In the best workplaces in Finland, office premises are a significant part of a successful organization.
Out of the 50 best workplaces in Finland, 83% of the employees agreed with the following statement: “The premises of our organization create a good working community”.
A closer inspection found, that the premises were especially important for about 30 companies and that they had invested highly in this area. This was also shown in the personnel study open comments section. They were genuinely proud about their premises and found them to be a significant source of motivation.
Space a part of the company’s strategy
Usually the investment into a company’s working space begins after the company has moved on from its “home basement” phase to a larger entity. The importance of appearance matters more and it begins to require some fine tuning. Outstanding premises support recruitment by attracting the best experts, as the goal is to recruit only the best.
In the best workplaces the company is built from the inside out, so that the space is planned for the workers and the daily operations that take place. The premises are directly connected to the vision and operations the company aims for. The premises must be a part of the strategy.
The organization itself has to remind itself why they exist and build a company identity around it, an identity that stands strong. How else do organizations in similar glass houses separate from each other if not through their premises?
Let the culture show
All the important things important to a company, and things it strives for, should be clearly visible in its work environment. The significance of this environment in supporting communication and increasing openness and transparency cannot be underestimated.
A good example on excellent communication of strategy, came from our CEO during her visit in one of the best workplaces in the US, Container Store.
Container Store holds yearly competitions on their occupational safety slogans, which vary based on what they need to emphasize each year. Safety slogans from different years hang from the production hall roof reminding the employees on the importance of safety, while making the employees proud over the fact that any one of them or their colleague could be the winner of the competition, and each of them have an opportunity to influence their work environment at Container Store.
The significance of different artefacts and symbols are highlighted in creating organizational culture in the best workplaces in Finland. At Vincit for example, the appearance of the company was created according to their “Vincity” culture, inspired by the film Sincity.
Vincent Duck, Vincity’s original black rubber duck mascot, acts primarily as a problem solver for the developers. The significance of the rubber duck’s part in the company culture cannot be missed.
Intentionally planned and visible artefacts, such as a building, a sign, a name or a logo communicate the organization’s visible identity. Finland’s best workplaces have made their organizational values and culture visible often through space planning.
Vincit's facilities in Tampere.Best spaces are extensions of home
In most of the best workplaces in Finland, the premises act as an extension of home; as a place where workers come to feel comfortable and meet co-workers and where work is being done with high levels of motivation and passion. The people are ready to give their fullest and that is why the space they work in has to be flexible according to the their needs.
Checklist for space planning
The effects of good space planning on organizational culture can be broken down into the following:
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Well planned premises communicate the organization’s image and business.
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Physical artefacts and objects communicate culture and procedures.
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Premises offer a place for thinking and/or physical work.
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Premises inspire people to see new perspectives, innovatively and creatively.
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Premises can’t just be an expression of the brand. Having people engage in planning their own work environment strengthens the culture within the premises.
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Premises that are flexible, and support the culture help people shine and perform to their fullest.
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The flexibility of the premises increases space efficiency.
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The premises are a physical manifestation of the organization’s vision and values, as well as the expertise it strives to achieve.
So, the space your company operates from is not indifferent at all, quite the contrary.
The writer knows in her heart that spaces are a significant part of a successful organizational culture. The writer is a consultant for Great Place to Work and a researcher on space and premises. Kristiina Borg, who is a postgraduate researcher in the University of Turku, has the theme of her research surrounding role of physical space in legitimising an expert organization. Her greatest wish is to learn as much as possible on her expedition.