'Kinetic' businesses better placed to boost agility and spur growth

Regus, the world’s largest provider of flexible workplaces, today launches the Kinetic Organisation Assessment Tool (www.reguskinetic.com) in New Zealand, to help businesses test how well they are structured for agility, productivity and innovation to enhance growth prospects and increase their bottom-line.

The new online tool is developed by renowned workplace thinker Andrew Mawson and his team at Advanced Workplace Associates (AWA). It is based on Mr Mawson’s global research into the weaknesses of the traditional organisational management model on business success.*

Mr Mawson, Managing Director of AWA comments: “Our research examines how flexible the traditional, hierarchical workplace model is in helping firms spread risk and spur growth to remain competitive.

“Findings show that the traditional model is most commonly adopted by businesses globally but is rigid, expensive, and less effective in meeting the needs of stakeholders compared to a more flexible or ‘kinetic’ approach – which focuses on the dynamic relationship between workers, managers and the office infrastructure.

“With the New Zealand Bureau of Statistics highlighting innovation as an important driver for business productivity, the ‘Kinetic Organisation’ approach allows businesses to benchmark their efficiency and develop a stronger, more agile platform for future growth,” said Mr Mawson.**

Businesses looking to assess their efficiency and increase their bottom-line can take the Regus Kinetic Challenge, which tests a company’s ability to:

• Manage and adapt to new threats and opportunities whilst maintaining a flexible cost base;

• Create an environment where employees are happy to share knowledge and foster innovation;

• Assess and redevelop the business structure depending on the activities, risks and markets in which they operate;

• Constantly review and refine products, services, skills, processes, infrastructure and costs to remain fresh and competitive.

“Based on the results, the tool offers practical advice to businesses on how to improve their organisational structure, by building agility into their operations. Businesses can also track their progress overtime, as well as the level of work needed to strengthen competitiveness in future markets and in changing economic conditions,” said Mr Mawson.

The new online tool is supported by recent Regus research into the link between flexibility and productivity.*** Findings show over two thirds of NZ firms report higher revenues as a result of adopting a flexible approach, while at the same time increasing productivity. Nearly 70% of firms also say that flexible work has a positive impact on employee morale, which in turn leads to more motivated staff who are more likely to contribute to future business growth.

The Kinetic Challenge can be accessed at www.reguskinetic.com
 

About Regus

Regus is the world’s largest provider of flexible workplaces, with products and services ranging from fully equipped offices to professional meeting rooms, business lounges and the world’s largest network of video communication studios. Regus enables people to work their way, whether it’s from home, on the road or from an office. Customers such as Google, GlaxoSmithKline, and Nokia join hundreds of thousands of growing small and medium businesses that benefit from outsourcing their office and workplace needs to Regus, allowing them to focus on their core activities.

Over 1,000,000 customers a day benefit from Regus facilities spread across a global footprint of 1,200 locations in 550 cities and 95 countries, which allow individuals and companies to work wherever, however and whenever they want to. Regus was founded in Brussels, Belgium in 1989, is headquartered in Luxembourg and listed on the London Stock Exchange. For more information please visit: www.regus.com

About Andrew Mawson and Advanced Workplace Associates

Andrew is Managing Director and a founder of Advanced Workplace Associates (AWA) one of Europe’s leading Workplace Transition consultancies.

Following his training as a statistician and an early career in Business Strategy and Change Management in the IT industry, Andrew is today regarded as a leading specialist on Work/Workplace Strategy and Change Management having advised organisations including Merrill Lynch, Prudential, The Royal Bank of Scotland, The UK Home Office, Ernst & Young and Mintel on their work an workplace strategies. Andrew has a unique appreciation of the links between business performance and the deployment of IT and the workplace to affect the mood, performance and strategic flexibility of the organisation.

Andrew has led a number of research programmes including: the Learning Building programme 1991, the PC video revolution 2000, AWA’s 2020 visions programme 2011 and is a regular contributor to AWA’s Workplace Performance Innovation Network (Workplace PIN). In 2010 Andrew was awarded a Corenet ‘Global Innovators’ award for his work with Workplace TV and is a regular speaker and writer on the link between organisational effectiveness, work and the workplace and the transition to the agile oganisation.

Advanced Workplace Associates (AWA) is one of Europe’s leading Workplace Transition consultancies. For more information please visit www.advanced-workplace.com

*The Kinetic Organisation

Methodology: The research is based on a series of in-depth qualitative interviews with business leaders in Chicago, New York, London, Singapore and Hong Kong, followed by an on-line global validation survey. The research examines businesses approach to organisational management and its relationship to business success.

** New Zealand Bureau of Statistics: Report, ‘Innovation in New Zealand’, 2009.

*** Flexibility Drives Productivity: In May 2012, Regus surveyed over 16,000 senior businesses managers around the world on the link between flexibility and company productivity. Survey results show 68% of NZ businesses report increased revenues from implementing flexible workplace practices and 66% report a positive impact on employee morale.