You can’t just throw some plants around the office and move some desks–designing an inspiring workplace takes research and care.
Kate Lister’s insight:
Zurich Financial seems to be doing it right: 1) understand the needs 2) reconfigure the space to support the work 3) invest in culture change 4) measure results, something way too few companies are doing.
To reform conference room wastelands, think like an urban planner.
Kate Lister’s insight:
For those of us in the workplace strategy biz, there are no real surprises here, but it’s nice to see an article like this in HBR!
“A balance of different types of workspaces within an office environment is the key to improving worker productivity, according to a new research report from CBRE Group, Inc. When a company provides a variety of work spaces that employees can select from, CBRE says satisfaction levels increase 10 – 15 percent. “
Kate Lister’s insight:
The study reveals that the biggest disconnect between what employees want and what they get is remote access to information.
In recent weeks culture has become a major topic of discussion at Microsoft. The company’s CEO Satya Nadella sent an open letter to employees discussing how important company culture is and why it …
Kate Lister’s insight:
An interesting perspective on how this tech giant ties business drivers with property planning and office design.
“How can we get people more engaged, more productive, and happier at work? Is technology part of the problem – and could it also be part of the solution? Dave Coplin, Chief Envisioning Officer at Microsoft, imagines what might be possible if more organisations embraced the full, empowering potential of technology and encouraged a truly open, collaborative and flexible working culture.”
Kate Lister’s insight:
Even if you’ve seen this incredible video before, do yourself a favor and watch it again (and again) and send it to everyone you know in workplace strategy.
With nooks and crannies to help you get creative with your positioning, you’ll no longer have to choose between sitting or standing while you work.
Kate Lister’s insight:
I dunno. The kind of postures I see there would make the ergonomics people cringe.
What happens when you gather just about every influential woman together to talk about working family issues?
Kate Lister’s insight:
My favorite is this from Madeline Albright: “Women can do everything, they just can’t do it all at the same time.”
I’m always troubled when flexibility is tied to women/mothers because it wrongly makes a “women’s issue,” and that often polarizes the reaction. Regardless of age and gender, we all need and want workplace flexibility.
Having said that, this article is well worth reading.
Change is hard–proceed with flexibility, patience, and a dose of authority.
Kate Lister’s insight:
This is quite well done. I especially like the last tip: “Determine who is on the bus and who is off the bus—then close the door and drive.”
“In an arena where company leaders must weigh economic and
socioeconomic factors equally, the only certainty is that the most
successful organizations will employ flexible strategies that address
a wide variety of ages, work habits and lifestyles, and enable quick
changes of direction when necessary.”
Kate Lister’s insight:
This is a really good piece on workplace preferences in the tech industry with some surprises:
“Not managing facilities. Enabling communities” Melissa Marsh. #IFMAsummit14 On June 10th I found myself with the privileged ‘final word’ at the IFMA Foundation’s Workplace Strategy Summit 2…
Kate Lister’s insight:
If you weren’t among the attendees at the Workplace Strategy Summit held in the UK this June, don’t miss this terrific summary by @IanEllison.
Also check out:
http://bit.ly/1o0fyAK – an article we did for @Work Design Mag
http://bit.ly/1o0iugM – Work&Place magazine’s entire issue dedicated to the Summit