Architects / Space Planners
Getting Buy-In: Tools and Techniques for Workplace Change
By: William L. Loftis, AIA and John H. Uzee, AIA, both Principals of ADD Inc
Workplaces are changing at an accelerating rate to better support business goals. But even the most innovative workplace solutions are doomed to fail without employee support for the new work environment. Pairing a thoughtful strategic process with new technological communication tools can effectively sell new work environments.
The strategic process begins by clearly articulating the framework or context for the change. What are the corporate goals and vision to be achieved? It includes the development of a clear definition of the proposed workplace change and how it will further business and employee success. After this basic content is determined the next steps are tactical: identifying the audience and establishing the message or story line. The final step is to choose the appropriate media vehicle for presentation and get ready for showtime.
THE STRATEGY
Before explaining workplace solutions it is critical to understand the overriding business goals. These might include maximizing efficiency, improving productivity, encouraging interaction, reducing operational costs, improving employee retention and recruiting and enhancing the corporate culture.
Establish the Framework
To effectively communicate the benefits of any change in the workplace, you must also understand the context and history of the existing conditions. This information is best gathered from the occupants by touring the space with them and conducting interviews to document the current configurations, uses, issues and problems. The natural connection between each employee’s activities and corporate success must be clarified.
Define the Change
With an understanding of the existing conditions and goals for the future, the project team will be able to communicate their solutions for the workplace. These solutions will typically involve changes in the following categories: work environment, space standards, work methods and location. In defining the change, the goal is to identify the features of the changes and illustrate the benefits that each will provide. Most often, the benefits are financial, but with good planning by the team, the changes can have a much broader impact. The benefits of the change can be defined on both a corporate and individual employee basis. Once finalized, these benefits should be summarized and published to answer an important question: why are we changing and what difference will it make?
For example, in the work environment, one solution to reducing occupancy costs may be to have fewer enclosed offices. The benefits include a reduced corporate square footage requirement as well as a more interactive workplace with less hierarchy for individual employees. Implementing space standards can provide optimal workspace for the individual tasks required, easily flexible spaces, equitable allotment of space and an increased sense of community for all staff throughout the company. Changes in work methods may include greater individual access to team rooms, shared equipment and multiple use facilities. Creating team rooms allows employees working on similar projects to benefit from communal problem solving and be better able to mentor junior staff in the process. Again, one benefit is a requirement for less square footage. More importantly, employees also benefit from establishing new operating methods and gaining access to more resources. Location changes may involve moving to less costly space, to more efficient floorplates or a consolidation of regional offices. A change in location may provide nearby amenities, better workflow configuration, more internal amenities or a workplace more suited to the culture and work methods of the corporation.
THE TACTICS
Provided with these clear messages of features and benefits, the methods of information presentation can be established.
Identify the Audiences
Before the team can develop the communication methods, the specific target audiences must first be identified. Will the audience be the leaders of the corporation? Is it intended to inform the management level of the organization? Is it specifically targeting the staff? These groups each have a somewhat different focus on workplace issues. Leaders are typically more focused on the overall vision for the workplace and how it will impact the business. Management typically wants to understand how the change will impact workflow and the day to day business operations. The majority of the staff is interested in how the change will affect them personally. These are broad generalizations, and the interests of each group overlap significantly. The best presentation will address all issues and emphasize the linkage of all features and benefits.
Develop The Storyline
Next the team joins all of the components into a consistent storyline. A good outline relates the framework to the audience. What are positives and negatives of the existing workplace? What are the goals for this change? What are the reasons for changing the workplace? How will these goals benefit the audience and the company? To validate results it can be helpful to identify the process used to develop the solutions. Who was involved? What was the process? Was my input considered? ? Do I or did I have a role in the Vision? Next, one must define the change for the audience and describe the vision of the new workplace. Metaphors for the solution and a project specific vocabulary will aid discussion and explanation. What is the overall concept for the workplace? What will it look like? What will be lost; what will be gained? Finally, one must articulate the reasons for the audience and identify the benefits of the new workplace vision. It must answer one critical question: How will it improve my situation?
Choose the Vehicle
Once the storyline is in place, you must select the most appropriate medium:
• Print
Boards are best to tell the story as a mounted display and are often prepared even if other methods are used for the presentation. Typically, boards can work well if the presentation is to 4 to 12 people. The board presentation is also best co-produced as a small scale booklet of the board images so that individuals can have the presentation at their workspace or share it with those who were not present at the presentation.
• Multimedia
Multimedia is the most versatile vehicle since it can be presented one on one on a laptop as well to a group of hundreds using a projector. In addition, the presentation can be written to CD ROM as a “leave behind tool” for a multimedia presentation so that the individual can review the topics at their leisure or share with others..
• CD Rom
A CD Rom can be distributed and used as a stand-alone communications multimedia presentation.
• Web Site
An extranet or intranet web site may be appropriate if the information will be updated frequently such as for space standards or process standards. This provides maximum coverage for the corporate community but is strongly dependent on corporate culture to be successful. There must be a pre-existing habit or pattern of net communication use.
SHOWTIME: EXAMPLES OF COMMUNICATING CHANGE
Case Study #1
Business Consultants changing to client oriented team rooms.
• Framework
The primary goals were to reduce corporate occupancy costs by occupying less square footage per consultant, to encourage more mentoring of junior staff and, most importantly, to encourage clients to visit and participate with the problem solving teams. Buy-in by all managers was required for a transition to a new client based operating style gaining team effectiveness at the cost of some privacy. The existing workplace was a tenant space designed for a law firm which was rented “as is” with no renovation. Therefore the space was a series of perimeter private offices into which CSC placed two individuals per enclosed room. The resulting workplace was a series of isolated cubbies emphasizing a business where people worked on very individually focused tasks. The process used to develop the vision began with interviews with management during Programming, Brainstorming of Space Standards and Brainstorming of Schematic Design.
• Definition
The Vision of the new workplace was “A Conference Center and Think Tank for Business Consulting.” The firm wanted to change from two consultants per enclosed room to an environment of mostly team rooms housing approximately four consultants as well as a conference area. In this way, clients could better identify as part of the team and teams’ jobs would be made easier with greater storage, whiteboards, dedicated meeting space and staff grouping by client. This vision was illustrated using 3D computer modeling of the full floor and with specific perspectives taken from the 3D model.
• Audience
The Senior Management of the local office
• Selected Media/Showtime
A series of group meetings with the following materials:
Multimedia: Presentation projected at group meeting.
Print : Large scale boards and individual booklets as leave behinds.
CD ROM: Multimedia show distributed to all staff.
Case Study #2
A new, growing retail bank changing to a less hierarchical, more interactive workplace
• Framework
The goals for change included less square footage per employee, more interaction and the development of a celebratory, signature space for visitors and staff. The existing workplace was a hodge-podge of space initially designed as the headquarters of a small bank with irregularly sized perimeter private offices and interior cubicles and defined departmental suites. The process used to develop the Vision was primarily a series of interviews with senior management to review images and goals. The challenge was to clearly explain the new image of the bank, which is expressed in the celebratory space and the work areas, to busy bank executives.
• Definition
The Vision of the new workplace is “A Conference/Visitor Hub surrounded by A Flexible Open Workspace”. The solution was expressed in a 3D model of the full floor, perspectives taken from the 3D model and in a virtual reality computer tour of the space.
• Audience
Leadership (Chairman & President)
• Selected Media/Showtime
Multimedia: Projected multimedia presentation with Leadership including a user controllable animation and virtual reality space tour.
Print : Record boards and booklets of the multimedia show.
Case Study #3
A corporate organizational and operational change from a localized, business unit controlled real estate and facilities system to corporate, centralized project control with a uniform process and consistent design in all U.S. office locations.
• Framework
The Goals for the change included improved cost control as well as process and image consistency. The existing system consisted of varying images, procedures and costs with a disparate distribution of employee workload and real estate responsibilities. The process used to develop the solution was a series of management brainstorming sessions and interviews.
• Definition
The Vision of the new organization is one of flexible, consistent, appropriate workspace centrally managed and implemented with less effort. Physical standards and facility management procedures were centralized and incorporated into a “living document” nationally available and centrally controlled acting as an always up to date procedures manual and information resource.
• Audience
Corporate Leadership.
Local Management.
Real estate and local staff.
• Selected Media/Showtime
Print: Hardcopy binder manual.
Multimedia: A presentation on CD Rom which explains the new process and standards. The tools are designed to assist at project start up in each location.
Case Study #4
An overcrowded environment for software developers changing to smaller personal space with ample team areas.
• Framework
Goals for change included maintenance and expression of an egalitarian culture with maximum flexibility and allowing for personal expression in a group environment. The organization is based on a consensus management style and decision making process. The culture is one of technologically savvy web searchers/surfers. The existing workplace consists of variably sized private and shared offices. The process used to develop the Vision included staff and management brainstorming and interview sessions.
• Definition
The Vision of the new workplace is “A revolutionary space for unique individuals who work jointly to solve complex problems”. Consistent with the culture, all design and image solutions were based on careful diagrams, concepts, and analysis. It was critical that all staff, termed “stakeholders”, completely understood the rational for decisions. The consensus based, familial culture required maximum communication and transparency. The new workplace was best represented to the stakeholders by explaining the corporate goals, employee amenities, as well as individual and team workspaces.
• Audience
Leadership.
Management.
Staff.
• Selected Media/Showtime
CD ROM of programming, standards development, conceptual design, space planning and design presentations for distribution to staff.
Multimedia: Projected Multimedia presentations to large groups.
Web Site: Extranet project site and intranet web pages for ongoing photographic and drawing communication updates acting as on-line project and community newsletters.
Wrap - Up
By effectively communicating workplace change, facility managers will maximize the benefits of the physical workplace alterations. Carefully organized communications, which explain and convince audiences of the benefits, will allow employees to more easily integrate new work processes. New communication technologies empower facility managers and design teams to develop compelling presentations that promote the advantages and impact the ultimate success of changes in the workplace.
Author Biographies:
John H. Uzee, AIA - Principal - ADD Inc
John's design work and lectures focus on integrating architecture, marketing, interior design and graphics. He has developed a process, as well as specific tools, to create environments and graphic materials that effectively “sell” to the desired audiences. A keen listener and charismatic project leader, John leads architecture and interior design projects across the country as well as ADD Inc's award winning GraphicsGroup.
William Loftis, AIA, - Principal – ADD Inc
As Principal and Director of ADD Inc’s San Francisco office, Will leads all design and planning performed by ADD Inc’s talented California team of architects and interior designers. His passion for exceptional design has resulted in design recognition for ADD Inc, including three Boston Society of Architects Design Awards for Excellence and a New England Regional Award for Design Excellence.
Will’s career highlights include design of buildings and tenant improvements for 3Com Corporation, Pembroke Real Estate, Handspring, Sony Music Entertainment, France Telecom, Liberty Mutual and OmniSky.
