This sponsored content appears in the Summer 2017 edition of B2B. To view, click here: https://issuu.com/
The most productive employees are those who are happy and who enjoy their work environment. As modern, open offices remain popular, an agile approach to workplace design provides flexibility for workers that contributes to productivityrand happiness.
DLR Group is an employee-owned, integrated design firm with 26 offices and more than 1,000 design professionals worldwide. The firmโs dedicated Workplace Studio researches, evaluates, and executes designs for the modern workplaceโ using the agile methodology regularly.
โAgile design is an effective tool for making workplaces functional for the generational demographics that make up our workforce,โ says Melissa Spearman, LEED AP BD+C, Senior Associate and Workplace Leader at DLR Groupโs Omaha office.
The once-largest generation in the workplace, baby boomers, are retiring or working primarily in management positions. Spearman says these workers are accustomed to structured environments and formally designed spaces.
โMeanwhile, millennials have claimed their stake as the largest group in todayโs workforce,โ Spearman says. โMillennials have ridden atop the wave of technological advancement and learned to adapt quickly as new systems emerge. They are already agile and expect the latest technologies to be available in their workplace.โ
Sitting in-between are Gen X workers. These employees are excited about the flexibility new workplace methodologies can provide, as long as it contributes to a healthy work-life balance.
The eldest members of Gen Z are finishing college and entering the workforce now. Spearman says her team is still learning about the work style of Gen Z, but it is clear they are agile self-motivators. Personal development is a constant in their lives, and they need space for it in theirrfuture workplaces.
The question Spearmanโs team aims to solve for each workplace client is: How can one workplace support, encourage, grow andโmost importantlyโappeal to all of the generations in the current workforce? Spearman says an agile workplace design methodology encompasses six key principles:
1. Focus ZonesโHeads down workspace where employees can focus without interruptions.
2. Smart and Connected SpacesโAreas with integrated technology for teams and individuals to gather. Spaces can include a huddle room, nook, or any designated areas within the office that allow for use of digital tools and power.
3. FlexibilityโUtilizing furniture from a kit of parts to create optimal flexibility and interchangeability.
4. Collaboration SpacesโAreas for employees to engage in quick chats and impromptu collaboration.
5. Teaming AreasโWith todayโs multifaceted workplace environment, these spaces allow employees to work in teams to solve problems and strategize.
6. Community SpaceโExpanding the breakroom into a multi-function space for many different uses allows it to be a gathering space for all-office meetings, a place to hold an afterhours event, or a gathering place for others in thercommunity to enjoy.
โTo accommodate todayโs varied workforce, DLR Groupโs Workplace Studio focuses on designing spaces around motivated individuals,โ Spearman says. โProviding an agile environment with a variety of workspace areas to support various generational needs helps employees getrtheir jobs done.โ
DLR Groupr6457 Frances Street, Suite 200rOmaha, NE 68106r402.393.4100rdlrgroup.com
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