from kittens to poker; exploring culture and employee experience in workspaces.

one of the many perks of recruitment is the invitation to explore how organisations come together in their workspaces and to get a sneak peek at employee experience and "vibe".

there's been some memorable ones over the years; a pen of kittens for adoption, a poker table in use, mini-golf, so many foosball tables,?an MRI scanner, model cities in glass floors, a rather large fibreglass cow, a working bar leading to an office floor (true!) and harbour views galore - no city shines quite like Sydney - and at a most beautiful time of year, plenty of these stunners ???

though as we all know, office or work environment isn't a true indicator of culture, and that kittens, mini-golf, plants and prototypes don't equal collaboration, meaningful work, flexibility, development etc. yet it does give a sneak into what it's like to work somewhere day to day and the investment in modern workspaces and people experience within an organisation.

walking a floor of any business you pick up a lot - the noise, the quiet focus, the laughter, how many screens needed to be in quants (seems a lot!), the seriousness of safety when it comes to site tours, the breakout spaces in full use, the senior leaders sitting in their teams (and what this may say about how hierarchical a business is). peeking into presentations in glass offices is a chance to see if team members are leaning in or gazing out, are people animated or considered and quiet…phones buzzing, keyboards clacking or deathly silence with rows of empty chairs on the floor.

you get the picture it speaks volumes about what it's like, or going to be like for one of our candidates to work there in their building within the hybrid arrangements that are currently on offer.

I always feel fortunate that leaders I work with can talk to employee experience and culture openly and of course more broadly than the physical workplace. the aspirational culture they have and the actuality of where the culture is at right now. this transparency means I can make a better talent match; limiting surprises and delivering sustainable solutions.

by getting to experience first-hand a snippet of what employee experience is day to day when people come together in a shared workspace means as a recruiter, I can be better positioned to be an ambassador for a brand, share an authentic story and find a great culture fit. and when that happens, we all get to shine??