CREJ - Office Properties Quarterly - January 2015
If 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” workspace: nondescript environments that by their lack of character offend no one while at the same time don’t engage anyone 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 generation 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 corporate clients, we’ve found that environments 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 uninterrupted or focused heads down. 4. Communication about who the organization is – conveying the work, brand and culture of the company. 5. Community connection – fostering employee relationship to the organization. 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 anywhere 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 trumpeted 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 companies have figured out how to provide choice by being responsive to societal changes. The workplace is no different. We want choice in where we work, how we work and when we work. Corporate real estate executives, facility 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 workplace experiences employees want. LinkedIn is paying attention to its employees, and the office spaces are shaped by the impact of its millennial workforce. LinkedIn’s key driver for new spaces was to connect its professionals and make them more 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 professionals 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 incorporating 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 workplace 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.