To support an anticipated 10% growth in staff over two years, this healthcare nonprofit evaluated options for their headquarters office that included expanding to additional floors in their existing building, taking space in other buildings, or leveraging alternative workplace strategies. Our study and evaluations showed that a large percentage of their employees – supported by a results-oriented work environment (ROWE) – teleworked or embraced other mobile work options. These findings drove our recommendation for the nonprofit to adopt a sharing ratio of 8 seats per 10 people, and create functional, desirable hoteling workspaces that maximizes the existing footprint, and accommodates and supports remote workers and those physically present in the office.
The nonprofit is currently piloting and monitoring this new workplace concept. Once this workplace strategy is rolled out to the entire organization, the organization will be able to grow their headcount by 10% or more without having to expand their footprint.
Building Facts
- 9,600 GSF modernization
- Hoteling workspace
- Workplace strategy
- Interior design
Growth Without Growth
A third of employees were in the office two days or less a week, reflecting the self-directed work culture of ROWE.
By monitoring space occupancy and use, we also determined that office spaces were occupied only a third of the time, and that at peak periods, the building is only 62% occupied.
Based on our finding, we recommended increasing the number of hoteling stations and shared offices, decreasing the number of private offices and workstations, and creating “neighborhoods” that provide a permanent home base for mobile workers.
Hoteling stations located within each employee’s assigned “neighborhood” provide reservable seating options, in pleasant locations, with built-in technology and storage options.
Assigned seating within each “neighborhood” is based on individual’s past work behavior. Those in the office more than two days a week are the strongest candidates for fixed seating.
Small, semi-private, flexible-use rooms were incorporated into the design in response to findings that 73% of meetings were with 2-4 people.
With a results-oriented work environment (ROWE) already in place, work behaviors at the nonprofit had adapted to the autonomy inherent in ROWE, enabling employees to work outside the office. Our research and analysis showed that with their ROWE culture, space configuration and workplace assignment policies would allow the nonprofit to grow headcount without having to expand their footprint.
Workplace Strategy Interiors Well-Being
