A Place That Works for Everyone
It’s an age-old office formula. Everyone is assigned a desk and we all plug along while waiting for inspiration to strike. Or we used to. Now La-Z-Boy, along with Steelcase’s Applied Research & Consulting (ARC), has transformed that model with striking results.
Their process began with workshops, interviews and research with employees at all levels. The goal was to develop a new model of innovation and efficiency. Armed with new insight, and with the assistance of architects from The Collaborative, design build contractors from Rudolph Libbe, plus NBS for furnishings and flooring, La-Z-Boy’s corporate headquarters is a remarkable expression of strategy, brand and culture.
In a fundamental shift, employees now have greater control over their space to help improve engagement and outcomes. Staff members choose where they want to work — and there are plenty of options. The design strategy created a variety of interrelated workspaces that support different work modes and moods such as individual, collaboration, socialization or rejuvenation. Traditional departments are grouped by “neighborhoods,” but the floor plan provides this adjacency of flexible spaces. “Free-address” workstations and benching systems with integrated power are open and available to anyone. Casual spaces that are furnished with lounge seating provide places for colleagues to talk, mingle or have private conversations. There are also numerous quiet spaces that provide solitude and a place for focused work. An additional benefit — physical movement helps maintain energy and wellbeing.
The WorkCafe, several “innovation zones,” the atrium and the coffee bar are all designed to support interaction and collaboration. At the same time, acknowledging that creativity is often spontaneous, analog tools such as mobile white boards are readily available. In addition to where staff works, how they work is also important for wellbeing. Changes in posture that support different work modes are made possible by the inclusion of Walkstation treadmill desks and adjustable height worksurfaces.
Taking control of your workspace used to mean deciding how to organize your files. Not here. At La-Z-Boy there is a powerful cultural dynamic supported by an equally dynamic workspace. Working hard is one thing; working smart is something altogether different.
For more on this amazing project, check out the October 2015 CAM (Construction Association of Michigan) Magazine article, “Live Life Comfortably at the New La-Z-Boy Headquarters” by Mary E. Kremposky.
To learn more about the innovative thinking and products from La-Z-Boy, visit la-z-boy.com
