There's something missing in the office today. This is not a computer stolen last week. Also cell phones are not (apart from several co-workers' wishes). This is - or - the most basic office structure: walls.
Business in Greater Des Moines, especially large companies, is kicking down barriers that separate people from their colleagues and create an environment that encourages constant interaction with colleagues.
"I think there is a desire to maximize productivity and also the pleasures and synergy established between co-workers in the work environment," said Matt Ostanik, public relations chair for the Iowa chapter American Institute of Architects. "Collaboration is a tool for companies to do both things: to build more output and a pleasant experience."
Open environment ideal comply Wells Fargo Co. of entry-level employees to executives at the new campus on Jordan Creek Parkway West Des Moines.
Most of the workstations are not surrounded by four walls. Conversely, there is only a high wall to separate the station and even a glass window. On the front and rear lower panels, so that when an employee was sitting, he could see the faces of all the colleagues around him. No doors, which allows people to communicate through the alley.
Features such as low filing cabinet with a pillow that can be pulled out from under the table and used as extra seating allows employees to gather at each station. Each floor contains approximately six conference rooms at the end of the hallway, which allows for private conversations or conference calls on the settings ranging from the easy chair to a more traditional table-chair setup.
"We've been down barriers on all workstations," said Cheryl Howard, Senior Vice President of corporate real estate and facilities services for Wells Fargo, "and has a standard that will make it easier for people to move from one place to another."
To keep the sound to a minimum, the company set up a system of white votes, which plays a soft hum through the speakers in the ceiling. Employees accustomed to the sound, which drowned out nearby conversations.
Office really is surrounded by four high walls - still with no doors or walls extending to the ceiling - set away from the window so that all employees can enjoy natural sunlight.
"Wells Fargo is unique because there are some mix of private offices," said Scott Hatfield, chairman of the board in SVPA Architects Inc., who designed the building. "They have chosen to eliminate the corporate culture is."
Standard feature in all departments, but flexible enough to allow employees to create the space in accordance with their occupations. They can add panels to the wall or remove the window between workstations if their work requires more privacy.
Moving towards free environment, the company booth offers potential for savings - the more people that can fit in less space of the building - and workers more opportunities to bounce ideas from one another, improve creative output.
After the executive in the same kind of environment as an entry-level workers also provide a sense of equality among team members and help the subordinates do not feel neglected by management.
"Many innovations in office furniture to make people feel less enclosed and the square chamber," says Vitus Bering, SVPA's Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. "Innovation in the furniture market has a lot to do with the feeling of space and the opportunity to meet one another."
Happy employees, better business
Two Rivers Marketing philosophy is "if you can not have fun, BE fun." And design office is an expression of the credo.
The No. 1 goal when renovating the building, said Tom Dunphy corporate leaders, is "to build a space that will inspire good work. I wanted a place where colleagues will be happy to come to work.
"If an employee is not happy, is difficult to come up with creative ideas are great."
Located in the former General Motors Corp. at 106 E. store Sixth St., two blocks south of the East Village, the company has a huge area that allows to create an open environment that encourages employee interaction.
"The interesting thing about Two Rivers is a glorious extra space, which allows them to stretch out a bit," said Bryan Shiffler, manager PLC Shiffler Associates Architects, who designed the office. "This use of space against the wall and the corridor to separate the people."
Two Rivers' workstations is more like a table with loose steel shields that cover several areas of work, but has a gap along the angle iron. Creative writers, designers and directors are placed at one end, with a public relations manager and account manager at the other end. They gathered in the space between, length, width of a meeting place with several sections that include easy chairs, desk and wireless connection for laptop computers. At the rear is a large conference room that can be closed by pulling down the garage door.
The attic was built for a staff of business administration from the creative type, sitting in the living room and held the office for Dunphy and Chief Operating Officer Brian Jones, a small conference room, and a row of tables for human resources and administrative employees. Two offices are surrounded by wood and metal with wide holes for the windows, "more decorations from the wall," Dunphy points out.
"Two Rivers Marketing hire people who are very creative," Shiffler said. "And the people who want smart, energetic open space. By opening it, it is the company's efforts to develop synergies in their community - cross-pollination of their ideas."
This collaborative space is not only to encourage the spirit of the 60 employees, but also the core body.
"In terms of growth, we have the best quarter ever as an agent," Dunphy said. "It shows in every business and I think the measurement is a function of the people happy."
An increase of business may also be a reflection of the Two Rivers 'clients' appreciation of space. Agency specializes in providing marketing services for agricultural and construction businesses, and the concrete and steel roof reflects the industry 'type of manual labor.
Interested in one area
Foreign create a workstation that feels more open, the company also added that improvised style meeting facilities and interaction with other departments outside the office, the so-called "magnet spaces."
"I believe there is a desire in the American company to bring all elements of their company feel more as one," Shiffler said. "Corporations do not want to isolate the department. There may be ideas and the possibility of life in a company that needs to spread to other parts."
When Shiffler's firm began to design Krause Gentle Corp. 's headquarters, the goal "is to create the best dining in West Des Moines, so employees who want to go there to work," he explained.
Before the different sectors in several buildings and spread over several floors, so that employees never interact with different parts of the company.
"Instead of making five or six different rest area," said Sharon Krause, who in the business development group for Kum & Go convenience stores, a subsidiary of Krause Gentle, "we have one centralized area. This allows us to have more resources power there and provide the opportunity for employees to visit each other and network during the day. "
Putting Bistro 59, a cafeteria, and even copier and mail room in the same area, forcing employees Krause Gentle's diverse companies - Liberty Bank, Solar Transport, Des Moines Menace, Kum & Go, Krause Gentle Foundation and the Mille Miglia Coffee - to mingle .
Wells Fargo to go one step further by offering sports facilities, a large training room, and even a shop in a new building on campus. At every level of break rooms as well. Even inviting employees to walk the stairs rather than take the elevator, with large windows and spacious areas in which to stop and chat.
"It means," said Howard, "is to encourage people to stay away from their workstations and have informal meetings as they crossed the street."
Two Rivers Marketing firm focused on the fun, with a break room with full kitchen, beer fridge, dart boards and pool tables set back from which the employee works. Company hosts a barbecue every Friday, in addition to participating in monthly events such as the Polar Bear Plunge.
Trend to continue
One of the biggest innovations in office design is a "120-degree work," says Heather Van Essen, associate and director of interior design for SVPA.
"Space is a little more open," he said. "And allows for more interaction between peers and staff."
Instead of the front wall that forced someone to make 90 degrees when entering the room, the walls moved in front of 120 degrees. Creating a more open design of work areas, and more efficient curved features to work.
This is just another example of the desire for large companies to not only encourage but also set a framework which causes co-workers to interact on a regular basis. The trend is likely to continue as businesses see increased productivity and morale of their employees.
"More and more companies realize that you can not take for granted office space," said Ostanik. "To maximize your investment, you need to focus on the design and the message it sends." www.businessrecord.com
Business in Greater Des Moines, especially large companies, is kicking down barriers that separate people from their colleagues and create an environment that encourages constant interaction with colleagues.
"I think there is a desire to maximize productivity and also the pleasures and synergy established between co-workers in the work environment," said Matt Ostanik, public relations chair for the Iowa chapter American Institute of Architects. "Collaboration is a tool for companies to do both things: to build more output and a pleasant experience."
Open environment ideal comply Wells Fargo Co. of entry-level employees to executives at the new campus on Jordan Creek Parkway West Des Moines.
Most of the workstations are not surrounded by four walls. Conversely, there is only a high wall to separate the station and even a glass window. On the front and rear lower panels, so that when an employee was sitting, he could see the faces of all the colleagues around him. No doors, which allows people to communicate through the alley.
Features such as low filing cabinet with a pillow that can be pulled out from under the table and used as extra seating allows employees to gather at each station. Each floor contains approximately six conference rooms at the end of the hallway, which allows for private conversations or conference calls on the settings ranging from the easy chair to a more traditional table-chair setup.
"We've been down barriers on all workstations," said Cheryl Howard, Senior Vice President of corporate real estate and facilities services for Wells Fargo, "and has a standard that will make it easier for people to move from one place to another."
To keep the sound to a minimum, the company set up a system of white votes, which plays a soft hum through the speakers in the ceiling. Employees accustomed to the sound, which drowned out nearby conversations.
Office really is surrounded by four high walls - still with no doors or walls extending to the ceiling - set away from the window so that all employees can enjoy natural sunlight.
"Wells Fargo is unique because there are some mix of private offices," said Scott Hatfield, chairman of the board in SVPA Architects Inc., who designed the building. "They have chosen to eliminate the corporate culture is."
Standard feature in all departments, but flexible enough to allow employees to create the space in accordance with their occupations. They can add panels to the wall or remove the window between workstations if their work requires more privacy.
Moving towards free environment, the company booth offers potential for savings - the more people that can fit in less space of the building - and workers more opportunities to bounce ideas from one another, improve creative output.
After the executive in the same kind of environment as an entry-level workers also provide a sense of equality among team members and help the subordinates do not feel neglected by management.
"Many innovations in office furniture to make people feel less enclosed and the square chamber," says Vitus Bering, SVPA's Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. "Innovation in the furniture market has a lot to do with the feeling of space and the opportunity to meet one another."
Happy employees, better business
Two Rivers Marketing philosophy is "if you can not have fun, BE fun." And design office is an expression of the credo.
The No. 1 goal when renovating the building, said Tom Dunphy corporate leaders, is "to build a space that will inspire good work. I wanted a place where colleagues will be happy to come to work.
"If an employee is not happy, is difficult to come up with creative ideas are great."
Located in the former General Motors Corp. at 106 E. store Sixth St., two blocks south of the East Village, the company has a huge area that allows to create an open environment that encourages employee interaction.
"The interesting thing about Two Rivers is a glorious extra space, which allows them to stretch out a bit," said Bryan Shiffler, manager PLC Shiffler Associates Architects, who designed the office. "This use of space against the wall and the corridor to separate the people."
Two Rivers' workstations is more like a table with loose steel shields that cover several areas of work, but has a gap along the angle iron. Creative writers, designers and directors are placed at one end, with a public relations manager and account manager at the other end. They gathered in the space between, length, width of a meeting place with several sections that include easy chairs, desk and wireless connection for laptop computers. At the rear is a large conference room that can be closed by pulling down the garage door.
The attic was built for a staff of business administration from the creative type, sitting in the living room and held the office for Dunphy and Chief Operating Officer Brian Jones, a small conference room, and a row of tables for human resources and administrative employees. Two offices are surrounded by wood and metal with wide holes for the windows, "more decorations from the wall," Dunphy points out.
"Two Rivers Marketing hire people who are very creative," Shiffler said. "And the people who want smart, energetic open space. By opening it, it is the company's efforts to develop synergies in their community - cross-pollination of their ideas."
This collaborative space is not only to encourage the spirit of the 60 employees, but also the core body.
"In terms of growth, we have the best quarter ever as an agent," Dunphy said. "It shows in every business and I think the measurement is a function of the people happy."
An increase of business may also be a reflection of the Two Rivers 'clients' appreciation of space. Agency specializes in providing marketing services for agricultural and construction businesses, and the concrete and steel roof reflects the industry 'type of manual labor.
Interested in one area
Foreign create a workstation that feels more open, the company also added that improvised style meeting facilities and interaction with other departments outside the office, the so-called "magnet spaces."
"I believe there is a desire in the American company to bring all elements of their company feel more as one," Shiffler said. "Corporations do not want to isolate the department. There may be ideas and the possibility of life in a company that needs to spread to other parts."
When Shiffler's firm began to design Krause Gentle Corp. 's headquarters, the goal "is to create the best dining in West Des Moines, so employees who want to go there to work," he explained.
Before the different sectors in several buildings and spread over several floors, so that employees never interact with different parts of the company.
"Instead of making five or six different rest area," said Sharon Krause, who in the business development group for Kum & Go convenience stores, a subsidiary of Krause Gentle, "we have one centralized area. This allows us to have more resources power there and provide the opportunity for employees to visit each other and network during the day. "
Putting Bistro 59, a cafeteria, and even copier and mail room in the same area, forcing employees Krause Gentle's diverse companies - Liberty Bank, Solar Transport, Des Moines Menace, Kum & Go, Krause Gentle Foundation and the Mille Miglia Coffee - to mingle .
Wells Fargo to go one step further by offering sports facilities, a large training room, and even a shop in a new building on campus. At every level of break rooms as well. Even inviting employees to walk the stairs rather than take the elevator, with large windows and spacious areas in which to stop and chat.
"It means," said Howard, "is to encourage people to stay away from their workstations and have informal meetings as they crossed the street."
Two Rivers Marketing firm focused on the fun, with a break room with full kitchen, beer fridge, dart boards and pool tables set back from which the employee works. Company hosts a barbecue every Friday, in addition to participating in monthly events such as the Polar Bear Plunge.
Trend to continue
One of the biggest innovations in office design is a "120-degree work," says Heather Van Essen, associate and director of interior design for SVPA.
"Space is a little more open," he said. "And allows for more interaction between peers and staff."
Instead of the front wall that forced someone to make 90 degrees when entering the room, the walls moved in front of 120 degrees. Creating a more open design of work areas, and more efficient curved features to work.
This is just another example of the desire for large companies to not only encourage but also set a framework which causes co-workers to interact on a regular basis. The trend is likely to continue as businesses see increased productivity and morale of their employees.
"More and more companies realize that you can not take for granted office space," said Ostanik. "To maximize your investment, you need to focus on the design and the message it sends." www.businessrecord.com
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