The Officeless Office that Works

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1 The spacious atrium is the center of the facility, providing a gathering place for staff with access to amenities including a company store, health center and cafe. The Officeless Office that Works B Y J O H N C A M P B E L L an d R A Y M I L O R A T he nature of how business is conducted has changed radically, yet most workplaces still reflect a time when workers were tethered to a particular location. Today, you can do more on your smart phone than you could do on a computer 20 years ago. To harness the power of advanced communications and computing technology, it is imperative that organizations reconsider the purpose of the physical office and update it accordingly. With the ability to work anytime from anywhere, the significance of an assigned individual workspace diminishes in favor of a wide range of settings for different work activities whether individual-focused, collaborative, learning or social, physically and virtually. A work environment without assigned seating enables employees to move seamlessly across different settings as needed and address changing business needs without downtime. This vastly increases both the efficiency and effectiveness of the organization. 36 the leader March/April 2014 Making the Most of Space GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) understands the potential for facility upgrades to create value. Over a 10-year period, the company developed a program that would align its workspaces with its business culture and processes to drive results. In 2010, GSK began looking for opportunities to transform its workplaces in Philadelphia to better facilitate knowledge-sharing and empower individuals. Ultimately, this process resulted in a facility, 5 Crescent Drive at the Philadelphia Navy Yard, which opened in April GSK s research revealed that at any given time, over half of the desks at its offices were unoccupied. That means that at GSK s prior Philadelphia facility, over 700 of the 1300 desks provided were simply sitting empty, a clear waste of space and resources. These statistics and the commitment to an open work plan empowered GSK and architecture firm Francis Cauffman, which designed the building s workplace, to provide desk-

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3 The new building is nearly 75 percent smaller than GSK s former facility. Despite the reduction in square footage, the new facility feels noticeably more spacious than the old facility, due to its open office plan and use of natural light. ing space for only 80 percent of the total workforce assigned to the new facility. While GSK s former facility in downtown Philadelphia was 32 floors in two buildings totaling 800,000 square feet (74,322 square meters), 5 Crescent Drive is four floors and 208,000 square feet (19,323 square meters). The new building is nearly 75 percent smaller than GSK s former facility, and the amount of space per employee has been reduced from 275 square feet (25 square meters) to 130 square feet (12 square meters). This smaller space translated to a vast reduction in energy consumption and a large cost savings for GSK. So far, the organization has seen a 30 percent Employees frequently choose to use the grand staircase to move between floors, as it offers the opportunity to stretch their legs and meet coworkers. 38 the leader March/April 2014 drop in energy costs, on top of the reduced operating costs that come with a smaller building. Despite the reduction in square footage, the new facility feels noticeably more spacious than the old facility, due to its open office plan and use of natural light. The Open Office Francis Cauffman worked with GSK to design 5 Crescent Drive to reflect the company s mission of helping people to do more, feel better and live longer. This new open-office model of working is focused on transparency, connectedness and col-

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5 Every employee is equipped with a laptop, and Wi-Fi throughout the building gives them the flexibility to work anywhere in the building (even on the roof!). laboration, not only between employees housed at the same facility, but globally. Employees are assigned to neighborhoods, where they can choose from a variety of individual and collaborative workspaces, including workstations, team tables, quiet booths, lounges, small meeting rooms, and larger community rooms. Even the cafeteria has been designed as a destination for meetings. Employees can also work on the roof deck overlooking the Navy dock. At the end of each day, employees clear their workspaces and return their personal items to their assigned lockers. Highspeed wireless technology throughout the building and plugand-play web-based collaboration tools in each meeting space enable employees connectivity, no matter where they sit. By eliminating assigned seating, GSK has improved not only the quality of life but also the effectiveness of its employees. At the same time, the new, egalitarian workplace eliminates the ter- ritoriality employees experience when assigned to a specific space. The flexibility to work anywhere has opened up new avenues of connectivity and collaboration for GSK staff, and employees have reported a 20 percent increase in the speed of decision making. Deidre Connelly, president of North America Pharmaceuticals for GSK, reported that her has dropped 35 percent in the new space. In contrast to GSK s former facility, where private offices and cubicles were spread out over 32 floors, in the new facility people see each other frequently throughout the day and spontaneous discussions facilitate the exchange of information, sparking creative resolutions to problems. The design also reduces traffic because employees talk to each other more. Bringing Employees on Board Together with furniture manufacturer Haworth, Francis Cauffman worked with GSK staff to test different models of The new facility uses 50 percent less water than the old, despite switching entirely from disposable to crockery service. In addition, there has been a 90 percent reduction in paper usage and 99 percent of waste has been diverted from the landfill in the first six months of occupancy. 40 the leader March/April 2014

6 office furniture prototypes during the design process. Based on the employee feedback, designers refined critical details. All of the workstations at 5 Crescent Drive were custom-designed as part of a LEED Innovation credit under a pilot for a new credit in ergonomics. The pilot space also enabled employees to experience the new work environment before they moved to the new space, easing the transition process and making the shift to new technology more efficient. Employees upgraded from fixed phones to soft phones on laptops. Using the pilot space enabled any technological issues to be resolved before the move. On the first day in the new office, employees were working exactly as they had the day before. Wellbeing GSK believes strongly in the wellbeing of its employees and this is reflected in the design of 5 Crescent Drive. Gone are the exterior offices in the new space, everyone has access to natural light and a view. Special attention was given to ergonomics, because in an environment with no assigned seating, the simplicity and ease of ergonomic adjustment is key. To encourage employees to move around during the workday, waste receptacles and printers are located in central areas. All of the facility s workstations are fully adjustable from sit-to-stand, and employees can even dock their laptops to treadmills for a workout while they work. Employee wellbeing was considered in a holistic manner, from the individual desk to the facility s amenities, which include an onsite fitness center, access to bicycles and trails for exercise around the Navy Yard, a health suite, tranquility rooms, and a cafeteria with healthy food choices. Employees have fully embraced the healthful concepts in their new space; rather than using elevators, they tend to use the grand central spiral stair that links all four floors. Sustainability Francis Cauffman and the design team worked closely with the base building architect, Robert A.M. Stern, the engineer, Buro Happold and consultant Atkins to create a state-of-the-art workplace with energy-efficient building systems. As a result, the United States Green Building Council awarded the project LEED -platinum certification for both Core & Shell and Commercial Interiors. It is the sixth building in the nation and the first in Philadelphia to be certified double-leed platinum. In the new space, all employees have direct access to both natural light and a view. A state-of-the-art building façade and high-performance glass maximize daylight in winter, while reducing heat gain and providing shading in summer. ENERGY STAR-rated lighting and equipment, as well as an astronomical time clock and cloud sensor program, activate the automatic shades on windows to control glare. A daylight harvesting system employed at all perimeter zones contributes to energy savings by dimming lights during periods when there is sufficient daylight. Lighting levels can be dimmed to 10 percent of their normal output in full daylight. High-efficiency, low-flow plumbing fixtures have reduced water use by 50 percent as compared to a traditional building, which will save an estimated 1.8 million gallons of water per year. In addition, smart meters track and monitor the building s energy and water use and provide ongoing accountability for utility consumption and performance. The building s roof is 40 percent covered with vegetation and an herb garden, which reduces energy consumption by providing natural insulation. It also provides a pleasant place for employees to work, hold meetings, or take a break. Building materials have a high recycled and recyclable content as well as low VOC content. By investing the time and resources into creating a sustainable building, GSK has provided its employees with a healthier building and has saved considerably on operating costs. The Results Ultimately, GSK s commitment to reinventing their real estate has paid dividends in both energy and operating cost savings. The organization has saved 30 percent on energy costs and spends significantly less on office supplies. The new facility uses 50 percent less water than the old, despite switching entirely from disposable to crockery service. In addition, there has been a 90 percent reduction in paper usage and 99 percent of waste has been diverted from the landfill in the first six months of occupancy. The new facility has improved effectiveness and connectivity across the organization, resulting in a higher level of employee engagement and satisfaction. The natural collaboration that takes place in the open space has decreased traffic significantly, increasing the speed of decision-making and leading to enhanced creativity and knowledge sharing. About the Authors John Campbell, AIA, RIBA, LEED AP, is a Principal and Director of Workplace Strategies at Francis Cauffman. Ray Milora is Project Executive, Navy Yard at GlaxoSmithKline. For more information on this topic, please search for these titles on our Knowledge Center Online. AT&T and RMI: Unlocking Funding for Deep Energy Savings The Office of the Future: Making the Workplace Work March/April 2014 the leader 41