A shift to the modern
Let’s take a look back: It’s safe to say that since the 1950’s office life has undergone seismic changes. Workplaces of the past, designed for a traditional 9-5 workday, conveyed hierarchy, and corporate uniformity, -they featured large corner offices, rows of cubicles, and a small kitchen area.
Today’s workplaces look vastly different. Open concept offices have emerged to accommodate economic priorities, evolving work styles, technological advancements, space allocations, and cultural shifts. However, companies often jump into, or try to replicate, office designs they think their employees want or are visually appealing. Actually understanding your teams’ needs and then implementing a space around those traits can lead to a much more useful office space.
Technori is a Chicago-based media company with a mission for building the largest and most inclusive tech community in the world through its blog, podcast channel, and live radio show. Through its platform, they have created one of the nation’s largest entrepreneurial networks.
Podcast highlights:
Understanding an organization – their goals, their behaviors, and voice
As workplaces have shifted in design, so has the role the workplace plays in enabling a company’s goals; – attracting and retaining talent, achieving and sustaining results, and being financially responsible. When designed correctly, the workplace should act as a community, fostering culture and connection, and providing resources for higher productivity.
“When we first start working with a client, we dive into the customer experience and what we’ve found is that clients’ main takeaways are cultural: the voice, the vibe of the office, and the way in which employees engage.”
Fun, Functional, and Feeling
Understanding how different teams work, the spaces that are used, and adding the right personalization and resources are important when considering your next office project. Involving the right people is key – different departments can present different insights to help create an environment that increases collaboration without diminishing productivity.
“Understanding how employees are engaging with their workplace and understanding their work habits helps us design an office that's best suited to achieve our clients' business goals”
Creating the ultimate experience
Like malls, stores, and restaurants, framing your workplace as a destination of choice for your employees, potential investors, and customers encourages them to come into the office. Each of your audiences’ journeys may be different, and it’s important to consider features like path of travel, hospitality/concierge, and sense of belonging/partnership for all groups. Creating this memorable experience can help nurture brand and culture, recruit talent, and foster future partnerships with customers and prospects.
“We spend a lot of time developing a client's, or investor's potential journey through the space using technology to simulate how a workplace will look, the different spaces and features, and behaviors and protocols, so when the space is designed it's exactly what the client wants”
With the continuous evolution of how people work, companies will have stay ahead of the curve, creating workplaces that build a foundation for business success.
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