With the return to offices the hot topic of discussion in Workplace, having seen 20m+ people in the UK receive the first vaccine jab, I (along with most real estate managers) have begun the process of reevaluating our latest strategy, and what this looks like for Sprinklr. And I’m very fortunate to say, due to our continued growth as a business, we’re looking to expand our Workplace Team.
Which got me thinking; firstly about what the WX Manager (WXM) job description looks like compared to that of the ‘Office Manager’ we issued historically; and secondly about what characteristics we’re looking for in a WXM.
It's mentioned often in our internal Town Halls by our CEO & Founder, Ragy Thomas, that Sprinklr’s platform - and the concept of CXM (Customer Experience Management) - is what comes after CRM. And similarly, I see WXM’s as the evolution of the more traditional Office Manager. In fact back in 2020 when we started initially looking to expand our team - we were still calling our team members Office Managers ourselves. We’ve since made the seemingly trivial title change, which to me, isn’t trivial at all (see About section of my blog for further explanation).
I’m thankful and proud to be able to offer a Workplace role of any description, when so many of my ex-colleagues, peers and friends were left jobless as 2020 told 2008 and its great recession to “hold my beer”.
Job Description
So without going super granular on the details (eyes peeled on LinkedIn for official comms to come), here is the framework of what the WXM role, and what it looks like to me*..
*Disclaimer: this is my personal blog and my personal take on the brief, and not that of Sprinklr, my employer. The official Sprinklr JD could have an altogether different interpretation.
Make the office a haven - where our employees and guests feel safe, productive and proud. We want people to choose to come to the office.
Be warm, welcoming and personable - be the first face they see every morning and the go-to contact of the office. Have a presence - physically in person, and digitally across communication platforms and virtual reception desk.
Own employee and guest experience - from courier bookings, meeting room juggling to last minute catering; you relish the challenge of a left field request and rise up to the task
Put on a show - make our people feel valued, surprise and delight them with memorable experiences through a variety of engaging events and activities.
Remove obstacles - pro-actively identify gaps in processes, and create frictionless experiences to enable us to work better
Live our culture - Things will go wrong from time to time, live by our core value ‘Fix it, don’t complain’.
Have strong knowledge of company operations and goings on in the Sprinklr Universe
Stay connected to our family - keep your finger on the pulse of our community of people; understand and assess their feelings and needs, both in person and virtually.
Key Characteristics
So having identified the above framework, I begin to think of the characteristics needed to be successful in the role. I’ve listed some of these below..
High EQ - the ability to understand others feelings and emotions, and use it to guide your approach to engaging with them
Compassion & empathy - someone who has the ability to put themselves in the shoes of others to better understand their viewpoint
Intelligent communicator - be able to produce informative, engaging and tone appropriate messages to a variety of audiences both personally, and digitally at scale
Strategic thinker and collaborator - we work cross collaboratively with multiple different departments to achieve success. The person should embrace partnering with others and have a solid experience of office operations.
Hustler - someone who enjoys the buzz of a frantic office environment, and lives to make it feel homely for all its inhabitants. The idea of service is second nature to you.
Manage Upwards - deliver information to your leader and other key stakeholders in a manner which is pro-active, concise and timely
Growth mindset - someone who values their own self development, and constantly strives to improve
You may have noticed that a lot of these characteristics are as much personality traits as they are tangible qualities, which is completely intentional. We hire for culture above all else - we believe attitude trumps ability, and skills can be taught. And if you’ve not come to learn, you’re in the wrong place.
In my mind, the main difference between the above and our historic 'Office Manager' listing, is the improved focus on connection physically and virtually. As I've eluded to before, the hybrid working model is here to stay, and we're here to embrace that change.
The role of the WXM is not an easy one. As the office go-to, you’re on the front line, the first responder to whatever the next obstacle is. It can be draining at times. Not only do you have your leader to manage up to, but also a boss in the shape of every single team member that walks through that door. Hundreds of bosses each with an opinion and an idea on how it should be done.
It’s sometimes thought that WXM’s are just the fun bringers, the guys who host the cool events and put on the lavish lunches for everyone. And when you create a wonderful experience for your fellow team members, you rightly get the praise and adulation you deserve. But what often goes unseen is the legwork behind that experience. All the foreplanning, the pitch for putting the event together in the first place, the liaising with vendors, the managing of diaries, the comms plan..let alone managing the day to day operations of a busy office alongside all of that.
And therein lies the value of your WXM. A true all rounder who can spin many plates, and keep them spinning, in order to deliver a memorable employee experience day in, day out.
Coming from a hospitality background myself before transitioning into commercial real estate, I was often referred to as an ‘all rounder’; a ‘Jack of all trades, master of none’. This was seen as a deterrent from potential employers, which I found really confusing at the time.
And in many ways, without trying to impose my own preconceived bias on the successful candidate here, that’s what I’m looking for in a WXM. Someone who can wear multiple hats and seamlessly transition from one to the next, all whilst keeping the various other plates spinning at the same time.
Thankfully it turned out well for me in the end, and I strongly believe there’s something to be said for all the ‘all rounders’ out there - none more so than when it comes to WX.
Needless to say, hiring someone who fits that bill isn’t going to be easy.