IKM Office Redesign: Work

OR

1 2 3

WORKSTATIONS

How Open Is Too Open?

GROUP SPACES

Balancing Me and We MOBILITY & TECHNOLOGY

Designing For Choice work l 1

Workstations

WORKSTATIONS

How Open Is Too Open?

As our worlds get smaller, so do our workstations. Is your space right-sized for your staff’s big ideas?

A study from Haworth marks a pivotal shift in work-

quantity, of one’s work environments. In the archi-

place environments in the 21st century: “Individual

tecture and engineering professions, this concept is

achievements are becoming secondary to what a

especially important in an era where an average of

team can accomplish together.” As a result, “the size

43% of office space allocation is dedicated to work-

allocated to the individual workspace is decreas-

stations. (GSA, “Workplace Standards Benchmark-

ing at the expense of creating more collaborative

ing,” 2012).

43% Average sq. ft. of office space allocated to workstation

work spaces.” Intellectual property and workflows are housed in a digital format, giving precedence to

In addition to size, many companies benefit from

one’s work devices over physical space.

zoning, the carving out of spaces by function, including relaxation and nourishment. Workstations no

At IKM, we are no exception to this change felt

longer serve as a one-stop-shop for workday needs,

across industries. From technology to law practices,

and employees benefit from a change in surround-

a sense of place is now defined by the quality, not

ings and increased social interaction.

DID YOU KNOW? A typical workstation in the 1970s measured 12’ x 12’. By 1995, it had shrunk to 10’ x 10’. Today, workstations have been reduced to an average size of 6’ x 8’ and space planners believe that future workspaces can be cut by an additional 21 percent without reducing productivity (Langhoff 2007). work l 3

WORKSTATIONS

Our Take Despite having nearly identical square footage at 11 Stanwix as we did in 1 PPG, we successfully cut our workstation size by 50%, increasing our collaboration and meeting spaces.

By minimizing workstation footprint, we maximized

sual connection between leadership and remaining

“book end” storage units for layout space, samples,

staff. While not necessary or beneficial for all work

and standing meeting space.

environments, this healthy institutional separation of powers keeps the line of communication open by

We significantly reduced physical and psychological

making leadership more approachable without sac-

barriers with respect to our organization’s leader-

rificing safe spaces to address confidential matters

ship structure. Transparent Partner offices breakup

privately.

KEY CONSIDERATIONS Can you combat sedentary activity with standing work station options?

How can you accommodate personal storage needs of your employees to ensure privacy and satisfaction?

Are there opportunities for reallocation of individual work-

neighborhoods of desks to allow for a stronger, vi-

space without compromising productivity?

How does your organization view leadership’s interaction with

50%

employees?

How mobile is your technology and does it support your workspace concept?

Percentage we decreased the size of our workstations

BEFORE

4 l work

AFTER

HOW WE DID With the reduction of the workstation sizes and an open layout, our employees were concerned there wouldn’t be enough desk space for drawings and construction documents. We asked how it was going...

“ Happily surprised at

how my workstation is performing!

50% 25%

15

”

14

Percentage of employees who found the work stations efficient

Percentage of employees who found the work stations energizing

10

Number of employees dissatisfied* with past workstations

1

5

Number of employees dissatisfied* with current workstations

*A rating of 5 and below was considered dissatisfied

1

2

3

4

5

WORKSTATIONS: EMPLOYEE APPROVAL RATING

6

7

8

9 previous office

10 new office work l 5

Writable Wall Surfaces Near Workstations 6 l work

GROUP SPACES

Balancing Me and We Maintaining a competitive business model cannot be achieved without empowering your most valued asset: people.

Over the years, the idealized view of what the in-

tide had turned, and only 23% of employees wanted

At IKM, our previous office in 1 PPG was a remnant

vestment in human capital looks like has undergone

more privacy; 50% said they needed more access

of this 1980s shift to confined workspaces. In the

rapid transformation. A 1980 study by the Harvard

to other people, and 40% wanted more interaction.”

21st Century, the nature of our work, and everything

Business Review found that “85% of U.S. employees

in between, had changed. The labyrinth of cubicles

said they needed places to concentrate without dis-

In 2017, we now understand that “privacy doesn’t

starved for group space was cutting off impromptu

tractions, and 52% said they lacked such spaces. In

just mean being alone.” The challenge is striking a

streams of communication that fuel exploration op-

response, thousands of high-walled cubicles took

balance between collaboration and solitude. (Har-

portunities for mentorship.

over the corporate landscape. By the late 1990s, the

vard Business Review 2014)

Striking a balance between solitude & collaboration 1980s to 2000s

85% U.S. Employees in 1980’s who said they lacked places to concentrate

RESPONSE HIGH-WALLED CUBICLES

50%

RESPONSE OPEN FLOOR PLAN

U.S. Employees in late 1990s who said wanted more access to people work l 7

GROUP SPACES

Our Take “The key is that it’s strategic: Individuals choose when and how to make themselves anonymous.”

(Harvard Business Review 2014)

KEY CONSIDERATIONS

After mobilizing our own human capital group to en-

– all equipped with writable walls. In areas such

sure that every voice is heard, we sought to return

as the Point Lounge, we left the most breathtaking

to the atmosphere that drew us to the profession in

views unobstructed to be enjoyed as an amenity by

the first place: the studio. The studio forms the ba-

all of the staff and not letting them be reserved for

sis of architectural education and training, and yet

Principal offices.

and begin your professional career. We used our

Our once stagnant office is now an idea factory for

new space as an opportunity to reallocate unneces-

a variety of employees to design their own workday.

sary desk space for community use. This realloca-

Using an activity-based design that distinguishes

tion came in the form of six technology-rich “base

solitary and social work activity, staff can now

camps,” transparent conference room ranging from

integrate clients directly into the design process

small to large, and a “crit space” for design reviews

without interfering with independent work.

8 l work

hierarchy-based design to needsbased design?

What level of privacy does your culture require?

How can you engage the entire

that model usually disappears once you join a firm

Reallocation of unnecessary desk space for community use

Can you switch from a

office in the decision-making process?

What are the specific training standards for your industry, and how can your work environment mirror them?

6

1

3

1,300

Technology-Rich Base Camp

Crit Space for Design Reviews

Small to Large Conference rooms

Square feet of Writable Wall Surfaces

Crit Space work l 9

Base Camp 10 l work

HOW WE DID Sometimes, a rating system is not enough. We asked a series of personalized questions to uncover the ways in which staff actually use the public and private options designed into the space.

34

Number of employees dissatisfied* with past collaborative spaces

Where do you find privacy in our office?

0

Number of employees dissatisfied* with current collaborative spaces

private work rooms my desk conference rooms private lounge outdoor plaza secret nook

Where are you most collaborative? base camps conference rooms my desk crit space all spaces

mother’s room

“

Plenty of options for open vs. private collaborative areas.

” work l 11

BD/Communication Meeting Space 12 l work

MOBILITY & TECHNOLOGY

Designing For Choice There’s No Place Like Home…or is There?

With 86% of companies now offering alternative

their work and basically stayed there. The third can

tact with clients and team members, work environ-

work strategies both in and out of the office, design-

work anywhere and expects to be able to.” (Interiors

ments can be reimagined with features that meet

ing spaces for the static worker is no longer a sus-

+ Sources, “Space on the Go”).

the expectations of autonomy that come with a dig-

tainable solution. The rise of the information econ-

itized world via shareable and mobile technologies.

omy has resulted in an unprecedented transience in

Embracing remote work carries a growing number

the way we work: “In the span of one human lifetime,

of benefits for employers including increased em-

the idea of work and the workplace has evolved from

ployee productivity, higher retention rates, and lower

the blue-collar factory worker to the white-collar of-

carbon footprints. However, mobile culture is not

fice worker to the no-collar digital nomad. The first

and cannot be limited to working from home. For

two went to some assigned place every day to do

less “portable” professions that require close con-

DID YOU KNOW? By 2020, the workforce will be comprised of five different generations for the first time ever. And by 2025, over 70 percent of the workforce will be Millennials. (Successfactors, The Global Workforce - Where are They Headed? (2015); Forrester Gear Up For Next-Generation Service Support: Millennials Are The New Frontier, (2016))

work l 13

MOBILITY & TECHNOLOGY

Our Take As a team-based service provider, the architects

We made great strides in terms of shareable tech-

Despite these improvements to designated meeting

and designers at IKM needed to focus on attainable

nology by equipping every meeting area with 65”

areas, most staff still do not have the option to walk

changes we could make to better mobilize our staff

monitors, writeable walls, and a remote desktop

away from their desks to work. As we reflect on our

for a variety of functions throughout the day.

connection. Beyond the tools themselves, firm lead-

design strengths, the availability of mobile ports

In addition to a design focus on better accommo-

ership champions their use day to day – instilling

and devices for the bulk of staff remains a need we

dating large and small groups, a gap needed to be

the importance of a mobile culture to better serve

need to fill. A workplace design cannot be consid-

filled for the individual – a gap that remains a work

ourselves, our teams, and our clients.

ered a lasting success until these functional needs

in progress.

are met with the present and future in mind.

KEY CONSIDERATIONS How can mobile options preserve your bottom line with employees opting out of the traditional desk?

Collaboration happens in person.

How can the space offer flexibility for employees without having to leave the

base camps

office?

crit space

Can you repurpose dedicated spaces

social areas

as shared spaces?

large monitors

How can management evangelize

writable walls

a mobile philosophy and help staff

other

establish guidelines?

14 l work

What is the most innovative feature of our office?

HOW WE DID Our office mobility, much like technology, always has room for improvement. Despite a positive cultural shift resulting from the rise in shareable technology, the next phase of our mobile journey will be focused on meeting the needs of the individual. We are in the process of reimagining our space to have more robust remote work options in and out of the office.

use some “ Can’t of the great spaces in the office since we lack mobile capabilities.

“

We need to begin a more complete transition to a tablet environment that is suited to transient work.

15

” 10

5

” 1

2

3

4

5

6

MOBILITY & TECHNOLOGY: EMPLOYEE APPROVAL RATING

7

8

9 previous office

10 new office work l 15

ikm architecture eleven stanwix street, suite 2200 pittsburgh, pa 15222 412.281.1337