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Page 18 — Office Properties Quarterly — January 2015
W hen speaking to prospective
clients about their pending
assignments, we routinely
hear, “We want space that is
collaborative.” It’s one of the
most common descriptors used when
discussing a workplace vision.
While most business leaders seem
to want collaboration, many presume
that it is the solution to the evolving
workplace. Often they aren’t sure how
to achieve it. Collaboration is just one
of many positive results of a grander
objective.
The focus should be more on com-
munity, which is defined as “a condi-
tion of having certain attitudes and
interests in common, or a group of
people sharing a common under-
standing.” Collaboration and com-
munity have some commonalities,
but creating community is a higher
cause, and businesses that succeed
in creating community within their
organizations are the ones that will
be most successful in the coming
years.
We recently attended a meeting
of our One Global Design partners
where we listened to Sean Kelly, a
millennial CEO and chief humanist
for Healthy Markets. He described
four recurring sociological cycles, or
eras, in terms of social order (from
high to low) and how we define our-
selves: as individuals or part of a
larger group.
In the current 100-year generation,
the recurring cycles began with high
social order. Strong institutions and
weak individualism
saw the rise of the
Silent Generation.
The boomers rep-
resent an “awaken-
ing” era and a shift
toward individual
focus. Gen X rep-
resents an “unrav-
eling” era with an
entrepreneurial
mind and the high-
est individual focus.
The rising millen-
nials are the fourth
cycle and represent
a “crisis” era, or a turning back toward
social order by focusing away from
the individual, back toward the group.
Historically, in the fourth era there
is high demand for social order. They
are coming of age in a time of uncer-
tainty and have a desire for common
purpose. Their focus is on being part
of a larger group versus on them-
selves as individuals.
In five years, millennials will con-
stitute 50 percent of the workforce.
There seems to be awareness in most
businesses of this rising tide. A lot
has been written about millennials,
and much of that is not favorable for
business engagement, commitment
and continuity. We believe it doesn’t
have to be that way, and that good
design can help generate a commit-
ted group. If half of your workforce
will be in this age group, then you
should understand how to engage
them. If you can create a sense of
community within
your organization,
you are fulfilling
the desire for iden-
tifying with a larger
group, which leads
to commitment.
So, how do you
create community
and reap the ben-
efits of an engaged,
committed work-
force? While other
factors beyond
design contribute
to community,
design and the resulting sense of
place and belonging is a major con-
tributor. There are a few responses
that rise to the top for us when
designing to promote community
and enhance culture.
First, it requires an acknowledge-
ment that the workplace is becoming
more social, and that’s OK. Create
places (not “spaces”) that function
for both work and social interaction.
Work is an active part of social life.
Second, the line between work
and home is blurring. Create com-
fort in the workplace. Third, there is
less space dedicated to individuals
and more allocated to group spaces.
There is also a trend toward visibility.
It is important to “see and be seen.”
Lastly, there is a desire for variety
in the daily work experience that
requires mobility. Mobility, which
requires technology integration, pro-
motes interaction. Up to 80 percent
of interaction may be unplanned.
Design destinations and create sur-
prise and opportunities for collision
and interaction.
Those businesses that plan well
now for the rising “We Generation”
will be the most successful in the
next 25 years.
“It’s not good design that is expen-
sive, mediocrity is what’s expensive,”
said J. Irwin Miller, Cummins’ former
CEO and patron of modern architec-
ture.
Over the lifecycle of a building or
lease, for most businesses the largest
expense is people. When people enjoy
their daily experience, feel a part of
something larger and are committed
to the mission, you’ll be amazed at the
outcome. By creating community, col-
laboration will follow.s
Design
Owen Leslie, AIA,
NCARB, LEED AP
Principal,
Acquilano Leslie
Inc.
DrewMarlow,
AIA, LEED AP
Principal,
Acquilano Leslie
Inc.