January 2023 Company-Community Theatre of Work
The last few years has brought the workplace to a pause. COVID-19 was the 'perceived' antagonist that tipped the scales of the workplace occupancy to desolate decline. Though, a paradigm shift was actually occurring well before COVID-19 set in... that of hybrid work due to a disdain of the open workplace in noise and sight disruption.
In light of the COVID-19 contagion, telework simply accelerated.
Pre 2019, Companies were in the early phase of permitted days to telework verses mandatory on site engagement. Human resources followed suit to rewrite the work from home protocol, with frequent management edited mandates that sought to strike the right balance between 'ask 'and 'must'. Yet, as we have ebbed and flowed in variants post the initial pandemic, technology that was considered the key contributor to ideation decline off site, became the hailed hero that kept companies billable and afloat during COVID-19.
Fast forward to 2023, 1-7-23 NYT article, Getting Rid of Remote Work Will Take More Than a Downturn: "There are obvious reasons employees say they like working remotely, they want to avoid the time and costs of commuting; they focus better without office chatter; they feel it’s better for their well-being to be at home. When McKinsey, the consultancy, asked 12,000 job seekers last year about their reasons for looking for a new job, “flexible working” came in just behind “greater pay or hours” and “better career opportunities.”
Coupled with the realty of converting mass, vacant square footage workplaces into viable condominiums or multi-tenant leases is not without significant issue. From running plumbing to quartered-off apartments to addressing natural light to penetrate the inner core of vast stadiums of poured concrete slab in square footage is a planner and developer's continual conundrum in cost and time to convert.
The reality of re-purposed building conversion has not come to fruition despite best intention forecast in podcasts/articles.
The vacancy of the workplace is palpable now in line-up with struggling public libraries and closed malls. Just as an occasional patron stops in to return a book at the local library so too has the occasional staff stopped-in to swipe their badge to 'visit' their workplace, if at all.
Predictability in-use is the real issue, and as such, workplaces cannot sustain leases and the staff to support the occasional bought cafeteria lunch or 24/7 security personnel.
Though the curtain has not closed on the workplace, we know that culture and trust is directly affected by a lack of sense of community within the workplace, in particular a commons space that binds staff in proximity and use per my extensive dissertation research: d.lib.msu.edu/etd/48497. How to best engage both to sustain company ideation, productivity and outcome is relevant and the commons space that binds, post COVID-19 has taken on a larger part in the play in... the Company-Community Theatre of Work.
Broadway, for those that were true thespians were saddened when shuttered and then when theater re-opened its doors and the velvet curtains rose, enthusiasts bought tickets to support not only the actors and support staff but to witness in-person engagement in wonder and awe. Seeking a transformative experience, ticket holders hoped to once again walk away with a change in viewpoint, change of heart, and embrace life as the last bow concluded leading the doors to open upon NY and venues across the globe.
Improvisation, is the script corporate needs to take a page out of, to energize its staff and summon hybrid workers to corporate campuses. Steve Jobs knew this too well during his marketing build-up to a ground breaking announcement of a new Apple product launch. Journalists clamored to gain access to the Moscone Center venue that was, for many, compared to Broadway for the duration of the press conference. Staff were energized by the venue and delivery by Jobs not far from a ticketed show experience. Corporations if only to consider periodic messaging assemblies will be sure to attract hybrid workers, perhaps at first though online media, through if engaging in delivery and message in exclusivity, staff will come. Staff will benefit, be reinvigorated with productivity the outcome, attraction in new hires, the ultimate positive review.
Consider the one-off classic stand-alone theatre renovation whereby a sustainable grant to re-open can benefit the planner and company in PR efforts or to pierce through multiple unoccupied floorplates to re-design cutting edge amphitheaters in grandeur combined with twenty-first century workplace purpose.
If the corporate built environment is to survive, it must evolve from a Work'place' to the Work'destination'.
A Company Community Theatre at Work.
Post presentation, small group ideation session break-out capture can occur to make the most of the scheduled in-person event.
It will take planning improvisation to be truly creative to best address the new Company-Community Theatre of Work and deliver upon.
Though... If you build it...'they" will come.
In light of the COVID-19 contagion, telework simply accelerated.
Pre 2019, Companies were in the early phase of permitted days to telework verses mandatory on site engagement. Human resources followed suit to rewrite the work from home protocol, with frequent management edited mandates that sought to strike the right balance between 'ask 'and 'must'. Yet, as we have ebbed and flowed in variants post the initial pandemic, technology that was considered the key contributor to ideation decline off site, became the hailed hero that kept companies billable and afloat during COVID-19.
Fast forward to 2023, 1-7-23 NYT article, Getting Rid of Remote Work Will Take More Than a Downturn: "There are obvious reasons employees say they like working remotely, they want to avoid the time and costs of commuting; they focus better without office chatter; they feel it’s better for their well-being to be at home. When McKinsey, the consultancy, asked 12,000 job seekers last year about their reasons for looking for a new job, “flexible working” came in just behind “greater pay or hours” and “better career opportunities.”
Coupled with the realty of converting mass, vacant square footage workplaces into viable condominiums or multi-tenant leases is not without significant issue. From running plumbing to quartered-off apartments to addressing natural light to penetrate the inner core of vast stadiums of poured concrete slab in square footage is a planner and developer's continual conundrum in cost and time to convert.
The reality of re-purposed building conversion has not come to fruition despite best intention forecast in podcasts/articles.
The vacancy of the workplace is palpable now in line-up with struggling public libraries and closed malls. Just as an occasional patron stops in to return a book at the local library so too has the occasional staff stopped-in to swipe their badge to 'visit' their workplace, if at all.
Predictability in-use is the real issue, and as such, workplaces cannot sustain leases and the staff to support the occasional bought cafeteria lunch or 24/7 security personnel.
Though the curtain has not closed on the workplace, we know that culture and trust is directly affected by a lack of sense of community within the workplace, in particular a commons space that binds staff in proximity and use per my extensive dissertation research: d.lib.msu.edu/etd/48497. How to best engage both to sustain company ideation, productivity and outcome is relevant and the commons space that binds, post COVID-19 has taken on a larger part in the play in... the Company-Community Theatre of Work.
Broadway, for those that were true thespians were saddened when shuttered and then when theater re-opened its doors and the velvet curtains rose, enthusiasts bought tickets to support not only the actors and support staff but to witness in-person engagement in wonder and awe. Seeking a transformative experience, ticket holders hoped to once again walk away with a change in viewpoint, change of heart, and embrace life as the last bow concluded leading the doors to open upon NY and venues across the globe.
Improvisation, is the script corporate needs to take a page out of, to energize its staff and summon hybrid workers to corporate campuses. Steve Jobs knew this too well during his marketing build-up to a ground breaking announcement of a new Apple product launch. Journalists clamored to gain access to the Moscone Center venue that was, for many, compared to Broadway for the duration of the press conference. Staff were energized by the venue and delivery by Jobs not far from a ticketed show experience. Corporations if only to consider periodic messaging assemblies will be sure to attract hybrid workers, perhaps at first though online media, through if engaging in delivery and message in exclusivity, staff will come. Staff will benefit, be reinvigorated with productivity the outcome, attraction in new hires, the ultimate positive review.
Consider the one-off classic stand-alone theatre renovation whereby a sustainable grant to re-open can benefit the planner and company in PR efforts or to pierce through multiple unoccupied floorplates to re-design cutting edge amphitheaters in grandeur combined with twenty-first century workplace purpose.
If the corporate built environment is to survive, it must evolve from a Work'place' to the Work'destination'.
A Company Community Theatre at Work.
Post presentation, small group ideation session break-out capture can occur to make the most of the scheduled in-person event.
It will take planning improvisation to be truly creative to best address the new Company-Community Theatre of Work and deliver upon.
Though... If you build it...'they" will come.
In 2008, Apple released the first big iPhone update: the iPhone 3GS...at the Moscone Center,
the inception of company wide theatre + promotion.
Source:Https://www.businessinsider.com/steve-jobs-apple-photos-2017-1#in-2008-apple-released-the-first-big-iphone-update-the-iphone-3gs-it-had-faster-network-speeds-sure-but-the-biggest-change-was-that-it-came-with-this-thing-called-an-app-store-to-let-you-install-software-from-non-apple-developers-at-launch-the-app-store-had-500-applications-30
the inception of company wide theatre + promotion.
Source:Https://www.businessinsider.com/steve-jobs-apple-photos-2017-1#in-2008-apple-released-the-first-big-iphone-update-the-iphone-3gs-it-had-faster-network-speeds-sure-but-the-biggest-change-was-that-it-came-with-this-thing-called-an-app-store-to-let-you-install-software-from-non-apple-developers-at-launch-the-app-store-had-500-applications-30
Clive Wilkinson Architects recognized that "No matter how mobile we become, humans remain fundamentally social beings and are looking for ways to return to the shared workplace. But these offices belong to changed world, an intermittent one." His book, entitled The Theater of Work highlighted the firm's architectural design iterations that, as Director, addressed brand and culture and the relationship between through projects. More so, platforming the office design as the backdrop of theater to which advance staff interaction resulting in a strong brand and employee culture related thereto. (Source: next 3 images Project work Clive Wilkinson)
Many projects/clients of Clive Wilkinson (above) purposefully focused on a core design element visible throughout the space by all.
An approach that recognized that the company was it's people and to be seen was part of strengthening the brand and employee.
Source: https://clivewilkinson.com/the-theatre-of-work/
An approach that recognized that the company was it's people and to be seen was part of strengthening the brand and employee.
Source: https://clivewilkinson.com/the-theatre-of-work/
Efforts on the part of Clive W. firm was to design for/open visual accessibility as introduced in Spanish style steps for impromptu dialog to projection of meeting paces that were glass enclosed for acoustical privacy but not visual.
Meetings were a form of interactive-theatre for all to see and be a part of even if not in the room itself.
Meetings were a form of interactive-theatre for all to see and be a part of even if not in the room itself.
Advance to 2019 and the effort to expose purposeful engagement became center stage.
The floating stair, the sought visual feature, built iconic element, to platform employees traversing through floors to connect with fellow staff. Cloistered elevators cabs were for the back of the house. Vistas were the new dialog kick starter.
Image above: The centerpiece of the main reception area of Wells Fargo, Hudson Yards NYC is a feature floating stair.
"Related to the new stair and stair opening, Silman analyzed the existing steel structure for capacity to support a new two-story digital display wall that occupants can view as they descend the floating stairs."
Source: https://www.silman.com/work/projects/view/wells-fargo-30-hy/
The floating stair, the sought visual feature, built iconic element, to platform employees traversing through floors to connect with fellow staff. Cloistered elevators cabs were for the back of the house. Vistas were the new dialog kick starter.
Image above: The centerpiece of the main reception area of Wells Fargo, Hudson Yards NYC is a feature floating stair.
"Related to the new stair and stair opening, Silman analyzed the existing steel structure for capacity to support a new two-story digital display wall that occupants can view as they descend the floating stairs."
Source: https://www.silman.com/work/projects/view/wells-fargo-30-hy/
Post open stairwells in transparent glass and plexiglass feature, encouraged staff interaction led to the open common corridor.
Carved out architecture to provide permitted impromptu conversations where all who would like to partake could stop in to contribute.
The beginning of Improvisation at Work... Community theater on the small scale... Summer-stock-where staff contribute in the round.
Source: https://officesnapshots.com/2019/02/04/gwl-realty-advisors-offices-toronto/?utm_source=Snapshots+Weekly+Newsletter&utm_campaign=84501975b3-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2019_02_11&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_82997c3ce9-84501975b3-91057609
Carved out architecture to provide permitted impromptu conversations where all who would like to partake could stop in to contribute.
The beginning of Improvisation at Work... Community theater on the small scale... Summer-stock-where staff contribute in the round.
Source: https://officesnapshots.com/2019/02/04/gwl-realty-advisors-offices-toronto/?utm_source=Snapshots+Weekly+Newsletter&utm_campaign=84501975b3-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2019_02_11&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_82997c3ce9-84501975b3-91057609
Then COVID-19 and interaction was isolated to technology key'd entry,
The curtain closed and Broadway the same.
Source: https://fortune.com/2020/12/06/offices-covid-workers-returning-never-want-to-stats-data-2/
The curtain closed and Broadway the same.
Source: https://fortune.com/2020/12/06/offices-covid-workers-returning-never-want-to-stats-data-2/
Spource: Apple Tower Theatre opens in downtown Los Angeles
"Apple's newest retail location at the historic Tower Theatre in downtown Los Angeles is one of Apple’s most significant restoration projects to date, Apple Tower Theatre aims to inspire even more creativity in the heart of downtown...a global initiative that will provide hands-on experience and mentorship to young creatives, kicking off with the opening of the new store in Los Angeles."
Source: https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2021/06/apple-tower-theatre-opens-thursday-in-downtown-los-angeles/
"Upon the closing of its doors in 1988, the space has lain empty and unused. With the same level of care found in previous restoration projects, Apple collaborated with leading preservationists, restoration artists, and the City of Los Angeles to thoughtfully preserve and restore the theater’s beauty and grandeur. Every surface was carefully refinished, and the building has undergone a full seismic upgrade."
Work-destination address on site: CEO Alex Gorsky Reflects on the Legacy of the Company's Historic Mission Statement
Source:https://www.jnj.com/latest-news/johnson-johnson-ceo-alex-gorsky-reflects-on-the-power-of-the-companys-credo
Source:https://www.jnj.com/latest-news/johnson-johnson-ceo-alex-gorsky-reflects-on-the-power-of-the-companys-credo
Hilson Moran is a design and engineering consultancy located in Manchester City Center, HM earned the first WELL Certified Gold rating outside of London.
Hilson Moran meet the WELL criteria for "Mind" presentations on site, social and wellbeing events.
Source: https://www.prolificnorth.co.uk/features/2019/06/where-we-work-hilson-moran-manchester
Hilson Moran meet the WELL criteria for "Mind" presentations on site, social and wellbeing events.
Source: https://www.prolificnorth.co.uk/features/2019/06/where-we-work-hilson-moran-manchester
Perhaps it starts with..."Workplace Interactive Theatre (WIT) is a research-based theatre company that performs customized, interactive, and fun workshops for companies and organizations seeking institutional change through unconscious bias intervention and collective problem-solving. By making theatre together, we aim to “outWIT” patterns of unconscious bias, stereotyping, and microaggressions that cause friction and interfere with productivity in the workplace."
Source: https://www.witplayers.org/
Perhaps it starts with..."Workplace Interactive Theatre (WIT) is a research-based theatre company that performs customized, interactive, and fun workshops for companies and organizations seeking institutional change through unconscious bias intervention and collective problem-solving. By making theatre together, we aim to “outWIT” patterns of unconscious bias, stereotyping, and microaggressions that cause friction and interfere with productivity in the workplace."
Source: https://www.witplayers.org/
The Los Angeles Apple store launch is a small glimmer of what could come, to again engage, starting with a hybrid,
not of co-working but of Corporation + Community space.
Large renovated corporate workplace interiors can easily be adapted for amphitheater venue's and social spacing as the ebb and flow in need requires.
Or corporations can start with the rental of a local movie theater for staff while renovations are underway.
One workplace show at a time...Coming soon to your company BIG screen!
Source: https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2021/06/apple-tower-theatre-opens-thursday-in-downtown-los-angeles/
not of co-working but of Corporation + Community space.
Large renovated corporate workplace interiors can easily be adapted for amphitheater venue's and social spacing as the ebb and flow in need requires.
Or corporations can start with the rental of a local movie theater for staff while renovations are underway.
One workplace show at a time...Coming soon to your company BIG screen!
Source: https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2021/06/apple-tower-theatre-opens-thursday-in-downtown-los-angeles/