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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
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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
”
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Percentage of employees who found the work stations efficient
Percentage of employees who found the work stations energizing
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Number of employees dissatisfied* with past workstations
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5
Number of employees dissatisfied* with current workstations
*A rating of 5 and below was considered dissatisfied
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WORKSTATIONS: EMPLOYEE APPROVAL RATING
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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.
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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?
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1
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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.
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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.
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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))
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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?
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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.
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MOBILITY & TECHNOLOGY: EMPLOYEE APPROVAL RATING
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ikm architecture eleven stanwix street, suite 2200 pittsburgh, pa 15222 412.281.1337