Workplace change is a profound adjustment for employees. Successful workspace design projects require a designer who is versed in change management strategies.  For a company’s workspace transition to be successful, a top down process will not work. Your designer should work collaboratively with your team and incorporate strategies such as visioning sessions and peer engagement to minimize employee stress and resistance. Your design partner will ideally communicate and work with you through all project phases from programming and design through procurement, construction administration, and post occupancy analysis. During the construction phase, a full service design firm works as your advocate, reviewing work on site, proactively managing changes and vetting Contractors’ progress draws. All of this ensures a well-coordinated design and construction process, resulting in a successful workspace project.

Distinctive thinking leads to successful workspace design results:

1. 1.  Choose a design partner who has expertise in change management
2. 2.  Build an internal project team for decision-making
3. 3.  Involve your design partner early on – ideally before the lease decision is made
4. 4.  Select a design partner that can provide a start-to-finish solution. The process should start with information gathering and analysis: everything from current workplace environment, operational efficiencies, overarching corporate goals for the future, marketplace competitors, and brand.
5. 5.  Engage a value-driven design partner who brings leadership, creativity & project management to the project
6. 6.  Design with flexibility in mind so workplace can easily evolve to changing needs
7. 7.  Leverage sustainability benchmarking to ensure a healthy work environment
8. 8.  Get clarity on the goals of your tenant improvement or renovation
9. 9.  Evaluate the disruption to your business to mitigate negative impact
10. 10. Use best practices for workspace design that includes considerations for productivity, flexibility, competition, collaboration and workplace health into the future

Workplace design by RATIO

Over the last several years at RATIO, we have focused our attention on the changing workplace and how we can help our clients plan spaces that will adapt to future needs. It is anticipated that over the next decade we will see an unprecedented change in the way we work as a result of many factors including larger socio-economic shifts, changing age demographics, rising real estate costs and the need to build a more sustainable future. We work with our clients to ensure that their workspaces are healthy, productive and inspiring; and will be easily adaptable to changing needs.

Learn more about RATIO and Workspace  design:

RATIO project page: Legacy Tax + Trust Lawyers

The right office design from plan to success

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