2/7 Showroom Presentation
Design Implications
Workplace Trends
Embracing an Open Office
Open Office Research
Designing for Inclusion
Employee Retention
A holistic approach to understanding the workplace includes consideration of place, people, and process in conjunction with evolving business needs. In the workplace, three performances—facility, human, and organizational—all influence each other. Human performance is about how people perform. Facility performance is about how the built environment performs. Organizational performance is about how the organization performs in meeting its goals. The layout of the furniture, the ratio of individual and group spaces, collaboration spaces, and project space must be able to accommodate organizational changes.
Employees will need to provide optimal performance —staying efficient while producing quality work.
The nature of work is influenced by forces beyond our control—social, technological, economic, environmental, and political.
People will value the autonomy to self-direct how, when, and where work happens
Non-routine work is more prevalent, and workers are valued for creative critical thinking.
People desire choice in place and will self-select where to work to achieve optimal performance.
A variety of work settings must support the spectrum of work activities.
The work environment must balance technology access and comfort and security.
There’s some inevitable anxiety and uncertainty that accompanies a shift from a closed to an open office environment. Transitioning to an open plan doesn’t have to be intimidating. In fact, if it’s an open plan where you have a range of spaces to support focus and collaboration, you might even be more effective and productive.
You’ll need to adjust!
Working in the open – You’ll draw on past experiences of working on a plane, or a hotel lobby to help you acclimate and feel more comfortable doing some of your work in the open that you previously would have done behind a closed door. Finding a meeting space – If there are small meeting rooms equipped with technology nearby, along with a range of functional informal meeting areas, this will be an easier adjustment than you may expect. Reducing your storage –This a good first step to being leaner, lighter, and more thoughtful about the physical materials you need to be successful each day. Balancing collaboration and distractions – One of the benefits of sitting closer to your team is having more awareness of what’s happening in your group. However, those gains can come at the cost of your ability to manage distractions. Finding the right balance will take some time and will likely vary based what your priorities are each day.
Be accessible when you can – Take advantage of being in the open and closer to your team. You’ll likely gain a stronger pulse on what’s happening each day and be able to react to things as the progress.
Use space to manage your availability – If there are shared spaces near your desk that are designed to support focus, utilize them to get individual work done. Your conscious choice to sit somewhere else is signaling to your team that you shouldn’t be interrupted.
Use a room when you need it, but don’t camp out – It’s expected that you’ll be heavy users of meeting rooms for a variety of activities. However, if you end up commandeering a room for all your work, it will send the wrong message and leave your team with one less meeting room to support their work.
Tips for Making the Most of Your Environment!
Encourage informal meetings when it makes sense – If your meeting is not about a sensitive topic and doesn’t have anyone joining virtually on the phone or video, then consider hosting it in an open collaborative space.
Welcome open dialogue and feedback – If your colleagues’ behaviors are impacting your work, a little coaching can go a long way. For example, rather than telling someone their voice is too loud, suggest they take their conversation to a meeting room.
Strengthen the culture of your team – The more you can align this change to the goals and objectives of your team, the more it will resonate with your staff and the easier it will be for you to champion it.
Agile Work
This gives people the maximum flexibility they need, while increasing interaction and eliminating barriers to collaboration. Agile work can increase employee performance, satisfaction, and engagement. •Integrate technology throughout and in a variety of settings. •Demonstrate applications based on specific knowledge and research. •Shift individual space to a variety of group spaces. •Create non-traditional spaces to collaborate, socialize, and work. •Add elements of lighting, color, and texture to create inviting spaces with visual interest. •Accessorize with artistic craft-inspired pieces. •Provide an inspirational environment.
Floorplate and Adjacencies
•Active zones are best in the center of the building: high traffic areas, such as printer areas, restrooms, elevators, and cafés. •Keep quiet zones away from louder active zones and establish rules/norms. •To accommodate necessary conversations, phone use, or quick meetings, immediate access to non-reserve-able huddle spaces are essential. •In open-plan areas, use strategically placed absorptive materials to minimize reflections and reduce sound levels. •Position closed rooms where needed to support deliberate tasks requiring sustained attention, which also provide high levels of speech privacy.
Supporting different types of work
For collaboration, connection, and creativity to flourish, space design should protect people’s ability to focus and encourage restorative behaviors by providing these types of spaces for individuals and groups:
•Individual focus – Where intense focus work and problem-solving occur •Individual restore – A space that encourages regeneration and relaxation
•Group focus – Where collaboration, ideation/deep thinking, communication, and connection happen •Group restore – A space that encourages regeneration and socializing
"The workplace is a venue for social impact, and it's important to have spaces that are legible to all for psychological safety. We need to be inclusive of diverse individuals by creating spaces together," says Haworth’s Director of Talent Attraction & Development Sharon Netto-Lipsky.
Legible Design
Workspace design speaks a language that conveys information about culture, norms, and commitment to well-being. People who understand the language can use and make their way around a space without much difficulty or stress. We call this the “legibility” of the workspace. •Legible design includes a floorplan that can be easily navigated and understood by all. •Includes visual access throughout the space and to the outside. •Provides landmarks that help people orient themselves. •Includes individual and group spaces that communicate their intended use through inclusive design.
Neurodiversity
“Neurodiverse individuals are our largest population. It's important to design spaces to accommodate their needs.” •Neurodivergent individuals may have sensitivity to lights, sounds, and smells, in addition to differences in the ways they interact with others. •Designing a variety of spaces that take into account the effects of these sensitivities, and even color choices can make a big difference. •A legible space has a common language of intention that offers equity in access to resources, a sense of personal comfort, and shared understanding for all people.
Using inclusive design techniques
•Providing choice in spaces and tools. •Eliminating unnecessary complexity and manipulation of items in the workspace. •Arranging elements to eliminate physical hazards and barriers. •Providing warnings of potential hazards and failsafe features. •Providing a clear line of sight to important elements and keeping tools within reach of any seated or standing user. •Providing adequate space for assistive devices or personal assistance.
More and more, employees are looking for workplaces that allow them to merge work, professional and personal connections. Thoughtfully aligning workplace culture and well-designed spaces that match the desired outcomes can help organizations reel in and retain the top talent essential to thrive today and into the future.
Top Amenities Wanted
•Easy access to public and alternative transportation. •A healthy work environment that addresses holistic well-being. •A modern facility with a variety of spaces. •More control over how, when, and where they work. •A workspace experience (whether at home or in the office) that makes them feel empowered and valued. •Fun, interesting experiences that create a sense of community with colleagues. •Views of nature and access to daylight.
HAWA Office & Workstation Discussion 2/7
Your King Team
Sales Consultant rdearing@kbiinc.com
Raine Dearing
Director of Flooring Operations mnixon@kbiinc.com
Marty Nixon
VP of Marketing & Design chelseaking@kbiinc.com
Chelsea King Deane
VP of Sales dflinders@kbiinc.com
Diane Flinders
President + Owner darlaking@kbiinc.com
Darla King
Proudly woman-owned & family-owned
20+ years in business
1998
Square feet of warehouse space
100,000+
Demountable Walls
Commercial Furniture
Commercial Flooring
Installation/Service
Warehousing/Storage
At King we want to be more than just a furniture or flooring vendor. Our dedicated project team will deliver peace of mind as they help you navigate the order and installation process. And in the event your space is not quite ready we are prepared. You’ll rest easy knowing your product is safely stored at our distribution facility until delivery day. In the end, as your selected partner, we promise to help you love where you work!
Our Story
Our Core Values: We are a dedicated team, who respect each other, working with a positive attitude to always do the right thing by keeping our customers first!
Our design team is trained and prepared to provide clients with a live design session. We have found that by working together our staff can walk through electrical, data and space planning issues in real time. This service will eliminate design errors, miscommunication and ultimately deliver better project results. We believe that the work environment is more than just a desk or a table. We intentionally plan for the intersection of technology as well as assist with layout and design aesthetic.
Imagine receiving a box. That box would need to be free of damage, the item inside may need assembly, and the carton would need to be recycled. These steps are handled by King not an ouside contractor, which sets us apart. Your product will be consolidated at our 100,000 sq’ distribution center, inspected and prepared for delivery. The boxes, skids and plastic will be recycled, and you will rest easy knowing if something is delayed your product is safe until you are ready to receive it!
Every project requires coordination. Having a dedicated Project Manager onsite to navigate construction trades, electrical placement, and manage the overall workflow is one element we do not skip. As companies move, expand, or build our Project Managers are tasked to know the job site conditions, coordinate with electricians, and walk the final punch with each client. Our full time Service & Warranty team is one phone call away and ready to help. They are experienced at troubleshooting your need and solving it per the manufacturers warranty.
Live Design
Local Warehousing & Recycling
Project Management & Service
As an environmental benefit for our community, our Connecting the Dots program will collect used office furniture from clients and distribute it to organizations in need. Over the years Connecting the Dots has become a soft conversation with customers who are making plans to improve their facilities or possibly move to a new location. Diverting durable materials from our local landfills to alleviate the concern of disposal for clients is one more step the King team takes to be a full service partner.
Connecting the Dots
Recent recipients:
Our Trusted Customers
About Haworth
Haworth’s three pillars combined are what differentiate us: Family-Owned, Global Expertise, and Design Led. Our heritage is deepened by three generations of one family and guided by our values which are the cornerstone of our culture. We design and manufacture product solutions that help you create inspiring spaces. The breadth and strength of our portfolio forms the foundation for creating Organic Workspaces, keeping your business nimble and making the most of your investment. We're your partner in transforming space, no matter where you're located.
The Organic Workspace
Attraction/Retention
Open Office = Collaboration: We used to think about open office plans being a solution for density. Today we focus on crafting open offices for collaboration and culture through employee engagement.
Evolution of Work: people want to have choice to do a variety of tasks throughout the day. Incorporating 1st, 2nd and 3rd spaces can enable employees to choose the best space for: focus work, social connection, and collaboration. Consideration: Employees need access to untethered technology.
Aligning people and space for optimal performance including the performance of your people, organization, and facility.
Not Just a Panel
Easily configure and reconfigure applications to support changing business needs without buying all new components for each reconfiguration. Compose office workstation furniture is versatile, so you’ll always get the most from your investment. Compose is more than workstation desks - with flexibility and amenities, Compose supports vibrant workspaces.
Compose Gallery Panel
Compose Echo workspaces prove that two worlds can coexist in one space, allowing individual work and team collaboration to happen fluidly. This innovative, modular workplace system creates mobile workstations that move the way you do—with the flexibility to adapt to a variety of workstyles and activities. Easy, intuitive movements give people freedom to quickly change position, posture, and orientation to support their work, personal comfort, and well-being.
Compose Echo
Building In Collaboration
Pergola
Pergola is a freestanding architectural workspace that also functions as an office space divider. Pergola is a space where people can get away to connect, collaborate, or focus. Pergola offers a spectrum of materiality choices, and a broad range of space and room solutions that are scalable in performance and application.
Next Steps
What You Saw at King
Thank You!
