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January 2015 — Office Properties Quarterly — Page 19
Design
I f you’ve been in the workforce
for any length of time, you might
have seen or worked in what I
often refer to as a “legacy” work-
space: nondescript environ-
ments that by their lack of character
offend no one while at the same time
don’t engage any-
one either. Today
we are currently
experiencing a feast
for the senses and a
boon to productivity
as workplaces are
undergoing a major
makeover. In this
article, we review
why these changes
came about and the
benefits that have
resulted, as well as
how the next gen-
eration is shaping
what to look forward to in the future
workplace experience.
If you take a look at workplaces
today, you can observe many aspects
that have transformed over time. By
working with a broad range of corpo-
rate clients, we’ve found that environ-
ments have evolved in five key ways:
1. Comfort is a given – supporting
health and well-being by addressing
ergonomics, encouraging movement
throughout the day and making the
workplace inviting.
2. Collaboration is in demand – the
ability to work with others easily
whether virtually or face to face in a
variety of settings.
3. Concentration is just as important as
collaboration – the ability to work unin-
terrupted or focused heads down.
4. Communication about who the orga-
nization is – conveying the work, brand
and culture of the company.
5. Community connection – fostering
employee relationship to the organiza-
tion.
Several trends have significantly
influenced these changes. The first
is that technology resources abound
in today’s workplace. Corporations
have long recognized that technology
freed us from the desk and the phone,
allowing us to work from almost any-
where inside and outside the office.
The second is a focus on health and
wellness. Employers have become
more attuned to understanding that
healthy minds and bodies positively
contribute to the bottom line. And the
third is the simple statement of “good
design is good business.” Both Apple
and Target in recent years have trum-
peted this with their quality products
and attractive design features. Good
design makes a difference in the
workplace too.
A common thread links all of these
trends: the proliferation of choice.
As consumers in an ever-evolving
economy, we demand it. We purchase
products and services that suit our
preferences and often can be tailored
to meet our needs. Successful compa-
nies have figured out how to provide
choice by being responsive to societal
changes. The workplace is no differ-
ent.
We want choice in where we work,
howwe work and when we work.
Corporate real estate executives, facil-
ity managers, designers, real estate
providers, furniture manufacturers,
engineers and technology developers,
among others, are all in the midst of
figuring out what that means as we
continue to develop a way of working
that is more in sync with how humans
are most productive. Flourishing
workplaces listen to their customers –
the employees – and that listening is
influencing the workplace experience.
The following are a couple examples
of spaces we’ve created with clients
that demonstrate the kinds of work-
place experiences employees want.
LinkedIn is paying attention to its
employees, and the office spaces are
shaped by the impact of its millen-
nial workforce. LinkedIn’s key driver
for new spaces was to connect its
professionals and make themmore
productive and successful. The ideal
workspace was designed to engage
employees and visitors, increase
excitement, instill a pride of place, and
inject and reinforce the LinkedIn brand.
The mission was to develop a space
that reflects these key design drivers:
smart and professional but not stuffy;
personal, quirky and engaging; linking
the past to the present; and bridging
the generations of business profession-
als through thoughtful design.
Whirlpool employees span four
generations in its North American
headquarters. With goals of enabling
innovation, increasing efficiencies
and fostering faster decision making,
the workplace was transformed into
an open environment with no private
offices and many spaces to meet. The
focal point is a hub with an open stair
connecting all floors and incorporat-
ing various kinds of meeting spaces,
touch-down zones, and cafés to exude
energy and promote connections with
each other.
The millennials were born between
1980 and 1994, and over the next 20
years they will surpass 40 percent
of the workforce. Their influence is
already shifting the approach to our
workplaces and it will continue to
shift.
Millennials see the office as a place
to engage and connect with people,
reinforcing the need to incorporate
collaborative space. Technology is
expected to keep up to speed, but
that doesn’t mean they don’t put a
high value on face to face – they do.
They prefer the office generally as
more residential in look and feel as it
becomes an extension of the home
environment. They expect flexibility
in when and where to work both in
and outside the office. With a dislike
of the “top-down” leadership style,
they expect the office environment
to eschew displays of hierarchy. And
they want to be where the action is.
Urban areas are strongly preferred so
work and play retain a close proximity.
We continue to push the perceived
and real boundaries to create work-
place experiences that align with
the business and foster employee
engagement and effectiveness. For
every organization, the culture, agility
and work processes influence their
workplace. Whatever role you play in
the workplace evolution, know that it
will keep changing.s
Tish Kruse
Director of
workplace
strategy, IA
Interior Architects,
Chicago
Eric Laignel
The LinkedIn headquarters embraces an office environment that exudes energy and promotes connections.
Paul Morgan
Comfort is crucial because it supports health and well being.