With business owners eager to attract and retain talented employees, the workplace has seen a growing focus on environments that are designed to boost morale, productivity and wellbeing. There are numerous ways for a business to achieve this kind of environment, and they will differ depending on company size, budget and industry. Here we take a look at four organisations and the innovative strategies they’ve used to make their companies progressive places to work.
Corporate giants go green – GlaxoSmithKline in Philadelphia
According to their website, Global healthcare company GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) focuses on helping their clients live a healthier lifestyle, and the new GSK office space in Philadelphia shows they want the same advantages for their employees as well.
GSK now occupies office space in Philadelphia’s Navy Yard redevelopment zone and, when it comes to their workspace environment, the focus is firmly on renewal and sustainability. Designed by Robert A. M. Stern Architects, it has become the first building to be awarded a double LEED Platinum rating by the US Green Building Council. Notable eco-friendly features of the GSK office include:
• A green roof complete with herb and vegetable gardens (produce is served in the GSK cafeteria)
• Plenty of natural lighting from the building’s four-storey atrium, which reduces the need for high-consumption artificial lighting
• Close proximity to good public transport links and a bike-share program, to contribute to reducing carbon emissions
GSK also worked with workspace design specialists Francis Cauffman to create a healthy working environment for the 800-strong team. Unassigned seating allows for a collaborative, flexible working culture, while state-of-the-art ergonomic furniture and walk stations (treadmill work stations) keep physical health and wellbeing high. The office also includes a gym, an onsite clinic and several stylish break rooms.
Cosy and creative – Betaworks in New York
Of course, an innovative office design is also possible when space is limited and budgets are tight. New York startup Betaworks, a company of around 60 people, worked together to design their dream office. This included sourcing affordable furniture from a variety of local shops, essentially designing their own customised environment that operations manager Lauren Piazza describes as “comfortable, creative and collaborative”. Some of the office’s design and décor also changes regularly, drawing inspiration from whatever projects are underway at the time.
Making space for growth – Evernote in California
Online data storage company Evernote recently moved into a much larger office as a result of strong business growth, and it was up to Studio O+A to create a workspace that reflected these positive changes, within the company’s budget and time constraints.
O+A kept it simple and spacious, with a large number of break areas, collaborative spaces and coffee bars to foster creative interaction. Instead of pricey corporate branding, the reception area boasts a wall-sized logo and tagline created by a local chalk artist. Other frugal but stylish features include fir plywood interior elements and water-conserving plants. This larger space, with such a well-executed layout and design, aimed to reinforce a company-wide atmosphere of expansion and ongoing prosperity.
Effective call centre space – Serco in Germany
To win a contract with Sky in Germany, Serco tasked Instant with finding, leasing, fitting-out and managing a new 300-person call centre facility in Teltow, Germany, with a speedy turnaround essential. Recognising that call centres are not typically the most exciting places to work, Serco was keen to create an engaging environment which reflected the brand effectively and would attract and retain talent.
Instant used its property outsourcing expertise to quickly deliver a bespoke, on-brand solution, designed to encourage collaboration and creativity. The reception area was designed to resemble a large, stylish living room – the perfect way to feature Sky’s products – and staff can escape the vibrant, buzzing atmosphere of their hot-desk workstations to brainstorm in one of the creative breakout areas, which feature whiteboards for walls. From a business perspective, the positive workspace has contributed to high staff retention levels, effectively reducing costs that would otherwise be incurred by recruiting and training new employees.
What steps has your company taken to attract or retain your most valued team members? Share your ideas and success stories in the comments section below.