CREJ

Page 14 — Office Properties Quarterly — March 2020 www.crej.com Workplace Trends T he open office concept is a desirable option in today’s competitive office real estate market. It enables companies to maximize costly space with an efficient solution that supports goals for consolidation and density. But research also shows that many open office plans will fail without intentional design and proper implementation. Successful open offices are driven by strategic thought about how people use space to work. To experience some of the deficien- cies of open offices, particularly in terms of noise and privacy, look no further than some of the newly popu- lar, high-trafficked coworking spaces. In an attempt to facilitate a variety of different work tasks and create social spaces – like cafés and bars – in the same space, these open offices can cre- ate a more closed- off atmosphere than if walls were present because workers retreat inward to create quiet space for thought. Research confirms more and more workers in open offices are activating the fourth wall – using noise-cancel- ling headphones or prioritizing chat platforms in place of face-to-face interactions.These behav- iors run counter to the goal of open offices and can lead to a disconnected workforce, which can hurt culture and thwart the health and well-being of employees. Companies need to be able to lever- age the spatial ben- efits of open office design without negatively impact- ing the way people feel about working in close and open prox- imity to their peers. Elevations Credit Union faced this challenge in design- ing its new admin- istrative building and mortgage office in Broomfield.The renovation of the 140,000-square-foot, four-story facility aimed to unify vari- ous departments in one central loca- tion and maximize space for up to 450 employees. n How to thrivewithout walls. The company selected the open office con- cept to enhance collaboration, engage- ment and connectivity between lead- ers and the teams.The credit union turned to our team to design and build a space that would accomplish three objectives: promote open and organic human interaction, safeguard privacy concerns for people working with sensitive information, and minimize employee dependence on the fourth wall to encourage a more open, inte- grated culture. Several principles successfully guided the process. n Company culture. Open offices are best designed and implemented with a deep understanding of company culture. Open offices are not a one-size- fits-all solution. Every organization has unique needs, based on established values, habits and norms. Decision- makers need to carefully consider workplace culture to ensure open office design is an appropriate option. For Elevations, privacy and security were central to its culture, having significant impact on operations; with 13 branch locations along Colorado’s Front Range, it also was difficult to integrate teams or departments. Collaboration required advanced planning and travel between locations, or frequent use of digital meetings.The firmwanted to intro- duce a newway of working that would provide more opportunities for face- to-face interactions, which they knew would create stronger relationships across teams and departments. A new, open design ended up working well because the credit union introduced this culture shift – to be a more open, integrated and collaborate workplace – which the design then could support and activate. n Human interactions. Human interac- tions that organically drive the work should drive open office design, not the other way around.Without walls, the dynamics of work will change. Many studies have disproved the idea that open offices naturally lead people to be more open to conversation and interaction.These interactions, which organizations often are anxious to facil- itate, result when open office designs support the natural flow and rhythm of work. Consider all aspects of work: what interactions are mandatory, and between which individuals and teams; how often and in what context are people interacting; what the preferred channels and methods are for that interaction; and whether there might be some behaviors and interactions to correct. Elevations considered these and many other questions to evalu- Open offices require thoughtful implementation Michele Forrest Design manager, The Neenan Co. Megan Ellis Senior interior designer, The Neenan Co. Please see Forrest, Page 22 The Neenan Co. The fourth floor of Elevations Credit Union’s office space includes an area for personal quiet time, including quiet work areas.