FMJ.CO.UK FRONT OF HOUSE FOCUS
JULY 2021 35
present within empty buildings throughout
the pandemic.
“We find that the presence of someone on
front of house makes the o ice experience
what it is. Occupants of the buildings get to
know the sta on a personal footing, they ask
each other about their weekends, and they
have someone to approach if they have any
questions or concerns. I’m not saying it’s not
a good idea, but you simply don’t get that
level of interaction virtually.”
Bianca Angelico, Chief DayMaker at
Churchill Group’s brand-new front of
house guest services o ering, On Verve,
believes that the interaction of people and
technology is more a reflection on what was
already happening with reception services
prior to COVID-19.
“Pre-pandemic, the traditional role of a
receptionist was moving away from being
stationed behind a desk and transitioning
to more of a host role; someone in front of
the desk greeting guests and employees and
being visibly more accessible. Now, I believe
that we’ll see technology enabling people
to check themselves in, elevating the host
role in providing the human touch. This will
include accompanying them to their meeting
room or hot desking space, and ensuring
everything is sorted and that the guest or
employee feels safe and comfortable in the
environment.”
Jess Pritchard, Head of Corporate Sector
at Moneypenny agrees that front of fouse
sta do not need to be physically front of
house all the time, as the way organisations
manage visitors and calls may need to
change to suit hybrid working which could
mean changes to ways space is assigned
within a building.
She says: “I think it’s certain that FoH
will morph into something more akin
to a concierge service, as, with a hybrid
model, employees are essentially visitors
too. We know from recent research that
49 per cent of businesses already rely on
reception or front-of-house teams to manage
switchboards while juggling other duties so it
seems likely this scope will increase further.
Interestingly, 66 per cent of businesses feel
their FoH teams answer switchboard calls
to a higher standard when they have a more
varied and interesting role, so there seems to
be a real pay-o from expanding their scope.”
RE-ENTRY GUIDE
A myriad of reports suggest that workers are
understandably nervous about returning to
the o ice, which means front of house teams
may play a huge role in helping smooth the
transition for sta and visitors back into
the workplace. According to Liz Cummins,
Director, Perception, Mitie Security, by
showing a friendly face and welcoming
visitors, front of house sta will play a vital
role here.
“The importance of providing
reassurance and helping people orientate
around the space or use technology should
not be underestimated, particularly for
employees who may have spent many
months working from home.
“To support this, many of our front of
house colleagues have attended emotional
intelligence training to help them identify
people that might be anxious about
returning to their workplace. Using this
training, they can then approach these
visitors and explain to them the
di erent COVID solutions that
have been introduced, giving
them some peace of mind
that the business has
done everything it can
to keep them safe.”
Oliver Hiner,
Director, Operations
at Portico
acknowledges the
key role FoH have in
helping ensure safety.
He believes the use of
stark safety posters and
airport-style queueing in
reception may feel very alien,
which is where a FoH can help ensure
everyone is compliant in a friendly,
human way.
“We’re working with customers right
now on ‘surprise and delight moments’
ahead of their employees’ return, creating
new opportunities for FoH to engage with
their people. This could be anything from a
huge bunch of da odils in reception in the
spring, to an ice-cream truck handing out
free ice creams on a hot day.”
Angelico points out that it’s important
to di erentiate too between employee
and guest (visitor) requirements. Now
that employees have more options where
they work, employers need to make the
workplace a destination, and the FoH team
can be charged with welcoming employees
back, greeting new starters, sharing safety
updates, explaining workplace policies,
introducing new team members to others
and organising small get-togethers in the
o ice.
She says: “These social aspects are
essential, as one of the biggest drivers for
employees to return to the workplace is for
engagement and connection. FoH teams
should be the eyes and ears around
a building, checking in and getting
feedback on how things are
working and solving any pain
points for clients.
“For visitors, it’s about
sending pre-visitor
information and giving
them reassurance that
the workplace is doing
everything to keep them safe.
A friendly welcome from a wellinformed
FoH team member can
make the world of di erence and
Now that employees have more
options where they work, employers
need to make the workplace a destination,
and the FoH team can be charged with
welcoming employees back, greeting new
starters, sharing safety updates, explaining
workplace policies, introducing new team
members to others and organising
help put a potentially anxious visitor
at ease.”
VIRTUAL VRS REALITY
Digital solutions for FoH services have been
evolving over the years and the pandemic
has only escalated the process by allowing
employees and guests to self-check in to
help support social distancing. For example,
at Mitie’s Head O ice in The Shard, a virtual
receptionist ‘Gloria’ allows colleagues that
small get-togethers in the
oƝ ce.ƌ