We are all staring down the calendar at the end of the year. You are likely reading many articles about “the year in review” or “trends in widgets for 2025.” Most of them are utter nonsense. They are a shot in the dark about an uncertain marketplace that will evolve at an exponential pace as we see shifts in the political and economic sandboxes. So, let’s take a moment to step back and talk about where you are right now – and what you need to do next – to be ready. The one enduring fact of leadership is that we often get so caught up in our daily tasks and urgent matters that we forget to plan ahead. We end up becoming firefighters rather than strategic leaders – and ultimately our teams and our customers suffer as a result. This is a classic time of year to think about rebooting, rebuilding, and refocusing our efforts in the spirit of the new year. But this is not about resolutions – resolutions are pointless promises most often forgotten not long after the New Year’s Eve hangover subsides. This is the time to make commitments. There is change in the air and an appetite for innovative approaches to solving problems. So now is the perfect time to pause, reflect, and intentionally plot a strategic path into the new year. That is why I am sharing this tool with you. When used properly (and with an open mind and honest mindset), it has the power to help you focus your thinking and plot a course for the year ahead. The Power of Reflection and Planning in Leadership As leaders, our role isn’t just about managing the present - it’s about setting the stage for future success. To do this you must combine the power of reflection with a forward-thinking approach based in actionable steps. This tool is one that I have used for years to kickstart my thinking for a new project, a new quarter, or even a new year. The trick is that you have to be honest with yourself and take a hard look in the mirror. There will be things that you absolutely nailed and other things that didn’t – you can learn from both. I spent decades leading teams from dozens to thousands – and the principles are the same, it is just a matter of scale. This process is helpful for startups, small businesses, and even large dispersed organizations. By putting this tool to use you will find ways to become more strategic and plot a roadmap to activate through intentional tactics. The best leaders think with the end in mind and plot a course backward to get there. When you consider the path to execution through meaningful actions – and consider roadblocks that could derail your progress – it will help you reach your goals more effectively. That’s why I am sharing this planning tool with you. The tool is divided into two sections: Reflection on the Past Year  and Planning for the New Year . Each section is designed to guide you through key questions and prompts that will force you to think deeply about your leadership journey, your team's growth, your personal development, and your roadmap for the future. Wishing you the best for 2025 and beyond and through reflection and planning make this coming year the best yet for you, your teams, and your customers! You don't have to go it alone, we can help. Tony is available to help create your personalized executive and leadership coaching plan to hone your leadership success for the future. Part 1: Reflection on the Past Year This section encourages you to look back at the year that has passed. For many of us, it’s easy to focus only on what we didn’t accomplish or the challenges we faced. But reflection is about recognizing both the wins and the opportunities. Top Achievements : What were the key successes you experienced, both as a leader and with your team? Recognize the milestones, no matter how big or small. Take a moment to celebrate your progress. Key Challenges : Every leader faces obstacles. This section gives you a chance to evaluate the challenges you faced and assess how you responded. What did you learn and what will you do differently in the future? Team Performance and Culture : Assess how your team performed this year. Where did they excel, and where can they grow? How well did you lead them and what is next as you work to create a great workplace culture and community? Personal Leadership Growth : As a leader, how have you evolved over the past year? What leadership skills have you developed, and what areas require more focus? Tracking your own growth and owning your personal development will help you continue to evolve as a leader. Part 2: Planning for the New Year Once you’ve reflected on the past year, the next step is to plan for the future. This section is about turning those insights into an actionable plan for the new year. Planning is more than just setting goals — it’s about creating strategies and tactics to achieve them. You must inspire your team and anticipate roadblocks to get your vision over the finish line. Top Goals : What are the most important goals you want to achieve this year? These should be meaningful, measurable, and tied to both personal and professional aspirations. You can’t have dozens of goals – focus on the 3 most important and make sure you are clear about the tactics to activate them and roadblocks that could derail you. If you achieve them, then run this exercise again for your next 3. Team Development : How will you invest in the growth of your team? This could include training, mentorship, or team-building initiatives. Successful leaders always keep their team experience and development as a top priority and don’t use lack of budget or time as an excuse. Personal Growth : Identify one leadership skill or area of focus that you want to develop over the next year. How will you achieve this? Be specific about the resources you need so that you can allocate or request resources – that could be anything from books to coaching to workshops or masterclasses. Key Projects and Quarterly Milestones : Break your annual goals into key projects and create a quarterly roadmap to keep you on track. This helps ensure that you stay focused on your priorities and can adjust as needed. How to Use the Tool The end-of-year reflection and new-year planning tool is designed to be simple yet powerful. Here’s how you can use it: Set Aside Time : Reflection and planning require focus and intention, so block off dedicated time to work through the tool. Consider doing it in a quiet space, free from distractions – and at your most creative time of day (that is different for all of us). Be Honest and Objective : When reflecting on the past year, be honest with yourself. Acknowledge both your wins and your challenges and do so fearlessly and without judgement. Remember, this is for you and lying to yourself won’t help you win. Involve Your Team : Some of the prompts focus on your team’s performance. Seek feedback from your team to get their perspective and ideas. This can help you develop a more complete understanding of your team and where you want to focus energy. They will have great ideas about their own development and feedback on your performance as a leader. Commit to Action : Planning is only effective if it leads to action. This won’t work if it ends up in a desk drawer or saved in a file and never reviewed again. This must be a part of your daily, weekly, and monthly planning – stay focused on items or activities that further your top goals. The Way Forward As leaders, it becomes so easy to lead in the moment – to think of the next month or quarter – and to take our eyes off the big picture and strategic vision. This is a great time to double down on strategic thinking and set the stage for future growth and success. By using this tool you can take a focused approach to understanding and planning into 2025 and beyond. What worked, what didn’t, and what’s next. This will be a year of accelerated change, economic evolution, and marketplace disruption. You must be agile and spend less time reacting to what is happening and more time creating the outcomes that will drive success for you and your business.   Key metrics to measure improvements. Customer feedback implementation is a continuous process, so make adjustments as new insights emerge. Over time, this iterative process builds a stronger, more customer-centric approach to business. Feedback is a gift – but it can also sting. You aren’t going to love all the feedback you receive but remember that the negative feedback is more useful than the positive stuff in the long run. Certainly, celebrate the wins - and pass along recognition for those who made it happen – but don’t miss an opportunity to grow and strengthen your organization by learning where you are falling short. Collecting, measuring, and acting on feedback is crucial to any organization that wants to continue to grow in this ever-changing marketplace. Building loyalty and advocacy with your team and your customers will help set you apart and position you for continued growth and success.   Until next time, Tony (Crafted by a human, not AI.) Meet Tony Johnson Tony is the Chief Experience Officer (CXO) for 4xi Global Consulting and leader of the Evolving Experience practice.  Tony is an internationally recognized thought leader and influencer in Customer and Employee Experience.  He hosts the wildly successful Customer Service Academy podcast and is the author of two books on leadership and CX. Tony has worked with some of the top organizations across the globe, including 3M, Baylor Scott and White Health, University of Virginia, Siemens, SHRM, and more. Tony is available to help your organization with: Employee training and development Executive and leadership coaching CX and EX strategy creation Inspirational keynote talks Fractional Chief Experience Officer Fractional Chief Training + Development Officer Evolving Experiences , a 4xi brand, focuses on Customer Experience (CX) and Employee Experience (EX) as growth engines. By creating fierce loyalty with both employees and customers, organization can differentiate themselves in an ever-changing and competitive marketplace. Let’s talk about your employee experience, guest experience, fan experience, student experience, patient experience, or traveler experience to craft compelling moments that build lifelong loyalty. 4xi: Inspiring a brighter future, together. 4xi Global Consulting & Solutions is a team of talented leaders from both the client-side and service provider side, creating an impact on the Human Experience (HX) for people at work, in education, rest, and at leisure. We believe in a people-first, experience-led philosophy; whether client, employee, or guest – their experience is the fundamental foundation of success. We work with corporations, service providers, and innovators: Strategic Advisory & Special Projects (SPx) Headquarters Fractional Support On-Demand Evolving Experiences© - Employee (EX) & Customer Experience (CX) Design4Life©: Environmental, Physical, and Experiential Design Global Amenities Strategy , Design & Operations TRUE NORTH©: Strategic Partnership & Growth Explorers Innovation Directory: Gateway to Innovation Sustainability Simplified©: Supply Chain & Innovation Market Research Reports & Benchmarking 4xi is proud to be Chair of WORKTECH Academy for North America and a member of its Leadership Advisory Board. 4xi is a Global Ambassador for WORKTECH Academy. San Francisco | New York | Orlando | North Carolina | Philadelphia | Seattle | Silicon Valley | Dallas | Santiago | London | Tokyo

Each organization or company regardless of the market it is in, whether it sells a service or a product, public, private, or even government often relies on its brand to create advocacy and to achieve its goals. In this article, we won’t discuss the importance of a strong brand, but rather one of the most overlooked or under-invested key factors for a company to live, its brand, and that “it all starts with your employees” .   In most branding or rebranding efforts, the organization hires an external agency or utilizes its internal agency and team members to follow some sort of a process that includes: Essential Steps for Branding and Rebranding Assess the Current Brand and Identify the Need for Change  including a brand audit, assessing the changes in the marketplace and key stakeholder research including employees. Define the Brand's Core Purpose and Values including mission, vision, core values.   Research the Target Audience and Market. Develop a Brand Strategy including brand positioning, promise, voice and messaging. DESIGN the New Brand identity to include logo, colors and guidelines. Update Customer Touchpoints and Brand Assets such as website, social media channels, marketing collateral and communications. Launch the Brand / Rebrand through various stories and channels. Engage with Customers During the transition. Monitor and Measure the Success of the Brand/Rebrand. Embed the Brand into Company Culture. Adapt the Brand as needed while assessing the success of the new brand Although it may seem straightforward, one of the most critical components that is often overlooked or underinvested in is employees. This can stem from budget or time constraints, but many organizations fail to realize the full potential of their rebrand because they don't bring employees along in the process. This results in: Culture: The brand not fully reflecting the core culture of the organization, of which employees are a vital part. Engagement: Employees not seeing themselves as part of the new identity, and; Understanding: Employees lacking a clear understanding of the new brand or why it was changed in the first place. When employees - who are the heart of any organization - haven’t fully bought into the rebrand or lack the necessary tools and resources to engage effectively, it becomes significantly harder for the brand to succeed with its target customers or constituents.   So – what is the solution?   Involve Employees Early : Engage employees from the outset through focus groups, surveys, lunch-and-learns, and other interactive channels to explain the "need for change." Involve representation from all levels of the organization in the rebranding process to ensure the new brand elements resonate and feel authentic, not overstated. Create Brand Ambassadors : Employees are the first line of brand advocates. By identifying and empowering Brand Ambassadors early on, you can uncover potential challenges and help other employees understand and embrace the new brand. For example, if a key differentiator is that "our employees are our most important asset," it’s essential to confirm that employees themselves feel this way before making that claim a cornerstone of the brand. Ongoing Engagement : Keep employees informed, excited, and aligned with the rebrand through regular updates, meetings, and feedback sessions. Show them what’s changed and why, winning their minds and hearts in the process. Enablement and Training : Equip employees with the tools, resources, and knowledge they need to effectively communicate the new brand to customers and represent it confidently in all interactions. Proof Points and Case Studies : Ensure employees are well-versed in new services, products, wins, and other updates that reflect the new brand, so they can communicate these to customers with authority and enthusiasm. Employees often have a unique ability to spot "brand statements" or differentiators that don’t quite make sense or lack the necessary proof points. Involving them early ensures the new brand is authentic, credible, and set up for long-term success. It also helps avoid the dreaded eye rolls from both employees and customers. By fostering early involvement, clear communication, and ongoing support, you create a workforce that is not only aligned with the new brand but also empowered to make it a success in the market. If you need assistance with any aspect of your rebranding - whether it's employee training, brand strategy, or more - don’t hesitate to reach out. With our team's extensive experience in marketing, research and insights, branding, employee engagement, and training, we’re here to support you at any stage of your branding or rebranding journey. John Kandemir CMO in Residence 4xi Global Consulting Global amenity services and operations, transforming the work experience, and leveraging the 4xi strategic and tactical network. You can contact John directly at johnkandemir@4xiconsulting.com  or learn more about John by reading his bio. 4xi Global Consulting & Solutions  is a team of talented leaders from both the client-side and service provider side, impacting the Human Experience (HX) for people at work, in education, rest, and at leisure. We believe in a people-first, experience-led philosophy. Whether client, employee, or guest – their experience is the fundamental foundation of success. WHAT WE DO We work with corporations, service providers, and innovators: Strategic Advisory & Special Projects (SPx) Headquarters Fractional Support On-Demand Evolving Experiences© - Employee (EX) & Customer Experience (CX) Design4Life©: Environmental, Physical, and Experiential Design Global Amenities Strategy, Design & Operations TRUE NORTH©: Strategic Partnership & Growth Sustainability Simplified©: Supply Chain & Innovation Market Research Reports & Benchmarking Project Management Office Food Craft Culinary Consulting CREATE. : Graphic Design and Creative Services DATAxi: Data Ingestion and Visualization Explorers Innovation Directory: Gateway to Innovation 4xi is proud to be Chair of WORKTECH Academy for North America and a member of its Leadership Advisory Board. 4xi is a Global Ambassador for WORKTECH Academy. San Francisco | New York | Philadelphia | Orlando | North Carolina | Seattle | Silicon Valley | Santiago | London | Tokyo

John Kandemir brings 30 years of experience in Marketing, Operations and Sales support from a variety of both service and manufacturing industries. Over the past 20 years, John has held various roles at one of the Big 4 global food and facilities companies, progressing through increasing responsibilities in Marketing Management and Sales Support. John has worked across multiple business units, including K-12, Higher Education, Healthcare, Business Dining, and Facility Services. In these roles, he contributed to both B2C and B2B marketing initiatives, leveraging insights-driven strategies to enhance customer satisfaction, boost retention, drive sales, and ultimately foster profitable growth. Some key highlights from John’s career:   Branding Initiatives : Led several branding initiatives including revitalizing and realigning the brand and value proposition to better address evolving market needs. This comprehensive effort included developing brand strategy, refining brand positioning, articulating the value proposition, creating brand guidelines, updating visual identity, redesigning website architecture, and executing communication and rollout plans - all while ensuring internal alignment across the organization. Pioneering Inbound Marketing : Established the company’s first inbound marketing function, incorporating content creation, Account-Based Marketing (ABM), and campaign management to drive lead generation and nurture prospects, ultimately strengthening the sales pipeline. Managing Internal Agency : Led the organizations internal agency, enhancing its ability to support RFP needs across the business, while also expanding its video and print production capabilities to effectively promote the organization and its various business unit brands. Launching Student ViewPOINT : In 2009, John developed the businesses first K-12 student survey platform and Voice of the Customer (VOC) program, Student ViewPOINT . This program collects valuable feedback from students and parents about dining services, generating over 60,000 survey responses annually, which are used to drive improvements in school food operations. Insight-Driven Development : Leveraged customer insights to create brands, promotions, and programs that addressed the evolving and unmet needs of the education market, helping to attract, retain, and grow sales.   Prior to his last role, John gained extensive experience in the manufacturing sector, working for companies such as Givaudan Flavors & Fragrances, where he led the Savory business unit and played a key role in launching the company’s entry into the foodservice industry. He also worked at International Paper Company, where he drove market-focused strategies to improve several business units, prior to their sale and the rebranding of International Paper’s Foodservice division under a unified umbrella. Earlier in his career, John was a brand manager at Procter & Gamble, where he successfully launched Folger’s specialty coffee flavors.   John takes an analytical approach to marketing and growth strategy, beginning with deep insights and ensuring that metrics and measurements are integrated throughout the process. This allows for continuous, data-driven tracking of progress, ensuring measurable and sustained success. We're delighted to welcome John to the 4xi family with his wealth of experience and expertise to advance the strategic marketing needs of our clients. How can John help your organization? John is available to offer support on a consulting basis for individual projects as well as ongoing expertise with the support and resources of the 4xi Global Consulting team in a variety of ways including, but not limited to:   Market based strategic plans for growth Research development and execution Focus groups, surveys, voice of the customer Ideal customer profile development, and customer journey mapping Outbound and Inbound marketing strategy including Lead generation, nourishment Marketing campaigns Content strategy E-mail marketing, digital marketing strategy Website architecture and build out, and more Brand development or refresh for your organization or for your customers Development or Marketing playbooks to increase customer participation and sales Increasing customer and community engagement, and satisfaction MARKETING STRATEGY | BRAND DEVELOPMENT & LEADERSHIP | DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION | CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE | GLOBAL MARKET INSIGHTS | STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT | COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES We are excited for the new possibilities John's expertise and leadership will open for our clients in advancing all of their marketing needs. Connect with John and the 4xi team to explore how we can help your organization achieve your marketing, strategy, and growth aspirations for today, and for tomorrow . Reach out today to learn more about our solutions and how we can support your strategic goals! John Kandemir Chief Marketing Officer in Residence 4xi Global Consulting & Solutions  is a team of talented leaders from both the client-side and service provider side, impacting the Human Experience (HX) for people at work, in education, rest, and at leisure. We believe in a people-first, experience-led philosophy. Whether client, employee, or guest – their experience is the fundamental foundation of success. WHAT WE DO We work with corporations, service providers, and innovators: Strategic Advisory & Special Projects (SPx) Headquarters Fractional Support On-Demand Evolving Experiences© - Employee (EX) & Customer Experience (CX) Design4Life©: Environmental, Physical, and Experiential Design Global Amenities Strategy, Design & Operations TRUE NORTH©: Strategic Partnership & Growth Sustainability Simplified©: Supply Chain & Innovation Market Research Reports & Benchmarking Project Management Office Food Craft Culinary Consulting CREATE. : Graphic Design and Creative Services DATAxi: Data Ingestion and Visualization Explorers Innovation Directory: Gateway to Innovation 4xi is proud to be Chair of WORKTECH Academy for North America and a member of its Leadership Advisory Board. 4xi is a Global Ambassador for WORKTECH Academy. San Francisco | New York | Philadelphia | Orlando | North Carolina | Seattle | Silicon Valley | Santiago | London | Tokyo

WORKTECH22 San Francisco was yet another great event attended by many workplace and work experience professionals from some of the most progressive organizations in business today. I was very honored to co-moderate the event with Lisa Hsiao , Vice President of user strategy at Era-co. Here are my takeaways from the event. Almost 3 years since the pandemic disrupted the world. The great debate remains around return to work and the chasm that exists somewhere between mandated return to work policies, fully flexible, and everything in between. But what is right for your organization? The why versus the what It seems that many organizations are seeking the answer to what is the right strategy for them, but the really important question is why. Now, if you’re in the business of making stuff - cars, food, widgets, then clearly, you need people in a place making your stuff. However, if you’re in the knowledge working space, employees have proven that they can work anywhere, and heads-down work may even be more suited to places other than the traditional office. Rather than seeking a single magic solution, it’s dynamic. Its complex has lots of different factors to consider, and as every individual is unique, so is every organization. Sunaina Lobo , Chief People Officer at Fintech firm Marqeta, posed these three questions as a foundation for thinking through their “Flex-First” RTO strategy: Who we hire Where we work How we operate Creating an environment where everyone does their best work is the ultimate goal, right? And for many during the past 3 years, we’ve worked out how to adapt, improvise, and overcome – whether setting up a home office, working at the dining table, using local coffee shops and co-working spaces, or going back to the physical workspace, organizations and people have survived, and in some cases thrived as a result. But what does that mean to culture, community, creativity, and collaboration? Pre-pandemic, we knew that the commute and coffee were important factors of why people chose to stay or leave. Other factors like convenience and choice play a part in today's new normal. A study conducted by Phillippa Lally , a psychology researcher at the University College London, found that it takes just 66 days before a new behavior becomes automatic - the reality is that we’ve been in this pandemic world for almost 3 years, and things have changed - according to this research, likely forever. For those who had previously a daily commute to the office, a cubicle, their space for the 9-5, a cheap cup of coffee from the breakroom, and a curled-up cheese sandwich for lunch, then return home commute – what compels them to go back to how it was now that they have improvised and learned to survive? It’s actually counter to the evolution of our species to imaging that the human being will return to the former state, when for many this new normal is better than the old, and these new routines and habits are now part of our lives. Mandate or magnetize? There are some recent high-profile “Mandators” that have insisted on their workforces returning to work, and in many cases, these demands have been met with reluctance, if not rejection, as people have more choices today than perhaps, they did before. On the other end of the scale, the “Fully Flexible” work where you want has other implications that potentially challenge important issues such as culture, community, collaboration, and maybe even real estate investments - what do we do with all that empty space if we don’t use it? That said, mandating doesn’t necessarily mean demanding your workforce return to the office 5-days a week, 9 to 5. It can be what you want it to be and, more importantly, what is right for your business and your people. There is a multitude of examples, from: Mandating your workforce to a full return to work Partial mandate – one, two, three plus days a week Flex-first supplemented by coming to the office once a week, or every two weeks Fully flexible, work where you want The key to the future and return to office strategy is transforming your spaces into places where people choose to be. So, understanding the levers to compel your people back to the office becomes ever more important: What’s important to your organization? What’s important to your people? How can you gather around teams and micro-communities? What services and amenities can add to the draw? This is in the context that there is no one-hat-fits-all solution. The Human Evolution Many organizations are searching for the “What” as if there is one solution to the challenge when the reality is that by nature, there can be no singular answer to this complex puzzle - every organization does slightly different things, has its own unique culture, its own personality, AND every individual working for them is different and unique. What we do know from pre-pandemic research is that coffee and the commute were always the top ten serious issues in work experience and employee satisfaction, and therefore big obstacles to overcome in the challenge and puzzle of solving the return-to-work strategy dilemma. Organizations need to embrace that people have changed - you may have some of the old guard who is no longer around, you will have new hires that don’t know what the “old normal” even was, and among those, you will likely have folks who have never been in the workforce before at all! It’s in this context we think about the process of human evolution, how we have survived and thrived as a species, and how we adapt, improvise, and overcome. Throughout this evolution, we have moved forward, never backward, and therefore, why would we go back to the 4-hour-a-day commute, the sea of bland cubicles, crappy coffee, and a curled-up cheese sandwich for lunch? Caroline Quick , Head of Global Real Estate and Workplace at tech company Cloudflare, described the physical eco-system of the future, which includes on-demand opportunities for dispersed workers to be supported with physical space from the headquarters to Lighthouse Offices and the use of micro co-working hubs on the very local level. Looking at the challenge differently is key, rather than trying to force the return to the ways of the past. Understanding the why ahead of the what is critical so that we can reinvent the future and not just reengineer the past. Productivity is a dirty word? Loneliness has become a thing. Disconnectivity is an issue, and according to Dr. Bobbi Wegner from Groops, these factors are at least as bad as smoking 15 cigarettes a day! And if this state exists among our workforces, then openly talking to productivity can be received as an insult to the sensitivities of your people. That said, it’s still important to understand, but how do you measure it? What is the number of widgets you make? Your top-line revenue? Bottom line? The amount of code produced and progress made. At the end of the day, if you’re measuring productivity for the reasons that you don’t trust your employees, then you probably have the wrong employees in the first place. Or you’re taking the wrong approach to trusting and empowering them to be the best they possibly can be. Focus on people Jennifer Adams of Poly HP described a story of change when an employee was presented with the future state, and the employee simply responded, “I don’t want this.” And how that put the context into how change management needs to embrace the perspectives of all the stakeholders and how the future can be shaped together and not in isolation. From their research, they have seen a shift in the prevalence of different personas in the workplace, with the biggest shifts connected to where people work in relation to the office environment. Understanding the needs of our different user groups is key to understanding how and what to design to help them do their best work for their individual needs. Maintaining the focus on people is important because no matter what our organizations do, our existing or future real estate, the services that go on inside, ultimately, we’re in the people business. The Digital Divide During the round table discussion, the day before the main WORKTECH event, hosted by Peter Elden of property developer Hines and Poly HP, we had folks in the room and remote participants via video. What became apparent was that there was a digital divide and inequality between those on video and those in-person. The question became that in the new future, where we are dispersed more than ever before, how can we bridge this digital divide and have digital equality no matter where our people may be? The office can’t fix culture, but it can impact the community and the environment. Design Matters! Elizabeth Gordon and Lisa Scribante , Partners at design firm Mithun, went through their designs of the Atlassian office space in Austin with Atlassian’s Head of Real Estate & Development, Larry Segal , in the room. Beautifully designed, curated space with features to really attract people to come to the office. Then how Mithun shared their design principles for the Atlassian Austin office - a design that not only addressed the business and physical needs but, through deep design and thoughtfulness, transformed a space into a place where people choose to be. Joyce Li and Justine Hewitt also joined the stage with their designs and plans for Visa's new global headquarters, Mission Rock, in development in San Francisco – groundbreaking design featuring retail space, community areas, collaborative spaces, flexi-working, and outdoor terraces in the heart of San Francisco, overlooking the ballpark. The design foundations were built on comfort and safety, but also easy to consume. Like Matthew Myerson’s presentation from the WORKTECH Academy and the example of the LEGO HQ and their 1/3rd workspace, 1/3rd collaboration space, and 1/3rd social space, these designs are much more than workplaces. They’re destinations. These examples tell the story of how important design is to create places where people choose to be, around creating an experience beyond work itself, and how the office can become a homage to the culture of the organization and act as a magnate to your workforce. In other sessions, Dr. Agustin Chevez of the University of Melbourne described his 42-day pilgrimage from Melbourne to Sydney and the things he learned from the beauty of boredom along the way. Lewis Love gave us a masterclass in thinking about how to think about the workplace and the future. Nicki Persaud , head of global safety and security at IoT company Samsara, gave us some pearls of wisdom and insights as we think about designing and delivering global experiences. Another great conference, thanks to WORKTECH, Philip Ross , Isabel Dewhurst-Marks , and Samantha Cullen . Thanks to all those that attended. I look forward to seeing you at the next one, wherever that may be! #Visa #Envoy #Freespace #Inpixion #Infogrid #Avuity #Biamp #SmartenSpaces #SERA #Mithun #Niantic #Samsara #Atlassian #Marqueta #Groops #VergeSense #Poly #WORKTECHAcademy #10Times #WorkDesignMagazine #WorkplaceEvolutionaries #ERAco #4xiGlobalConsulting WORKTECH Academy - How we'll work tomorrow WTA is a global network of workplace and work experience professionals focused on #People #Place #Culture #Innovation #Design and #Technology. It's a place for insights, thought leadership, and community. If you've attended a WORKTECH event, you are already a member. However, there are additional ways to get involved at Community, Corporate, and Global Partner Levels, Come Join the Conversation! Simon Elliot is Managing Partner and co- founder of 4xi Global Consulting & Solutions and is focused on a people- first approach to enable optimum Human Experiences for people away from home: at work, in education, at rest, or at leisure . Simon believes that Experience Matters! applies in many different ways and is the fundamental foundation of a successful business, no matter the business. Simon is a global citizen, having lived, worked, and traveled to over 45 countries and six continents, and believes in the power of human potential. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Directors, a Member of the Institute of Leadership & Management, and the North America Chair of the WORKTECH Academy. Simon lives in the San Francisco Bay Area. 4xi Global Consulting & Solutions is a team of talented leaders from both the client-side and service provider side, impacting the Human Experience (HX) for people at work, in education, rest, and at leisure. We believe in a people-first, experience-led philosophy. Whether client, employee, or guest – their experience is the fundamental foundation of success. We work with corporations, service providers, and innovators: Strategic Advisory & Special Projects (SPx) Headquarters Fractional Support On-Demand Evolving Experiences© - Employee (EX) & Customer Experience (CX) Design4Life©: Environmental, Physical, and Experiential Design Global Amenities Strategy , Design & Operations TRUE NORTH©: Strategic Partnership & Growth Explorers Innovation Directory: Gateway to Innovation Sustainability Simplified©: Supply Chain & Innovation Market Research Reports & Benchmarking 4xi is proud to be Chair of WORKTECH Academy for North America and a member of its Leadership Advisory Board. 4xi is a Global Ambassador for WORKTECH Academy. San Francisco | New York | Orlando | North Carolina | Seattle | Silicon Valley | Santiago | London | Tokyo

For years we have been working with operations of dispersed locations in foodservice, restaurants, hotels, and retail, and for all that time, we've been chasing the goose with the golden egg of real-time operational and financial data. Any highly transactional, dispersed business knows the importance of getting quality data as close to real-time as possible, and for some organizations, that could mean a couple of weeks after months end - that’s potentially 42 days after your first day of operation, and as any operator will tell you, that’s a lot of time for things to go pear-shaped, and horribly wrong. It’s a compounded issue in high-volume, low-margin businesses, where every penny and every basis point counts. With margins so slim, it’s no wonder that the restaurant business has the highest failure rate of any business sector. "If revenue is for vanity, cash and profit are certainly king, and data is gold. In fact, some say that data today is more valuable than liquid gold, oil, and that is probably true." Turn noise into data into insights you can see and drive business impact . For example, in the food business, you have your major costs of labor and food comprising the lion’s share of your operating costs. These two alone, in some cases, can represent up to 85% of your operating costs. Add to that, any business where there are high volumes of cash creates the risk of shrinkage. Unchecked labor hours, over time, can add up to potentially catastrophic business outcomes. Like any complex business problem with such high stakes, there have been plenty of efforts in the past to come up with a solution. In some cases, organizations have tried to solve the span of control by having a singular point-of-sale operating system, but that can be costly, difficult, and in the case of foodservice operators working with a myriad of client-owned systems, near impossible. Operators and entrepreneurs have tried to come up with operating systems that try and capture and control the very dynamic nature of these operations, but with low success levels and adoption. “Operators who have tried to build their own systems end up spending twice the budget, taking double the time, and in the end, their platforms do half the things they hoped for to truly fix the very real business issues.” There have also been a string of innovators over the years who have tried to solve the puzzle but ended up trying to boil the ocean and fixing bits, creating complex, difficult-to-adopt platforms and resulting in low levels of take-up and adoption. "We're not in the business of software, and for those who have dared, then the saying applies - it'll take twice as long, cost twice as much, and do half the things you wanted it to do in the first place." At 4xi, we’ve worked with established technology partners to adapt existing platforms that span multiple use cases, and now specifically for operating organizations of dispersed operations. We believe that the nub of the matter is to measure the things that matter the most in real time. Your Management Accounts can look after the rest. This important work has focused on three main issues faced by businesses today: Real-time visibility into operational performance and standards Real-time visibility into financial performance and flash reporting Answering the unanswerable questions of the past Elevate is a “Business in Your Pocket” platform that empowers your entire business and engages them in a continual 360-degree audit of your business. Everyone everywhere is engaged in measuring your daily performance in line with your operating standards and key performance measurements and also takes in customer and employee sentiment. Elevate is created on the premise that everyone is responsible for quality and excellence each and every day. DATAxi is a data ingestion and visualization platform providing you with real-time data, insights, and the ability to make real-time decisions. DATAxi FLASH REPORTING gathers the data that means the most to you via an easy-to-use app from each of your operations. Manage cash, labor, purchasing, expenses, and turnkey performance metrics like Labor to Sales Per Hour, Participation, Check Average, and much more. Imagine this in a live feed dashboard, alerting exceptions, remedial operations, and high-performance outlets that warrant recognition. DATAxi INSIGHTS provides the opportunity to answer questions previously unanswerable before. You provide the question ; we’ll look at the available public and private data sources to help answer the questions, then we’ll put together the platform, which will give you a fully searchable, comparable dashboard for you to cross-analyze the data and answer your questions like never before. To the point about “why it’s important” for dispersed operations portfolios: Increased visibility leads to data and insights that can drive action. Increases accountability of operators. Insights lead to actions that improve performance. Opportunities to drive impactful efficiencies. Opportunity to drive and monitor global operating standards And the impact: - Each 1% business improvement across a $1,000M portfolio is substantial. - Each 1% of procurement revenue visibility is significant. - Tracking performance to agreed KPIs is critical. - Compliance with Governance, including QBRs, and Leadership Visitation, is important. We understand the data input puzzle too, and that is exactly why we deliberately chose not to go down the (in most cases) impassable data integration route or expect operators at the portfolio level to try to aggregate data but focus more on the front-line folks to take just 10 minutes to input the most valuable data that create maximum visibility and impact. “These data platforms from 4xi represent the best opportunity I have seen for years to help operators get better visibility to their business, make real-time decisions, and therefore control their own destiny and success.” These groundbreaking platforms are ideal for operators of dispersed locations but also for client organizations managing multiple partners across their portfolio and any business wishing to get deeper data and insights. VISIBILITY LIKE NEVER BEFORE. Explorers Innovation Directory At 4xi, we've built our Explorers Innovation Directory of carefully curated Innovation Partners, all driving positive impact in the Away from Home market: workplace, education, healthcare, senior living, and leisure. 4xi Global Consulting & Solutions is a team of talented leaders from both the client-side and service provider side, impacting the Human Experience (HX) for people at work, in education, rest, and at leisure. We believe in a people-first, experience-led philosophy. Whether client, employee, or guest – their experience is the fundamental foundation of success. We work with corporations, service providers, and innovators: Strategic Advisory & Special Projects (SPx) Headquarters Fractional Support On-Demand Evolving Experiences© - Employee (EX) & Customer Experience (CX) Design4Life©: Environmental, Physical, and Experiential Design Global Amenities Strategy , Design & Operations TRUE NORTH©: Strategic Partnership & Growth Explorers Innovation Directory: Gateway to Innovation Sustainability Simplified©: Supply Chain & Innovation Market Research Reports & Benchmarking 4xi is proud to be Chair of WORKTECH Academy for North America and a member of its Leadership Advisory Board. 4xi is a Global Ambassador for WORKTECH Academy. San Francisco | New York | Orlando | North Carolina | Seattle | Silicon Valley | Santiago | London | Tokyo

WORKTECH Academy's annual The World of Work in 2023 report gives a taste of what will be happening in the world of work over the coming 12 months. It explores 20 key ideas for the coming year some of which are established, some are emergent, some remain experimental. Together, they paint a picture of volatility and change. After the white-knuckle ride of 2022, buckle up because here we go again. What’s on the cards for 2023? Top 20 trends explored A surge in data analytics in a more scientific workplace is just one of 20 key ideas discussed in the WORKTECH Academy report, The World of Work in 2023. The report predicts that this could be the year that data-led decision-making in the workplace really breaks through, leading to a more scientific approach that we might term the ‘Science of Work’. Data analysis and measurement, or telemetry, has been on the rise for some time. But what will swing the balance this year is the growing recognition by company leaders that we’re on the brink of a great opportunity – a much smarter workplace capable of providing constant data flows that can inform evidence-based decision-making on everything, from HR policies and wellbeing to organizational structure and office redesign. More organizations this year will embrace the data analytics, spatial intelligence and sociometric technologies that can give insights into performance and behavior in the workplace, as sensors and cameras – both of which are proliferating in offices – capture every move. ‘The Science of Work’ is just one of 20 key ideas captured in ‘The World of Work 2023’, which has been produced by WORKTECH Academy with its Global Partners, Adrianse , Area , Condeco , ERA-co and Unwork and proudly supported by 4xi Global Consulting . Publication of the report marks the 20th anniversary of the WORKTECH event series, which was established in London in 2003 with an inaugural conference at the British Library. Ever since WORKTECH first emerged 20 years ago as a platform for knowledge exchange and debate, the WORKTECH Events series and the WORKTECH Academy network have sought to look at the future of work through an integrated perspective of people, place and technology. This report maintains that ethos. It presents a mix of established, emergent and experiment ideas in the spheres of HR policy (from the four-day week to workcations and job-title inflation), place-making factors (from the office as off-site to vertical gardening and mixed-up use) and new technologies (from AI chatbots to robots and audio-visual innovations). Download the report here . WORKTECH Academy is the world’s leading membership club and intelligence platform exploring the future of work. WORKTECH Academy Membership grants access to world-class knowledge and insights as well opportunities to co-create thought leadership content and share with a global professional audience. Email: info@worktechacademy.com for more information on joining the community. 4xi Global Consulting & Solutions is a team of talented leaders from both the client-side and service provider side, impacting the Human Experience (HX) for people at work, in education, rest, and at leisure. We believe in a people-first, experience-led philosophy. Whether client, employee, or guest – their experience is the fundamental foundation of success. We work with corporations, service providers, and innovators: Strategic Advisory & Special Projects (SPx) Headquarters Fractional Support On-Demand Evolving Experiences© - Employee (EX) & Customer Experience (CX) Design4Life©: Environmental, Physical, and Experiential Design Global Amenities Strategy , Design & Operations TRUE NORTH©: Strategic Partnership & Growth Explorers Innovation Directory: Gateway to Innovation Sustainability Simplified©: Supply Chain & Innovation Market Research Reports & Benchmarking 4xi is proud to be Chair of WORKTECH Academy for North America and a member of its Leadership Advisory Board. 4xi is a Global Ambassador for WORKTECH Academy. San Francisco | New York | Philadelphia | Orlando | North Carolina | Seattle | Silicon Valley | Santiago | London | Tokyo

Ever wondered how to get real time data in the palm of your hand? Do you have unanswered questions that you cant get the data for? Would your business be better if you had full visibility? For most, the answer to all these questions is yes. These are just some of the questions that DATAxi answers to fill the void. What is DATAxi? 4xi Global Consulting has teamed up with DOMO to create DATAxi - a data ingestion and visualization tool for service providers and client-side organizations in the away from home market. USECASE: Data Ingestion & Visualization You want to keep track of a set of metrics that are important to your business. This might be such things as global commercial property markets across certain metros, you might want to track labor and employment costs, or maybe certain trends across markets or industries. In this example, we took the data of three best place to work indices and mapped them across the United States to see geographically speaking, how work experience performance was being reported from metro to metro. But then, using the same data set, we can map by industry too, and when you layer in other factors like Living Wage, Median Household Income, Housing Costs, Cost of Living, Unemployment Rates, Level of Education, Crime Rates, Education Levels, you can get a really clear picture of not only the markets you operate in today but those markets you want to operate into the future. IMAGINE: Being able to track commodity pricing of your essential ingredients, monitor retail pricing at a local level to ensure your pricing strategy is right, or to understand where to open your next outlet or office. USECASE: Dispersed Operations - Flash Reporting Whether a foodservice business, retail, grocery chain, in hotels, restaurants, or in fact any dispersed operations business, then access to real time and visibility of data is essential. Often with high volume and low margins, things can go wrong very quickly - getting timely critical operating performance metrics can make a substantial impact to your business. IMAGINE: At the end of each operating day you have access to a dashboard on your device that allows you to see the key performance metrics of your business in real time - visibility everywhere. We work with you to identify the top metrics that mean the most to your business. Typically these would be metrics like; Total Sales, Number of Transactions, Labor Hours, Total Daily Purchasing, and from that being able to have a set of data that includes such things as Average Transaction Value, Sales Per Labor Hour, track your purchasing on a rolling basis, and compare and contrast across your entire portfolio applauding high performers and tackling issues for improvement. For some, with the luxury of single point of sale systems across your portfolio, you may have this functionality already. But for those that don't and have a collective of legacy systems, then DATAxi becomes an even more powerful tool. At the end of each day, the operator on the ground completes the quick and easy to use input form on their device to punch in the key metrics of the day and give you and on your team total visibility, right there, in the palm of your hand. Although DATAxi can absolutely plug in to existing data sources, we also understand that for many organizations that can get in the way of progress, and therefore we put it in the hands of the front-line operators without overburdening their already busy days. We're ready to answer your questions, are you? Like all businesses, you have important questions that go unanswered, DATAxi provides you with the visibility and insights for you to make informed decisions, take action, and drive business impact like never before. All we need to get started: 1. Tell us what answers you’re looking for 2. What problem you’re trying to solve 3. We’ll consult with you on the options 4. Explore available data-sets (external and internal) And, upon engagement: 5. Set up your own visualized dashboard 6. With up to 10 sub-sets of data 7. Your own visualized data portal We do all the hard work in the background. Whatever your data needs, the unanswered questions, the things that are keeping you up at night, let’s talk and work out how DATAxi can help you solve your data challenges and deliver Visibility, Insights that enable you to take decisive, data-based Action and drive IMPACT. Download our introduction to DATAxi or contact us to learn more at: hello@4xiconsulting.com 4xi Global Consulting & Solutions is a team of talented leaders from both the client-side and service provider side, impacting the Human Experience (HX) for people at work, in education, rest, and at leisure. We believe in a people-first, experience-led philosophy. Whether client, employee, or guest – their experience is the fundamental foundation of success. We work with corporations, service providers, and innovators: Strategic Advisory & Special Projects (SPx) Headquarters Fractional Support On-Demand Evolving Experiences© - Employee (EX) & Customer Experience (CX) Design4Life©: Environmental, Physical, and Experiential Design Global Amenities Strategy , Design & Operations TRUE NORTH©: Strategic Partnership & Growth Explorers Innovation Directory: Gateway to Innovation Sustainability Simplified©: Supply Chain & Innovation Market Research Reports & Benchmarking 4xi is proud to be Chair of WORKTECH Academy for North America and a member of its Leadership Advisory Board. 4xi is a Global Ambassador for WORKTECH Academy. San Francisco | New York | Philadelphia | Orlando | North Carolina | Seattle | Silicon Valley | Santiago | London | Tokyo

In this latest article, 4xi's Simon Elliot and world leading gamification expert Alyea Sandovar explore how gamification of the work experience may be something you might consider to improve the engagement levels of your workforce. Never has the attraction and retention of employees been such a challenge, especially in the service industry where many organizations are struggling to keep the doors open with a lack of available talent to fill open positions. With attrition rates in the eighty percent's, the cost of turnover is high - every organization measures it differently, from an estimated dollar rate to a percentage of salary - we have heard everything from $6,000 per employee to 33% of annual salary. For an employer with 2,000 people, then for each 5% improvement in retention, that's over $600,000 straight to your bottom line. The hidden costs of attrition go far beyond advertising, recruiting, hiring, onboarding, training etc. but also the more intangible lost knowledge that takes time to replace, the familiarity with your business and the continuity for your customers too. We also know that as with Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, there are foundational elements of the employment proposition that employers need to tackle: base pay, healthcare, paid time off, retirement, but what then? How do employers engage? How do they interact? How do they survive? How do they thrive? Maybe gamification is one way that you can take engagement to the next level in your business. It doesn't have to be all work and no play! To learn more about gamification for your work experience, contact us at hello@4xiconsulting.com Simon Elliot is Managing Partner and co- founder of 4xi Global Consulting & Solutions and is focused on a people- first approach to enable optimum Human Experiences for people away from home: at work, in education, at rest, or at leisure . Simon believes that Experience Matters! applies in many different ways and is the fundamental foundation of a successful business, no matter the business. Simon is a global citizen, having lived, worked, and traveled to over 45 countries and six continents, and believes in the power of human potential. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Directors, a Member of the Institute of Leadership & Management, and the North America Chair of the WORKTECH Academy. Simon lives in the San Francisco Bay Area. Alyea Sandovar is a gamification and play consultant helping businesses increase conversions with employees and customers in the entire CX, EX journey from discovery to brand ambassadorship. Alyea helps organizations build meaningful engagement through gamification consultation, gamification workshops, play testing & research. She is also the founder of the Playful Creative Summit and consults as the COO for Peekabond, an app for global families. She is a global citizen, from Colombia, has lived in Paris, Buenos Aires, Houston, San Francisco, Indonesia, and Amsterdam. She currently spends her winters in Lisbon, Portugal. Alyea holds a M.A in Clinical Psychology, a M.A in Human Organizational Systems, and a Ph.D. in Game Production 4xi Global Consulting & Solutions is a team of talented leaders from both the client-side and service provider side, impacting the Human Experience (HX) for people at work, in education, rest, and at leisure. We believe in a people-first, experience-led philosophy. Whether client, employee, or guest – their experience is the fundamental foundation of success. We work with corporations, service providers, and innovators: Strategic Advisory & Special Projects (SPx) Headquarters Fractional Support On-Demand Evolving Experiences© - Employee (EX) & Customer Experience (CX) Design4Life©: Environmental, Physical, and Experiential Design Global Amenities Strategy , Design & Operations TRUE NORTH©: Strategic Partnership & Growth Explorers Innovation Directory: Gateway to Innovation Sustainability Simplified©: Supply Chain & Innovation Market Research Reports & Benchmarking 4xi is proud to be Chair of WORKTECH Academy for North America and a member of its Leadership Advisory Board. 4xi is a Global Ambassador for WORKTECH Academy. San Francisco | New York | Philadelphia | Orlando | North Carolina | Seattle | Silicon Valley | Santiago | London | Tokyo

According to investment banking firms, including Keefe, Bruyette & Woods there are warning signs on the horizon, especially for the office sector. CNN reports that despite nearly three years after the pandemic began, offices are just halfway filled as workers reluctantly return to the office. Meanwhile, workplace experience professionals are working hard at magnetizing the office whilst at the same time accommodating people wherever they may be. Workers still aren't coming back consistently or every day: Data shows that Friday is the lowest day of occupancy and Tuesday the highest. Of the top 10 cities in the U.S. occupancy rates are on average just 40% since many offices sent workers home because of COVID. The Return to Office Some major companies are beginning to crack down on employees who are reluctant to return. Disney is ordering corporate employees to return to offices four days a week. Starbucks also recently instituted a three-days-a-week office schedule. Apple has also called for its corporate workers to be in the office at least three days a week. Snapchat recently asked workers to return to the office 80% of the time, or the equivalent of four days a week. Meanwhile, Amazon isn't looking to force workers back into the office anytime soon, saying that it doesn't have a plan to require people to come back. Other corporations are varying from "the mandate" to the "come when you wish" approach, and everything in between. There is a perspective that both organizations and employees have a civic responsibility to return to the office - to support the micro economies that exist around the workplace - transportation, the caterers, the bars, restaurants. Bigger Issues Loom Although for many in the work experience business return to office is top of mind as we try and magnetize the experience and create places where people choose to be, its not the only concern. With corporate real estate assets totaling $33 trillion globally ($20 trillion in the U.S.), and a potential decline in valuations of up to 30%+, then the potential crisis could prove to be of seismic proportions. Some recent headlines could be an early indicator of things to come: Evergrande, Chinas second largest developer carrying $300 billion in liabilities Brookfield defaults on two Los Angeles office towers, $784 million Blackstone defaults on €531 million Nordic property PIMCO saddled with $1.7 billion default in office market meltdown What would be the impact on the global economy if such a massive sector be hit by such a potential large write down in valuations? Latent Real Estate We have all witnessed an increase of the shuttered storefronts as the pandemic accelerated impact on retail continues. Shopping malls and high streets emptying as Amazon deliveries increase at our doors seemingly every day, as corporations mothball or withdraw from real estate - the issue becomes what becomes of that latent real estate. The question of latent real estate is an issue and what will become of it as organizations review and reduce their real estate footprints, whilst at the same time, the retail real estate market remains under pre-pandemic pressure also. As reduced footprints remain in, or migrate to premium Class A real estate, then the latency could result in empty buildings which has a societal impact as those spaces attract and become a magnate of negative social behavior and crime. Alternative Uses Converting offices to residential in often high demand metro housing markets could be one answer, as could multi use buildings that not only accommodate workers but have retail, food, community, education, even hotels. Imagine a building (or campus) where everything you need is there in one place - could the principles of the Quaker work towns be returning? Could there be a resurgence of boutique, smaller retailers filling the voids created by absent big box stores? Some time ago, in an article with WORKTECH Academy , we painted a picture of Waterford Oaks and what the work/life experience of 2040 might look like - this was intended as a futuristic look into the future but maybe recent events might accelerate this faster than we anticipated. We'd love to get your thoughts on this subject, leave a comment, or email simonelliot@4xiconsulting.com How do you think the future of work will impact corporate real estate and vice versa? Simon Elliot is Managing Partner and co- founder of 4xi Global Consulting & Solutions and is focused on a people- first approach to enable optimum Human Experiences for people away from home: at work, in education, at rest, or at leisure . Simon believes that Experience Matters! applies in many different ways and is the fundamental foundation of a successful business, no matter the business. Simon is a global citizen, having lived, worked, and traveled to over 45 countries and six continents, and believes in the power of human potential. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Directors, a Member of the Institute of Leadership & Management, and the North America Chair of the WORKTECH Academy. Simon lives in the San Francisco Bay Area. 4xi Global Consulting & Solutions is a team of talented leaders from both the client-side and service provider side, impacting the Human Experience (HX) for people at work, in education, rest, and at leisure. We believe in a people-first, experience-led philosophy. Whether client, employee, or guest – their experience is the fundamental foundation of success. We work with corporations, service providers, and innovators: Strategic Advisory & Special Projects (SPx) Headquarters Fractional Support On-Demand Evolving Experiences© - Employee (EX) & Customer Experience (CX) Design4Life©: Environmental, Physical, and Experiential Design Global Amenities Strategy , Design & Operations TRUE NORTH©: Strategic Partnership & Growth Explorers Innovation Directory: Gateway to Innovation Sustainability Simplified©: Supply Chain & Innovation Market Research Reports & Benchmarking 4xi is proud to be Chair of WORKTECH Academy for North America and a member of its Leadership Advisory Board. 4xi is a Global Ambassador for WORKTECH Academy. San Francisco | New York | Philadelphia | Orlando | North Carolina | Seattle | Silicon Valley | Santiago | London | Tokyo

If you want to know how you compare, then, you need to compare yourself against your peers. What is benchmarking and why it matters in your workplace? Benchmarking is a tool that businesses use to compare their performance against businesses considered to be the best in their industry. The notion of best practices comes to mind here. Continually keeping a pulse on what other organizations are doing often allows a company to refine its practices and thus increase its overall performance. To remain competitive and relevant it is critical an important part of your company's plans must include benchmarking against what other firms are doing. Performance measures are generally shared and discussed internally but rarely with peers and colleagues except at meetups, clubs, and associations. Yet, having access to real-time insight can be a defining difference not just in terms of change in process or action but in speed to resolution. Being in front of the 8-ball is a lot more advantageous than finding yourself behind it. It is not surprising therefore that many organizations struggle with learning how other firms operate their onsite corporate workplace services, especially in this new world of work. Learning ways to know what other firms are doing can leave you frustrated at the lack of intel available at the level you need. To remain competitive and relevant, an important part of your company plans must include benchmarking against what other firms are doing. As the Vice President of Amenities at Morgan Stanley, I would often be responsible for preparing for and requesting capital funding for large complex renovations. Inevitably, the first question I was asked: How do we compare to others? Why should we approve these funds? What are others doing in this space? How do we compare? Have you spoken to industry peers? Do they have this problem? I would return to my desk and call on peers and colleagues in the industry in hopes they had time to answer me and then return for the capital request meeting the next week with a handful of answers to what competitors were doing. If I was lucky, I heard back from three people. I found getting answers quickly and in time for these executive meetings difficult. Real estate executives manage billions of dollars in their budget and need to ensure all investments are necessary before granting approval. If they learn other firms and competitors are not offering certain services, they may hold off approving a particular request and instead, invest in more critical or pressing areas. According to Barbara Boden , Managing Partner at 4xi Global Consulting when she was head of Global Amenities at JPMorgan Chase & Co, she and her team would constantly be asked by the Head of Corporate Services for more detailed information on what other financial firms were doing. Barbara’s comments echo a familiar theme of needing to know and needing to know now. Understanding benchmarking, being in the know with your peers, and having a pulse on what is working in your field make all the difference and save an extraordinary amount of time trying to get that intelligence. Why Ongoing Benchmark is Important and what should I Benchmark? In addition to ensuring your firm is investing wisely, there are other reasons to include benchmarking as one of your business practices, primarily because it is an effective way to identify best practices in your industry. Most importantly it is important to benchmark a variety of workplace experience topics as the complete picture tells a deeper story. Ideally, you need to find a way to continually benchmark and not look at your competition once a year. It is in the ongoing and regular intervals that trend pattern analysis comes into view. Rob Gordon who held the position of Head of Global Amenities at American Express shared how during his tenure, he always had difficulty benchmarking certain topics outside of what his vendor partners could provide. Rob had to search each local area and try to connect with like clients to investigate and ferret out useful information. Needless to say, it took a lot of his time and there was not, at that time, a meaningful tool to help solve this business challenge. By way of example, here are some areas you may want to consider benchmarking against and how other firms are handling these topics. Workplace Topics you should aim to benchmark against regularly include: Return to Work Strategies Post-COVID Best Practices Amenity Strategies Foodservice Insights Breakrooms & Pantries Policies & Procedures Investments & Subsidies Sustainability & ESG (Environmental Social and Governance) Health & Wellness Key Performance Indicators Technology Innovation The advantages of benchmarking include: Keeping a firm grip on what others are doing in the workplace. Remaining current on peer organizations practices Connecting to industry professionals outside your immediate network Understanding the current trends Learning industry insights Having a continual pulse on how your firm compares to others. Identifying gaps in your service offering. Improving your guest experience. Helping to create a roadmap for future planning. In closing, the world of work has completely changed. Magnetizing the workplace is a strategy being emphasized across many organizations to do everything they can to offer their employees an exceptional workplace experience, to encourage their employees to want to return to work vs having to return to work. Making sure you have a pulse of what your industry peers are doing is a critical component of your return-to-workplace strategy. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Ann McNally led global amenities at Bristol Myers Squibb and Morgan Stanley before leading growth with service giant Sodexo. Ann was one of the founding consultants at 4xi Global Consulting and is the practice lead for Criterion Benchmarking delivering data and insights for amenities services leaders. For more information on CRITERION Benchmarking, you can email Ann McNally directly at annmcnally@4xiconsulting.com If you are having difficulty learning how your organization compares to other organizations' workplace and soft services experience offer overall listen to our podcast. @Barbara Boden , former global amenities lead at JPMorgan Chase & Co, and @Ann McNally Americas amenities lead at Bristol Myers Squibb, and Morgan Stanley talk about their perspectives on the importance of peer-to-peer learning, benchmarking, and insights. CRITERION Benchmarking is an exclusive online membership for workplace experience leaders - with access to peer-to-peer insights on various site services. CRITERION provides real-time answers to the often asked question – how do we compare to others? CRITERION gives you access to insights both inside and outside your network and eliminates the time and effort devoted to gathering answers through limited calls and emails. CRITERION Members agree to participate in the monthly anonymous survey covering relevant workplace topics. Our reporting methodology ensures confidentiality while providing an in-depth actionable report in aggregated format. CRITERION also offers a combination of public and private polls only accessible to members in our password protected membership area. Learn more about CRITERION Benchmarking and how it can help you with data and insights through peer-to-peer learning. 4xi Global Consulting & Solutions is a team of talented leaders from both the client-side and service provider side, creating an impact on the Human Experience (HX) for people at work, in education, rest, and at leisure. We believe in a people-first, experience-led philosophy; whether client, employee, or guest – their experience is the fundamental foundation of success. We work with corporations, service providers, and innovators: Strategic Advisory & Special Projects (SPx) Headquarters Fractional Support On-Demand Evolving Experiences© - Employee (EX) & Customer Experience (CX) Design4Life©: Environmental, Physical, and Experiential Design Global Amenities Strategy , Design & Operations TRUE NORTH©: Strategic Partnership & Growth Explorers Innovation Directory: Gateway to Innovation Sustainability Simplified©: Supply Chain & Innovation Market Research Reports & Benchmarking 4xi is proud to be Chair of WORKTECH Academy for North America and a member of its Leadership Advisory Board. 4xi is a Global Ambassador for WORKTECH Academy. San Francisco | New York | Orlando | North Carolina | Philadelphia | Seattle | Silicon Valley | Dallas | Santiago | London | Tokyo

Simon Elliot 18th February, 2023 Last week, some of the most influential work experience professionals and organizations from the financial services sector gathered in New York to explore and discuss the future of work, and workplace. Hosted by BNY Mellon's Alicia Duncan , and co-presented by JLL's Bobby Magnano , 4xi was delighted to support the conference with Ann McNally moderating the final panel of the day - Workplace Experience. For those that didn't get the chance to attend, here are some my observations and key takeaways from the event: The Reinvention of the Modern Office Philip Ross , founder of WORKTECH and CEO of Ungroup kicked off the conference talking about his newly released book, Unworking, the Reinvention of the modern office with co-author, Jeremy Myerson. Unworking takes a fascinating look at the foundations of the modern office and how that has evolved over time. As we look toward a future of hybrid or virtual offices, this is a timely call to rethink the very nature and design of the workplace. Over the past one hundred years, the office has been integral to the development of modern society. It has shaped the architecture of our cities, the behavior of our organizations, and the everyday movements of millions of people. In 2020, however, the global pandemic brought our attendance in the office to an abrupt halt and triggered a complete reevaluation of the purpose of the workplace. Unworking offers a panoramic view of the office and explores what happens next. The authors advance a manifesto for “unworking”—unlearning old habits and rituals established for an outdated office and crafting and creating new ones fit for an age of digital technology, design innovation, and diverse workforces. What do people really want? In this new era of the office and work, what do people really want, or perhaps more to the point what have they realized that they no longer want, or not to return to old habits and rituals - it comes back to the "C's": Convenience: What you want, and need, when and where you need it. Community: and the yearning to have a sense of friendship and belonging. Connectivity: to the business and colleagues, wherever you are. Collaboration: to get things done, to make an impact. Commute: is now understood for the waste of precious life that it once was. Coffee (and food): is an important magnet to return to office. No longer is a grueling commute, a dismal cubicle, a crappy cup of coffee, and a curled up cheese sandwich for lunch enough to lure people to work, let alone stay. There has been talk about the "Great Resignation", and even in hindsight, the "Great Regret" but the reality is that people have changed, and many would say, they have changed for GOOD, for the better. What do organizations want? Of course productivity, revenue, and profitability are always in focus but more so today is the investment and utilization of real estate - do firms need all their space, and if they do plan to keep it, how do they optimize it, program it, to become relevant to the new ways in which we will work into the future? There seems to be a consensus that firms want their people back, but the question becomes how often and when? From full 5-day a week mandates to what seems to be a more common and softer approach of XX days a week - coordinated in teams so that office time becomes more valuable than just going for the sake of doing so. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays seem the obvious candidates, however as noted, some are opting for Mondays and Fridays which often offer less heavy commutes, and the opportunity to build in social time and team building. Whatever your return to work strategy, level of mandating, it must be visibly led by leadership - ensuring that the office experience is meaningful, has purpose, is a valued experience for them to be motivated to return. How to engage with the workforce, wherever they may be? Long on the wish list has been the all encompassing work experience app that until now has been out of reach. Organizations (and people) struggle with the adoption of multiple apps that do multiple things - it gets complicated, confusing, clunky, and adoption rates have long been challenging as a result, questioning the sensibility in the investment and the tangible outcomes such deployments drive. Enter companies like Inpixon and Modo Labs who seem to have mastered the art of integration of existing legacy apps, platforms, and systems, and bring them into one place for a seamless, all encompassing user experience - from checking out commute options, booking a desk, meeting room, ordering lunch and a fitness class, to knowing which of your team will be in the office today, where, connect, and arrange to meet, or a social after hours. It's apps like these that are making a difference at firms like Goldman Sachs, HSBC, and Capital One. With adoption levels being the primary measure of success, firms who adopt an airline approach and incorporate security access can reach that 100% magic number. How do you measure the investment in work experience? So, you have created your plan to transform your work experience. You're proud at the level of creativity, ingenious initiatives that are not only going to get people back to work but they're going to have a lot of fun in the process! It's planned, costed, and about ready to roll -final hurdle, the CFO, "This is all well and good, but how are we going to measure success, or otherwise?" Of course, it's not that hasn't crossed your mind, but how do you measure what for many are soft metrics and turn them into something that is measurable but also valuable to your organization. We think its all about alignment: What does your organization want to achieve, and why? What is the impact of the outcomes and why does it matter? What are the metrics of measuring success? What is the investment, and the return? Is your leadership fully aligned and committed to the journey? EXAMPLE PROBLEM STATEMENTS & COMPARATIVE MEASURES Identify some problem statements that apply to your business, including the comparative measures and what they mean to you: - Our RTO target is X% and our actual rate is Y%. - We know we're losing our talent to A, B, and C corporations. - Of all the offers we extend, we have an acceptance rate of DD%. - Our employee turnover rate is E% higher than the industry average. - Our employee listening scores have declined by F% over the past 3 years. - We're in the 4th quartile in the Best Place to Work index. - Great Places to Work perform G% better than those that are not. - It costs us H% of annual salary to replace each leaver. It's when we frame these work experience transformation initiatives in such a way that we can create measurement metrics to support our investment proposals, and track our progress against them over time. Work experience transformation isn't a one hat fits all, as every firm is different, different cultures, dynamics and goals - the best plans are those that are highly tailored yet based on the foundations of industry insights and data. We hope you enjoy these insights and observations, let us know your own thoughts. Thanks to all those that joined us in New York, including: #Accenture #Adriance #Appspace #BroadridgeFinancial #Circles #CNA #CountryFinancial #Cresa #DOJO #Envoy #Eptura #Freepace #Gensler #Hines #Infogrid #Inpixon #ISS #Jefferies #JLL #MODOLabs #Nelson #NorthernTrust #Nuvolo #NYU #PNC #Robinhood #RowPartners #SatoriConsulting #SpaceMatrix #Spacestor #Steelcase #Unwork #Wilkhan #WillisTowersWatson #WORKTECHAcademy #10Times #Veldohen #WiredScore #WorkDesignMagazine #WorkplaceEvolutionaries #ERAco #4xiGlobalConsulting Another great conference, thanks to WORKTECH, Philip Ross , Isabel Dewhurst-Marks , and Samantha Cullen . Thanks to all those that attended. I look forward to seeing you at the next one, wherever that may be! WORKTECH Academy - How we'll work tomorrow WTA is a global network of workplace and work experience professionals focused on #People #Place #Culture #Innovation #Design and #Technology. It's a place for insights, thought leadership, and community. If you've attended a WORKTECH event, you are already a member. However, there are additional ways to get involved at Community, Corporate, and Global Partner Levels, Come Join the Conversation! Simon Elliot is Managing Partner and co- founder of 4xi Global Consulting & Solutions and is focused on a people- first approach to enable optimum Human Experiences for people away from home: at work, in education, at rest, or at leisure . Simon believes that Experience Matters! applies in many different ways and is the fundamental foundation of a successful business, no matter the business. Simon is a global citizen, having lived, worked, and traveled to over 45 countries and six continents, and believes in the power of human potential. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Directors, a Member of the Institute of Leadership & Management, and the North America Chair of the WORKTECH Academy. Simon lives in the San Francisco Bay Area. 4xi Global Consulting & Solutions is a team of talented leaders from both the client-side and service provider side, impacting the Human Experience (HX) for people at work, in education, rest, and at leisure. We believe in a people-first, experience-led philosophy. Whether client, employee, or guest – their experience is the fundamental foundation of success. We work with corporations, service providers, and innovators: Strategic Advisory & Special Projects (SPx) Headquarters Fractional Support On-Demand Evolving Experiences© - Employee (EX) & Customer Experience (CX) Design4Life©: Environmental, Physical, and Experiential Design Global Amenities Strategy , Design & Operations TRUE NORTH©: Strategic Partnership & Growth Explorers Innovation Directory: Gateway to Innovation Sustainability Simplified©: Supply Chain & Innovation Market Research Reports & Benchmarking 4xi is proud to be Chair of WORKTECH Academy for North America and a member of its Leadership Advisory Board. 4xi is a Global Ambassador for WORKTECH Academy. San Francisco | New York | Philadelphia | Orlando | North Carolina | Seattle | Silicon Valley | Santiago | London | Tokyo

Barbara Boden, Managing Partner and co-founder, and Ann McNally from boutique advisory firm 4xi Global Consulting, share their insights on the importance of data and benchmarking on this episode of Customer Service Academy hosted by Tony Johnson . In this episode, we welcome Barbara and Ann into the studio to talk about data, insights, vendor relationships, and moving from insights to action. They have also created a new tool called CRITERION Benchmarking - a membership driven platform to find information on questions leaders have about their business and specific topics. Barbara and Ann share their thoughts on how: The best organizations use data to make decisions and prioritize resources. Working with contract partners to connect cultures in a meaningful way. Don't let data rot in a desk drawer, you must take action on what you learn to improve your business. Just getting the data isn't enough - share the information widely to harness the brainpower of your organization. In times of uncertainty, data keeps the focus where it matters the most. CRITERION BENCHMARKING CRITERION is an exclusive online membership for workplace experience leaders - with access to peer-to-peer insights on various site services. CRITERION provides real-time answers to the often asked question – how do we compare to others? CRITERION gives you access to insights both inside and outside your network and eliminates the time and effort devoted to gathering answers through limited calls and emails. CRITERION Members agree to participate in the monthly anonymous survey covering relevant workplace topics. Our reporting methodology ensures confidentiality while providing an in-depth actionable report in aggregated format. CRITERION also offers a combination of public and private polls only accessible to members in our password protected membership area. The possibilities and use cases are endless, but here are just some examples: Return to Work Strategies Post COVID Best Practices Amenities Strategies Foodservice Insights Breakrooms & Pantries Policies & Procedures Investments & Subsidies Sustainability & ESG Health & Wellness Key Performance Indicators Technology & Innovation Learn more about CRITERION Benchmarking and how it can help you with data and insights through peer-to-peer learning. Barbara Boden spent 20 years of her career leading global hospitality and amenities services at financial services powerhouse JPMorgan Chase & Co for 250,000+ associates worldwide. Barbara is a thought leader and pioneer of creating winning strategies and execution of first class work experiences. Ann McNally led global amenities at Bristol Myers Squibb and Morgan Stanley before leading growth with service giant Sodexo. Ann was one of the founding consultants at 4xi Global Consulting and is the practice lead for Criterion Benchmarking delivering data and insights for amenities services leaders. For more information on 4xi, 4xi360, or CRITERION Benchmarking, you can email Ann McNally at annmcnally@4xiconsulting.com Tony Johnson is 4xi’s Chief Experience Officer and leader of the Evolving Experiences© practice. Before joining 4xi, he was the Customer Service Officer for Aramark, a global food and facilities organization. Tony is a Certified Customer Experience Professional (CCXP), award-winning speaker, and globally recognized employee and customer experience expert. Tony is the author of 3 books on leadership, employee engagement, and customer experience and hosts an industry-leading weekly podcast, Customer Service Academy. Customer Service Expert | Author | Trainer | Speaker 4xi: Inspiring a brighter future, together. 4xi Global Consulting & Solutions is a team of talented leaders from both the client-side and service provider side, creating an impact on the Human Experience (HX) for people at work, in education, rest, and at leisure. We believe in a people-first, experience-led philosophy; whether client, employee, or guest – their experience is the fundamental foundation of success. We work with corporations, service providers, and innovators: Strategic Advisory & Special Projects (SPx) Headquarters Fractional Support On-Demand Evolving Experiences© - Employee (EX) & Customer Experience (CX) Design4Life©: Environmental, Physical, and Experiential Design Global Amenities Strategy , Design & Operations TRUE NORTH©: Strategic Partnership & Growth Explorers Innovation Directory: Gateway to Innovation Sustainability Simplified©: Supply Chain & Innovation Market Research Reports & Benchmarking 4xi is proud to be Chair of WORKTECH Academy for North America and a member of its Leadership Advisory Board. 4xi is a Global Ambassador for WORKTECH Academy. San Francisco | New York | Orlando | North Carolina | Philadelphia | Seattle | Silicon Valley | Dallas | Santiago | London | Tokyo