Designing a Work Environment that Drives Change

How to create a "living" team space that gives you a competitive edge?

Purpose-designed work spaces are launch pads for making tomorrow.  They are spaceships that bring diverse talent together to unearth solutions for complex challenges. If designed with the next-generation workforce in mind, these canvases for creativity can help companies change the world.

In the not too distant future, our careers could unfold in a wholly virtual reality. The trajectory of our work environments and what is expected in the workplace can be seen in how our children engage with one another, and today’s patterns of communication and innovation.  Watching the next generation collaborate on a game of Minecraft, or on the go playing Pokemon, sheds light onto the virtual interactions of our future.  As these young adults enter the workforce, they will expect a similarly multi-functional and interactive environment to make big decisions and solve challenges.

Willing to approach business challenges with extensive creativity, our future workforce will overwhelmingly expect a virtual playground at the office, a playground that facilitates their ideas and innovations in a way that many of today’s stagnant office spaces cannot. They are digital natives and communicate with ease, their dexterity in commanding virtual space is inspiring and their imaginations are endless. It is a quantum leap over how we operate today and tantamount to going from the typewriter to telekinesis.

So how can companies attract fresh talent and create a culture and workspace that provides a competitive edge? By breaking the overdone design mold and accepting the following fundamentals:

• There are (3) critical components needed to create a “living” and adaptable workspace: space, talent and methodology. If the physical layout of the space doesn’t meet the demands of your talent and can’t be adapted to support your company’s approach to problem-solving, you’re starting at a deficit. Find the space that feels right for your team and that is laid out to foster success.
• Remember that every company is different, and that the organization’s DNA and unique capabilities should be baked into the environment.  The space should reflect the business’ characteristics, energy, attributes and culture.
• The development of a new space or a redesign can be, and should be, a progressive initiative.  It isn’t about spending all of your budget up front, but evolving the space that you have and making incremental investments.  Just like launching a website or any other digital design, the opening of a space is only the beginning.
• Focus first on the minimum and necessary needs and cut out potential eye sores.  Large investments made up of features collecting dust quickly become a reminder of poor decisions.  Like a house, live in the space for a little while so that you can learn how to customize it as your life and needs evolve.
• Create the physical story of your future, instead of focusing on the constraints of the moment.  Be aspirational and think about why you’re making this huge investment.  Who is going to operate in this new space, and what amazing solutions could they potentially provide? This should serve as a space for believers, so start with a purpose and construct a story that will illustrate your team’s future.
• Similarly, build for your future team.  Being agile and being comfortable leveraging a dynamic space is for leaders and can quickly shed light on laggards.  Don’t compromise the purpose of the environment and try to accommodate the ‘wants’ of many, as it will dilute your dream.
• Make the space usable and useful.  You visit showcases, but you work in team spaces.  Think of the garages that spawned Apple and HP – scrappy, fungible and purposeful.  Work spaces are designed for makers and innovators that embrace the scruffy nature of creation.  

For more on Living Team Spaces, please check out my follow up article:
5 Questions to Consider When Building Your Living Team Space

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A little background on me, prior to founding BGT in 1997, I was an architectural designer working on commercial and retail spaces.  Since then, I have designed 8 offices for our teams and attribute our commitment to ideal spaces as core reason for our numerous accolades as a ‘best place to work’.

Follow me @DlClarke