
• Flexibility à Agility
• Aural Distraction vs. Accidental
Learning
• Manage Temperature à
Manage CO2:
› Cognitive Function AND Comfort
• Permission vs./and Acceptance
NEW LANGUAGE, NEW PRACTICE
40. 42
Pulse Surveys:
Baseline EE
Measurement
Leadership
Strategy
Feedback on
Recognition
Manager
Development
Technology
Released
Manager
Development
EE
Check-in
Q12
Census
Survey
Executive
Alignment
Sessions
Recognition
Flash Survey
Building a
Foundation of
Engagement
Webinar
Technology
Flash Survey
Best
Practice
Emails
Q12
Census
Survey
THE ORG NEED:
TAKE ACTION:
Promote conversations
instead of replace them.
Support initiatives as
complementary tools.
Avoid survey fatigue by
being purposeful.
Communicate with
employees.
42. Keep up with a culture of learning
Continuous learning leads to
investment in adoption and mastery of new concepts = investment in success
Talk about what matters
Does your workplace vocabulary lead to
employee flourishing?
Talk about it often
Holistic, transparent and collaborative engagement, focused on diversity and strengths leads to
success and employee flourishing
LEARNING, VOCABULARY & FLOURISHING
