A 24’ x 5’ media wall offers continually updated news from around the company and around the world. This concept was implemented not just at headquarters but in all our spaces, so workers in the U.S., for example, can learn about what’s going on in Malaysia or Moscow, and vice versa. media:scape collaborative settings help people share digital content more effectively, and access to power and Wi-Fi is ubiquitous.
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This was a very different way of working and it required managers and employees to better understand what this meant. “We used a series of engagements and online resources to help managers learn to lead differently, to set objectives and measure performance instead of counting heads and measuring seat time,” says Steve Wolfe, director of corporate human resources.
A pilot group of 80 employees received laptops, smartphones and training for a mobile workstyle. Later the group helped other employees prepare for the change of going mobile.
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Team members, including designers, researchers, product marketers, engineers and other staffers, keep in touch daily via telepresence. To avoid the typically formal and often awkward videoconference, employees can choose from a variety of configurations for their project rooms with café tables, lounge chairs and other furniture so participants can stand, sit, perch or walk around. Close-ups and one-on-one exchanges make gestures and facial expressions clear and help improve understanding. Plus, each project room also has space where people can break away from active collaboration but stay nearby to rejoin as needed. It all makes for videoconferences that are informal, collaborative and productive.
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Changing company culture is difficult. The physical environment is not the only influencing factor, and Steelcase leaders recognize there’s work to be done on other fronts.
‘Changing buildings is not enough, technology alone won’t get it done, and inspiring workspaces don’t create change on their own,’ says Ludwig. 'But they help make change possible. These spaces make sharing information faster and co-creating better. They help people to connect with the brand, the organizational culture and each other.’
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