enhance 2015 office design

[ ENHANCE ]

p r e m i e r i s s u e

On the Cover: EXECUTIVE CORPORATE DINING AND CONFERENCE ROOM

5 CHANGE MANAGEMENT6 WORKPLACE ATTRACTION8 THE BUSINESS OF WELLNESS10 10 STRATEGIES TO DECREASE DISTRACTIONS12 USING CULTURE TO DRIVE BUSINESS14 BWBR IN THE NEWS

THE WORKING

OFFICEISSUE

Workplace Design | ENHANCE 3

CHANGE

BACK TO THE FUTURE

Hello. It’s been a long time.

That’s what I thought when we sat down in our office to plan this magazine. For those who have been long-time partners with us, you may remember we produced an occasional newsletter called Kiosk. It was nothing fancy, but we always made it our intention to use the newsletter as a venue to explore ideas and issues of importance to the people we serve. The newsletter was a way of enhancing what we do as designers by studying those issues a little deeper, and, hopefully, enhancing what others do by bringing new ideas to their attention.

And, from those intentions, this new magazine, Enhance, is born.

So much has changed since 2009 when we last mailed a publication. Health care legis-lation passed that puts a greater emphasis on quality as well as patient satisfaction for reimbursements. Student demographics are dramatically challenging colleges and univer-sities to rethink how they deliver education. Technology advancements are changing how companies explore and innovate. Volatile economics and the bruising most took in the re-cession influences how we look at investments and savings.

The factors that are changing the way we live, heal, and learn are also changing how and where we work. Accommodating up to four generations at once in the office, balancing the convenience of technology with the benefits of face-to-face collaboration, and creating environments that inspire ideas and attract top talent are issues facing all businesses, small and large. They are the issues we’re examining as our office evolves towards our 93rd year of operation.

It’s unsurprising to say the volatility of the past half-decade has left some deep impres-sions. What is surprising is that the shifts in the market are providing us smarter oppor-tunities to invest in our organizations, as these shifts are forcing us to learn more about the needs of our workers, our customers, and our communities. Rather than looking back and wondering when the “normal” that we knew would return, we’re excited to see people looking ahead and creating a different “normal.”

Enhance represents more than a name change for our company magazine. It represents a focus. For all the various ways we can design, what we create should enhance the lives of people who use the space and enhance the way organizations conduct their business. It should leverage the strengths of the past and connect it with the innovations of today to make a better tomorrow.

We hope you enjoy these explorations and look forward to hearing your ideas in the future.

Brian Buchholz, AIA

BWBR

Brian Buchholz, AIA Vice President Director of Marketing [email protected]

ENHANCE | Workplace Design4

While younger generations are breaking away from tradition, older generations may be left in limbo and unsure of routines and practices they have used for years.

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MEDICAL DEVICE MANUFACTURER


Pictures of offices at Google, Facebook, and other technology start-ups have been eye-catching, to say the least, rocking the boat and reinventing the workplace landscape. Open, funky, and flexible, these spaces are re-imagining office space, leading the way for major changes in both design and how people and organizations function. The question others are asking is: Do we need to take this step, too?

People’s aversion to change is well documented, as both employers and employees. Change is not a choice for business, though. As the millennial generation graduates into the working world, they bring new ideas about the office concept. Additionally, fast-paced advancements in technology, discoveries in personal health and well-being, shifting demands and interests of employees, and a societal trend to rethink how people lead their daily lives, bring with them not-so-subtle changes.

To say, “Thrive or die with change,” might be hyperbolic, but fighting change is not so much the option. Managing the change, though, can determine how well routines and practices evolve to integrate old with new.

Change management is a process that guides an organization through change, from reflecting on the current situation to understanding what and where they want to be next year, or in five years, and then creating a process to move smoothly from the present to the future. Change management helps to answer the questions: why is the change occurring and how do we make it happen?

The simple fact is that people are uncomfortable being uncomfortable, and change can bring about discomfort. Organizational changes in the way people work, shifts in culture, or reevaluation of values or mission alters routines and challenges personal assumptions. Although companies can want change, its employees choose to change.

If leaders of a major change in their organization do not acknowledge these basic facts, change meets resistance. People want to trust the organization and the leadership

for whom they are working and they want to understand any changes and how they function. Engaging employees and educating them on the benefits of change can ease the transition that change brings in organizations.

Change management extends beyond promoting benefits. Integration is core to its practice. As design, like technology, brings physical and possible cultural disruptions to routines and patterns, training and educating employees on utilization and improvements helps employees see their value, feel empowered, and realize their full potential in their new world. This leads to increased productivity, innovation, collaboration, profitability, and continued service of valued employees, in addition to being desirable to new talent.

Designers are in a unique position to manage change because of the nature of their work and the relationships they build early in the process of newly designed spaces. Designers understand the stress that results from shifting the status quo as well as the excitement that the improvements can generate.

The shape of change management can assume different forms. In one case, BWBR, in collaboration with Steelcase’s Applied Research & Consulting service (ARC), utilized detailed timelines and steps to help a large corporation transition employees to their new environment. Steps included surveys, town hall-style meetings, and literature to communicate across the company. Bridging generational as well as technological differences, this company hopes to catalyze innovation and bring in valuable employees through new spaces that encourage greater collaboration with a variety of workspace models and an open floor plan.

Rapid change is not only occurring in the workplace, but across health care, education, worship and other institutions that people participate in and rely on in their communities. Organizations are finding that their livelihood and continuing success is dependent on their ability to both be open to new ideas and willing to evolve and change.

CHANGE MANAGEMENTMaking Organizational Transitions Smooth



The debate between productivity at home and at work seems neverending. It’s not surprising. On an academic level, studies have shown work-at-home options improve employee productivity noticeably as well as save companies in real estate overhead. On a personal level, the flexibility to work anywhere at any time also improves employee satisfaction. However, on a management level, the success achieved by the likes of Google, Apple, 3M, and other innovative companies has proven the value of in-office collaboration.

The question that we must ask, though: are we missing the larger issue about the kind of office environment we are creating to spark the collaboration and innovation companies seek and workers desire?

In the argument about productivity gains achieved in the home office versus the cubicle, there seems to be a prevailing assumption that work in today’s corporate environment occurs in the cubicle. As much as advocates of telecommuting have accused corporate managers of having a mid-20th century mindset about where work should occur, the cubicle assumption displays similar thinking.

Today’s work environment can be so much more than systems furniture and neutral colors. What once was solely a dining space or break room is now an ideas laboratory with multiple seating options and movable furniture. Isolated cubicles have now

become work bays without partitions, where ideas between coworkers flow without obstacles. Colors now bring life to once uninspiring atmospheres, and the connections between brands and their key advocates (i.e. employees) are stronger.

The more progressive companies are now realizing the benefits of investments in work environments that are more than inspiring. They are compelling and inviting, appealing enough that employees WANT to come into the office, not simply HAVE to come in. As our economy has shifted from one based on manufacturing to one based on knowledge, it’s even more important that companies create environments that nurture and support the knowledge their employees bring to the office.

“Physical space is the biggest lever to encourage collaboration. And the data are clear that the biggest driver of performance in complex industries…is serendipitous interaction,” the author of “People Analytics” told the New York Times in commenting on Google’s New York offices. As much as we praise interactive tools such as Skype, Jabber, and iChat, serendipity does not happen within cubes, whether at home or in the office.

It’s time both companies and employees change the debate from where we work to what kind of office environment we’re provided to do our work.

WORKPLACE ATTRACTION

Creating a space in which employees and new talent want to work


CHANGE

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA MEDICAL DEVICE CENTER

GLOBAL DESIGN LABSECURITY HEALTH PLAN

THRIVENT FINANCIAL CORPORATION


Supportive steps to building a foundation for happy, healthy employees

THE BUSINESS OF WELLNESS


BWBR OFFICE EXPANSION


Room to WorkPerformance pressures, noise, distractions, and fast-paced deadlines can be stressful for workers.

Creating tranquil places to concentrate, especially in open office environments, allow staff to choose their engagement level without losing the benefits of collaborative opportunities. Positioning workstations away from busy aisles and work areas reduces distraction and noise, which glass panels also can help reduce. Respite rooms are gaining popularity, especially with customer service workers who need a quiet place to recharge from noisy phone work. Seen and ConnectedEnvironments where employees are physically seen and connected to coworkers allow people to feel like they are part of an organization and not isolated. Good workplace design causes employees to “bump into each other” frequently — at the printer, the copier, the coffee maker. These are important opportunities for social engagement.

For good behavioral health, design elements can promote a culture of transparency and increase communication: lower workstation walls, glass windows to offices, and a view to leadership. In an open environment, leadership cannot only demonstrate good behavior, but they can have a better sense of employees that might be struggling. An open environment also encourages staff self-policing, since it is harder for employees to hide bad behavior.

Creating a Home for the Mobile WorkforceTeleworkers can face unique challenges: social isolation, presenteeism, and undefined boundaries between work and home life.

When mobile workers come into the office for face-to-face connections, supporting their needs can be as important as supporting those who regularly work in the office. Space can

send a message about how important their physical presence is: Are adequate drop-in spaces near teams with whom they interface? Are spaces “second class?” Do office meeting rooms have the technology for remote workers to see, hear and participate in meetings? Are there social spaces for team members to interact on a personal level? These design strategies can communicate personal as well as professional value to an employee.

More than a PerkRegular exercise and providing access to daylight has not only shown to help reduce depression, but also improves absenteeism, increases productivity and is high on the list of employee satisfaction. Workspace design should maximize daylight for all workers. A fitness area, outdoor walking paths or discounted gym memberships are also effective business strategies.

Strategies that help employees balance work and personal demands sometimes have the greatest return as time is often the most precious gift. Flexible work schedules can help achieve such balance, as well as offering dry cleaning pick-up, access to food trucks, and even employee-of-the-month parking spots — all low or no-cost strategies.

Lastly, workers want to be engaged, have access to leadership, and want to work for companies that have like-minded values. Having similar size workspace and workspace “perks” sends a message of “we’re all important to company success.” The workplace should creatively reinforce corporate values and goals, providing subtle clues that tell staff what’s really important to a company — if marketing materials talk about environmental concerns, don’t overlook recycling containers or have a fleet of gas-guzzling cars.

With mental health issues affecting so many of us, companies are thinking beyond the stigma of mental health and developing strategies to improve the workplace. In the end, companies and employees can benefit from that.

BWBR SAINT PAUL OFFICE

While companies invest in many strategies to support the physical health of employees, from flu vaccinations to filtered air systems, ignoring employees’ mental health means businesses risk losing any gains they make in physical health support. Depression, stress, substance abuse, financial distress, work-life balance, ADHD, and, yes, even workplace bullying are all issues with which workers are dealing and that have a large drain on productivity.

This is about creating culture, not simply putting in employee assistance programs. Creating a healthy culture that supports employees’ mental health, though, may not be as complicated as some think.


Helping employees find some personal space in an open office doesn’t have to involve an office remodel. Simple strategies, like providing personal desk lamps, can establish such space without creating walls that stifle collaboration.

The internet is full of unhappy blogs and articles about how workers hate their open cubicles and yearn for the private office where their lives would be full of productivity and peacefulness.

According to Susan Cain, author of the book Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking, “[introverts] are more alive to the subtleties in their environment. It also means they are more easily overwhelmed, reacting to what’s going on around them.”

Since it is unlikely that we will see the workplace evolve to where everyone gets a private office, here are 10 ways to decrease distractions for the introverts in us all, based on Cain’s design principles for the workplace.

As important as it is for introverts to have the right level of stimulus, so is it for extroverts. Make sure you have places in the workplace that have increased levels of noise and activity — coffee bars, gathering areas, and social spaces. And don’t forget to buffer these spaces from the quiet ones.

2Turn a small conference room into private drop-in space. Break from the

traditional conference room table by adding a small sofa

sectional, pull-up work table, end table,

and lamp.

3Set policies that allow workers to work where they work best. Give staff permission to select the correct setting for a partic-ular task. Make sure manage-ment adapts an attitude that it is alright to work away from

the traditional desk and lead by example — management should

use these spaces too!

4 Introduce music/iPod

speakers in quiet rooms and allow users to control the

playlist.

6Create boundaries around technolog-ical distractions, and set policies and

expectations around how frequent you expect staff to respond to email/phone messages. Email, phone calls, and text messages can be just as disruptive as that annoying co-worker, and you can

experience this loss of productivity even if you

have a private office.

7Add touches from home by using

different textures and patterns such as pillows, plants, rugs, vases, books and sculpture. Society6 has an awesome

collection of fun pillows at reasonable prices. Introduce calming colors with wall paint or add interesting accent

lighting – go retro with the Astron by Rejuvenation. Or, add a touch of wood

with West Elm’s Bentwood pendant.

8Noise is often the biggest

complaint in the office. Try some acoustical solutions.

9Apply “frosted-look” film to

clear glass interior windows on private spaces to give work-ers more privacy. A good tip, though, is to keep the glass

clear at the bottom 12-18 inches to increase a sense of security and allow occupants to see if

someone is approaching.

10Think about the orientation

of desks and furniture. Orient desks and seating

towards doors and openings so occupants can see visitors approaching.

10STRATEGIESto decrease distractions

1Create a drop-in quiet zone of workstations where no phones and

interruptions are allowed. Allow workers to use the

space as needed.

5Give workers a desk lamp for personal control over lighting. Haworth’s LIM desk lamp is slim and

energy efficient.

Today’s open environments are designed to foster

collaboration by eliminating

barriers and making informal

interactions easier and more frequent.

However, an increase in informal interactions brings

an increase in distractions, making

it more difficult to get the work done.


11Workplace Design | ENHANCE


It was a little surprising to Anytime Fitness’ CEO, Chuck Runyon, when, in 2005, someone at the company’s first annual conference displayed Anytime Fitness’ Running Man logo tattooed on his skin. It was more unfathom-able that nearly 10 years later more than 2,000 people, from employees to members to franchisees to vendors in 11 different countries would sport the same tattoo.

“No one ever does it because we have cool treadmills. No one ever does it because you are open 24 hours. It is a very personal story and they want to remind themselves, ‘Look, I love this new person, and I don’t want to go back to being the old person,’ or, ‘I accomplished something phenome-

nal,’ or, ‘I really helped change this person’s life and I don’t want to ever forget it,’” Runyon said.

“I really want [people] to

think about the community,” he said of others when they see the Running Man logo. “If our partner does it right, they’ve created a relationship with a member, a relationship that’s based on coaching, on accountability, on empa-thy, on trying to understand the mem-ber…I want them to think about the people behind the brand. I want them to think about themselves.”

While some may call building relation-ships with customers a good business strategy, Runyon calls it something more: building culture. In Runyon’s view, the relationship in the fitness center is no different than the relation-ship in the office for the simple reason that culture begins in the office.

“Everything about the brand starts here. We have to get it right here. When we have frequent visitors, our franchise owners from around the globe, we want them to feel the cul-ture,” he said.

Walk into Anytime Fitness’ office, and you can feel that strategy at play, from the colors that accent the walls to the friendly faces greeting visitors wherev-

USING CULTURE TO DRIVE BUSINESS(and inspire a few tattoos)

ABOVE AND RIGHT: Anytime Fitness Corporate Headquarters

CEO, Chuck Runyon


Go to www.youtube.com/bwbrsolutions to hear Anytime Fitness CEO Chuck Runyon talk in his own words about the importance of culture to corporate success.

Too many people leave work exhausted with no energy to tackle the rest of their life. We want people to leave with a ton of energy...we want them to come in on Monday morning with a ton of energy.

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er in the office they may meet. The atmosphere is ca-sual, but it is also focused. There’s a good nature to the work, but there is also hard work happening in order to create that good-natured feeling. “The secret sauce to our success is our people — not intimidating, draw people in.”

Currently located in a non-descript, pre-cast office building in between exurban communities outside of the Minneapolis-Saint Paul area, the exterior hides much of the energy that happens on the inside. Al-though recognizing that a building unto itself won’t define the culture of an organization, Runyon also says that it has a role to play in the employee culture, one that he hopes to capture in a new, more visible corpo-rate campus designed by BWBR currently in construc-tion in Woodbury.

“Having an average space is not an excuse to have a poor culture…What we are looking for in our new cam-pus is, we are still going to bring our culture and be-liefs in how we work everyday and now this can be an accelerant for our employees to provide them with a wonderful atmosphere inside and outside the building to help with their stress relief, to help give them more energy,” Runyon said with conviction. “Too many peo-ple leave work exhausted with no energy to tackle the rest of their life. We want people to leave with a ton of energy ready to tackle the rest of their life. We want them to come in on Monday morning with a lot of en-ergy. The space we are going into has the capability to replenish that energy of employees.”

Matching the space to the culture means creating space where employees feel a sense of purpose, give employees a sense of autonomy with the ability to work where they feel comfortable, and surrounding them in a culture of growth, physically, personally, and professionally. That also means creating a culture where people can grow together, whether an introvert or extrovert, Gen Xer or Millenial, with space for col-laboration and individual work.

“Our employees give energy to this business every day. How can we give it back? What does our brand stand for and how can the building communicate that?”

In the end, Runyon said, if you can’t build the culture with the people who build the brand day after day, it’s hard for consumers to buy into the brand. “Employees are an important stakeholder. We can’t expect con-sumers to love the brand if employees don’t.”

http://www.youtube.com/bwbrsolutions




IN THE NEWS

Madison Celebrates Two Years Celebrating its second year this November in its southern Wisconsin office, BWBR is gaining a foothold in the market with projects that are advancing the care area hospitals offer and the research regional universities are performing.

One of the nation’s leading academic medical centers in the United States, University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics recently tapped BWBR to help with facility upgrades and improvements at the flagship campus, addressing basic and complex projects.

“Every single one of these projects provides an opportunity to improve patient satisfaction. Often times, the details play the most important role, enhancing these experiences for patients and their families,” said Tom Hanley, AIA, managing principal in the Madison-area office.

Additionally, BWBR is also working with both private and public colleges in the state to find solutions to a changing student profile, evolving teaching practices, and new technology. The largest of these projects currently is a new science center at Carroll University, the single biggest investment in the school’s history, housing interactive teaching and research laboratories for biology, chemistry and biochemistry, along with student/faculty gathering spaces.

“There is a huge shift occurring in the economy. The way we work is changing. The way we learn is changing. The way we access health care is changing,” said Pete Smith, AIA, president and CEO of BWBR. “You can see these changes reflected in the kind of facilities needed at the region’s universities, hospitals, and corporations. It’s an exciting time to be practicing architecture, and we’re happy to have found a home here to provide expertise and design thinking in the region.”

BWBR opened its Wisconsin office in 2012 with a full complement of designers. New to the team includes Gentina Patton, a technical designer with Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Iowa State University, and Leigh Streit, AIA, LEED AP, a project architect with a Bachelor’s degree from Iowa State University.

McDaniel Speaks at Toronto Higher Ed Conference With today’s students and professors asking for more collaboration in the learning curriculum, Stephanie McDaniel, AIA, has teamed

with building services leaders at the University of Minnesota to present research on using various evidence-based design strategies to meet the collaborative needs for students and professors.

McDaniel, an architect and project manager at BWBR, and Miechaleen D. Diers, a building management services manager in the Universi-ty of Minnesota Biomedical Discovery District, presented findings from a study of the Univer-sity’s new Microbiology Research Facility that were used to design the last phase of the bio-medical district. The study provided insight on

the significance of collaboration in a research setting, including how researchers collaborate, what physical amenities impact or encour-age collaboration, and how researchers anticipate their collabora-tive needs changing.

“It’s more than a demographic shift that is encouraging this change,” McDaniel said. “People no longer want to be simply an audience member in their learning and work. They want to be a participant, and just like the workplace where collaboration produces some of the most innovative outcomes, laboratories and education facilities have a role to play in encouraging collaborative interactions.”

McDaniel and Diers’ presentation was part of the 2014 North Cen-tral Regional Conference Nov. 5-7 in Toronto. The Society of College and University Planning (SCUP) conference brings together policy makers, higher education leaders, and organizations to examine and discuss ways to position colleges and universities for successful, sustainable futures in an era of increasing compliance, regulation, accountability, and shrinking funding levels.

Carroll University, Waukesha, Wis.

Stephanie McDanielAIA, LEED AP BD+C, Senior Project Manager

National Recognition for Architectural Staff TrainingOne of only 24 firms nationally to be recognized, BWBR recently received the 2014-2017 IDP Firm Award from the American Institute of Architects for its Intern Development Program. The award honors a firm’s remarkable dedication to the IDP, a profession-wide, comprehensive training program that is focused on the professional development of architectural interns.

“Our longevity and success as a firm is due in no small part to our training and mentoring of up-and-coming staff,” said Peter G. Smith, AIA, president and CEO of the 92-year-old firm. “As buildings become more complex, our business becomes more complex. With the generational changes occurring in our profession, we have to successfully mentor and integrate young staff into our business if we are to continually serve our clients’ complex needs.”

The Intern Development Program started in 1976 as a pilot program developed by the AIA and the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) to ensure the continued support of interns by the changing profession of architecture. Through a series of required activities, IDP enables participants to acquire knowledge, understanding and skills that form the core competencies related to a successful architectural practice.

At BWBR, its Intern Development Program begins immediately when new staff join the firm. The program includes both professional and social mentors, as well as opportunities to connect with professional and community leaders outside of the office. Continual lunch-and-learn seminars and support for work in the community, architecturally related or otherwise, is encouraged to help broaden an intern’s understanding of the business’ impact and benefit. An annual retreat, BWBR You-niversity, also connects staff from all levels and positions to discuss and evaluate the successes of the firm as well as areas for improvement.

“More than feeling mentored, BWBR’s intern program makes you feel like you are sponsored. They steer you in a direction where you can accomplish your goals, learn directly through participation, and assume responsibility to succeed both as a professional and as a coworker,” said Jarett Anderson, a newly licensed architect. “It’s a program that fosters supportive relationships among peers, not simply encourages checking off activities on a list.”

“A healthy culture is one that respects and encourages the ideas and talents young staff bring to our work. Beyond welcoming staff, BWBR needs those just starting in the profession to recognize their value and feel empowered to contribute,” said Michael Meehan, AIA, professional development manager. “We only grow better by nurturing excellence and ownership in staff just starting.”

In the architecture profession, students graduating from college with architectural degrees are known as interns until passing the professional licensure examinations, the Architect Registration Examinations (AREs). Only after passing the current seven tests can interns then be licensed and called an architect.

While not nearly the largest architecture firm in the Upper Midwest, BWBR ranks near the top of regional firms with the highest percentage of licensed architects. Currently, BWBR has 64 licensed architects out of a staff of 134 who include interior designers, administrative and IT staff, specification writers, BIM technicians, and construction administrators.

Committing to Better Practices, the 2030 ChallengeTaking on the challenge to not only design better performing buildings for sustainability but also improve the firm’s operations, BWBR signed the AIA 2030 Commitment on Earth Day 2014. A program of the American Institute of Architects, the AIA 2030 Commitment is to take the aspirational goals of the 2030 Challenge and try to achieve tangible, strategically targeted, performance goals on every project that architects touch. As part of the 2030 Challenge, architects, designers, and engineers aim to make buildings carbon neutral by 2030, with another significant target established for using materials and products that meet a maximum carbon-equivalent footprint.

Code Specialist Recognized for Health Care WorkA 27-year veteran of the industry, 25 of them at BWBR, Roger Larson, AIA, senior code specialist and licensed architect received in 2013 the Polich Award from the Twin City Healthcare Engineering Association for his work and contributions to the operations and engineering of health care facilities. Roger is recognized as one of the most knowledgeable building codes specialists in the field, especially

in the application of codes to highly technical health care facilities that must comply with several state departments.

Newly Licensed Architectural StaffBWBR has one of the highest percentages of staff licensed architects and continually encourages young staff to pursue their license. Newly licensed staff in the past year include:

• Abbie Zeien, AIA • Brian Lapham, AIA

• Jarett Anderson, AIA • Courtney Cooper, AIA

• Kirsten Nalan, AIA • Nate Roisen, AIA

• Dustin Rehkamp, AIA • Tina Fisher, CID

Roger “Lars” LarsonAIA, Senior Code Specialist

ENHANCE

SAINT PAUL | MADISON

380 St. Peter Street, Ste. 600Saint Paul, MN 55102

651.222.3701bwbr.com

At BWBR, we’re exploring many ideas in and outside of design to understand more of the issues affecting the way we work, heal, study, and live. You can find both research and musings on our website at: www.bwbr.com/insights.

http://www.bwbr.com/insights