The Workplace Experience Job Titles You Should Retire In 2018 And What You Might Replace Them With
What’s in a name?
While it might be a popular trend for companies to say that “titles don’t matter,” unless you’re staying at that company forever - your previous title might matter to your next employer. However, there are a lot of titles in Workplace that simply no longer apply. If your title is Receptionist and you run a catering program, it might be time for a change. Read below for a rundown of titles to change out to progress your Workplace team into 2018.
Take a moment and think about where your org is headed and what your team members do.
Old title: Office Manager
New Title: Workplace Experience Manager
The Difference: There are definitely office managers in the world, and they’re great. They might run a medical office, dental office, or they may work at a larger corporation. That said, the job specifications in forward thinking startups and other fast scaling companies does not translate to “office manager.” Workplace Experience professionals run events, design spaces, establish norms, and help keep company culture strong.
Old title: Facilities Manager
New Title: Physical Ops Manager
The Difference: Facilities management is a field unto itself, and deserves more respect. That said, when talking about FM at younger companies, the FM teams typically get handed a whole plethora of jobs that don’t fit a typical FM role. Just a few examples; educating users on why things went wrong and how they’re getting fixed, researching and integrating new forward thinking solutions to better improve indoor environments, and creating nationally used standards and processes (and updating them every year as the company grows 2-10x). There’s a lot more customer facing burden out on these teams at young companies.
Old title: Receptionist
New Title: Concierge Services
The Difference: Every company I’ve worked at or had close colleagues head off to in the past 8 years have had roles called receptionists or front desk coordinators, but does this really cover the scope of what those team members do? No! Today these team members manage programs from the desk. They do all the hard work behind the programs and wind up with a plethora of odd assignments from different parts of Workplace. It can be a great learning experience for the right person. All the while, they’re expected to greet guests, work with vendors, and give candidates a great experience. They’re the first and last person people interact with, and their position should be seen as vital, not just someone who “receives” people.
Old title: Likely Does Not Currently Exist
New Title: Wellness Specialist
The Difference: Over the past decade there’s been an increase in awareness of health in the workplace. This includes not just physical, but mental health as well. Think beyond ergonomics and “health week.” These future teammates will help build mindfulness programs, fitness programs, and even help develop healthy standards for internal food programs. Remember, healthy employees are productive and happy.
Thanks, We’ll Keep Our Current Titles
I am of course just one person and have a particular point of view about where the future of workplace is headed. However, all these titles are is suggestions. I would propose that if you want to create a workplace that is progressive and cares for employees (and cares for those who care for your employees) you will at least consider looking at your current org. Think about customizing your teams titles to their actual roles and your company culture. It might just make a difference.
