Time for a Change - Atlanta Business Chronicle

Remember when we were neck-deep in the Great Recession and the common mantra was “don’t let a good crisis go to waste”? The application of that wise counsel meant different things for different companies, but the shared thread for the forward-thinking companies was “there are no sacred cows” – any and all ideas that can strengthen the organization are on the table. How can we come out of this recession stronger, smarter and with increased market-share? What chess moves can we make today that will enable us to leapfrog the competition tomorrow? Cut the fat out but don’t cut too deep…we need to be positioned for the recovery. Sound familiar?

I love the Charles Darwin quote. “It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the most responsive to change.” What is fascinating about recessions is how they test a company’s leadership team – who rises to the occasion, embraces the challenges and who panics, folds under pressure.

We’ve been fortunate to work with many talented leadership teams that have taken full advantage of this downturn. Yes, they’re capitalizing on the soft real estate market but it’s going well beyond cost structure and into how they work – remember, no sacred cows. The workplace environment transformation is in full force – not just a cool white paper anymore…..we’re in implementation mode; therefore, I called up one of the best in the business, Stephen Swicegood, principal and managing director of Gensler’s Atlanta office to discuss what he’s seeing.

O'Neill: “What factors are driving changes in the workplace today?”

Swicegood: “Most business people today would say that this is one of the most challenging, volatile economies in memory. And it’s not just sluggish markets. Even before the downturn, we were in a period of dramatic change due to globalization, changing workforce demographics and new technologies. Companies are reinventing their business processes, so it’s no surprise that their workplaces need to be part of those changes.”

“With the fast pace of change, there’s no ‘magic bullet’ solution that will ensure sustained success. Companies have to become more adaptable, and that’s why people are the key to success today. More than ever, companies are focused on recruiting, retaining and engaging their people, because anything less than full discretionary effort just doesn’t cut it these days.”

O'Neill: “How are workplaces changing in response to these challenges?”

Swicegood: “Daniel Pink, in his book Drive, says that people today are seeking three key things in their work experience: autonomy, mastery, belief. We can use these three factors to better understand how and why the workplace is changing."

“Technology has made it possible for workers to have an unprecedented degree of autonomy with regard to where they work. It could be at home, in a coffee shop or on an airplane as easily as in the office. So it’s not surprising that people aren’t interested in parking themselves in a “Dilbert” cube all day. Today, we’re providing work settings to support all work modes, including focusing, collaborating, learning and socializing.”

“Mastery means having the opportunities and tools that enable you to do your best work. We’re creating “agile” workplaces that weave video conference and “smart” board technologies throughout work areas. People in these workplaces are collaborating with colleagues in New Zealand and India the way they used to collaborate with people on the next floor.”

“Belief means feeling that you’re part of something special. It’s the key to having employees go beyond enrollment to engagement. When we’re designing a workplace, we devote tremendous attention to understanding the underlying attributes of our client’s brand and we make sure those qualities are reinforced in the workplace design.”

O'Neill: “How is the Millennial generation affecting workplace design?”

Swicegood: “So far, we’ve only seen the tip of this generation’s iceberg in the workplace. But we have to realize that if you’re designing space now for a ten-year lease term, by the end of that term the Millennials will make up the majority of your workforce! The big difference in how this generation sees the world is their attitude towards collaboration, which is that ALL work is collaborative. Some people argue that the Millennials will become “conditioned” to more conventional attitudes as they mature, but as an aging Boomer I still follow the spirit of change that I remember from the 1970’s, so maybe the Millennials will remember the spirit of the 2000’s?”

O'Neill: Thank you, Stephen for taking the time to share your wisdom.

via bizjournals.com

Posted via email from soulhangout's posterous