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Newsletter - Winter 2008
A New Brand of Office
Suzanne Leslie, President and Creative Director for Rachlin Design |
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It's a challenge faced by countless businesses today-how to make the most of workspace in a dramatically different business environment and in the face of rising real estate costs.
The issue isn't just how to configure space, but how to efficiently configure space for greater employee satisfaction, better collaboration and improved efficiency.
For most people it means rethinking traditional business environments and designing spaces for the way people work. It means trading executive suites for common areas where team members can gather.
Research conducted by Steelcase, a leader in designing effective office environments, shows today's workers manage more information in less space. And the information they manage isn't limited to paper.Workers today organize CDs and DVDs, memory sticks and more. Add to that the fact that workers today typically are involved in multiple tasks and often work in teams. How they work is as important as the information they manage.
So what does all this mean for businesses rethinking their office environment?
Today's business managers must first take a close look at how their employees work. They need to answer questions like:
- Do employees work individually or in teams?
- What tools do they need?
- How and from where do employees access information?
- How much space does each individual employee
or employee group need to work effectively?
- Do employees regularly communicate with other
employees in the group, or do they require privacy?
- Do all employees work in the same way, or are there
multiple space needs?
And there's more to consider.With competition for the best employees at a premium, businesses must create spaces that encourage workplace camaraderie. Employees need space to develop relationships and form bonds.When employees feel good about the environment they work in and the people they work with, they are more likely to stay.
Supporting workers with comforts like high performance chairs, lighting that is easy on the eyes, a relaxing break room and natural sunlight is also key. The more comfortable the environment, the less likely employees are to leave the building at the first opportunity. Unlike the days when renovations began with fabric and color selections, today's office renovations must begin with careful research and observation.
More and more job candidates are asking the question, "Would I want to work in this environment?" It's a question businesses cannot afford to leave unanswered.
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