Employee Spotlight: Natalie Kapoulas

The Clearing is thrilled to welcome Natalie Kapoulas to The Clearing as our new Workplace practice lead. With deep experience in workplace strategy and organizational development spanning the public and private sectors, Natalie will help our clients develop and implement workplace experience solutions that meet the specific needs of their businesses. 

Below, Natalie shares insights about her professional background, discusses the importance of effective workplace strategy for leaders, and addresses the most frequently asked questions she encounters in her field.

Why Workplace Strategy Matters

Throughout my career in workplace strategy and development, I have always loved seeing the finished product come to life. Whether it’s facilitating a successful move or right-sizing an organization’s workspace needs, providing a solution that meets employee needs, improves productivity, and helps an organization more effectively meet its mission is incredibly gratifying. However, there is a deeper reason why I love what I do: improving the human experience.

The average person spends about 90,000 hours of their life working and only about 4,000 hours dedicated to vacations and breaks. This stark reality underscores the importance of making those 90,000 hours comfortable and productive, and that requires ensuring the work environment is enriching and fulfilling. Add to that constantly changing workplace dynamics (which only seem to speed up) and getting the workplace right — be it in-office, hybrid, or even work from home — is more critical than ever.

Navigating Workplace Challenges

Over the past few years, the two recurring questions I hear from leaders are “How do we get people back to the office?” and “Do we even need an office anymore?” Sometimes, both questions come from the same person. These concerns are coupled with the ever-present need to attract and retain top talent, a challenge that has only intensified in recent years.

In general, I have observed that private sector companies have been quicker to adapt and make decisions regarding workplace changes, while government agencies often face budget or statutory limitations that complicate these decisions. Despite these differences, the underlying concerns remain consistent across sectors, with leaders asking how their organization can maintain a sense of culture, belonging, and connection in a hybrid or fully remote work environment.

There is no easy answer or one-size-fits-all solution, which is why engaging with employees to understand their needs and matching those to the organization’s goals and objectives is the best approach.

Best Practices for Addressing Challenges

Successfully answering the questions discussed above and addressing their corresponding challenges comes down to one word: Engagement. Engaging key stakeholders from the very beginning of any workplace change initiative is the most effective way to ensure your workplace strategy is successful.

When it comes to addressing these challenges, my first piece of advice is to bring in an external consultant. I may sound biased, but given how important it is to get workplace right and how expensive and damaging it can be to get it wrong, engaging with an expert is a savvy investment. While that consultant doesn’t have to be The Clearing (though we are always ready to help) I can’t emphasize enough the value of having an outside perspective. A consultant provides a fresh lens, free from the biases that may exist within the organization, and can help facilitate crucial conversations and decisions amongst leaders.

I believe in starting with leadership when launching any workplace change initiative. If there is asymmetry amongst leaders and peers, or employee-employer conflict (specifically around things like RTO), there needs to be a new set of agreed upon rules (what now?) and a path forward (what’s next?). Driving consensus is imperative and creates a collective vision and agreement. This type of unified approach then serves as the lens for decision-making, ensuring that everyone is on the same page.

The primary reason hiring an external consultant is so valuable is their ability to gather unbiased employee opinions. I have found employees are often more comfortable stating their needs or desires to someone they don’t report to. I can’t tell you how valuable it is to understand the status quo, how employees are thinking, what they are willing to compromise on, and what they need from you (the employer) to do their best work. Spend the time and the money, and understand “the why” so you can properly engage and motivate your employees.  It will undoubtedly show up in measurements of employee experience, productivity, and connectedness.

An Opportunity for Innovation

In addition to how to approach workplace change, I also advise leaders to be open to new ways to drive engagement. For example, I have seen organizations that need people back in the office implement truly innovative solutions to encourage employees to return to the office AND make that time worthwhile. From bringing in chefs, to offering wellness services, companies are getting creative in their efforts to make the office a more attractive place to be. Some organizations have even begun to rethink employee benefits, offering flexible work arrangements that allow employees to work from anywhere for a certain period of time each year, opening up the opportunity for work-life experiences.

For leaders who are hesitant about making these kinds of changes, I recommend considering the bigger picture. It’s not just about filling office space or sticking to traditional models, it’s about creating an environment where employees feel valued, connected, and engaged. In the long term, these efforts pay off in terms of loyalty, productivity, and overall organizational success.

If you believe your organization needs to rethink its workplace experience or strategy, I would love to connect. You can contact our team of workplace experts here — we look forward to discussing your organization’s needs and opportunities.