The 'new office' Exploring space

The notion of the 'new office' aims to create an economical, efficient and friendly work environment for staff. Given that it would certainly reduce the amount of leased space, perhaps it is fortunate that the concept hasn't found many followers in Poland

Converting traditional offices into modern 'new offices' is said to bring indubitable benefits, such as:
nmore effective space management;
ncost reduction;
nbetter work management;
na pleasant work environment which in turn, results in higher productivity and lower absenteeism;
nan improved work image.

These advantages would, no doubt, be of interest to all bosses, regardless of how large or small their companies might be, but in practice, only some of them might benefit, since the 'new office' concept may only be applied to firms where employees have duties outside their offices. According to Peter Wislocki of the designer firm Aukett Polska, another obstacle, particularly in Poland, is the mentality of workers who have a firm attachment to the idea of their own desk.
The nature of the available space is also a serious consideration as it must be architecturally flexible (i.e. have only a few columns) and technically suitable. Indeed, Warsaw still suffers from a shortage of properties which could lend themselves to such conversions. Wislocki gave us examples of those that could: Warsaw Financial Centre, Saski Point, Saski Crescent, Metropolitan and Wiśniowy Business Park.

Productivity & flexibility
Architect Francis Duffy, and space management specialists, Charles Handy and Peter Drucker, are counted among the inventors of the concept. Such 'new office' notions include: EFFICIENCY - where the aim is to reduce tenancy costs by relinquishing inessential space, and EFFECTIVENESS -  when space is managed to improve the quality of work and  companies' overall results.
"Naturally, all tenants want to reduce the costs of leasing space," says Wislocki. "However, before you introduce any such measures you must bear in mind that there's a danger that the company's results could take a turn for the worse."
'Hot desking' and 'virtual offices' are also terms intrinsically bound to the notion of 'new office'. The former involves the principal of reducing the number of desks in relation to the number of employees, and the latter enables employees to work effectively without being in the office, by making them reachable wherever they might be.

Interactive employees
Both 'hot desking' and 'virtual office' herald the emergence of what Wislocki refers to as a new office culture, which stands in opposition to the old rigid ways of hierarchical corporate structures. Thus, a 'modern worker' is a person who lacks inhibitions when it comes to leading a non-uniform work style or making use of the latest communication technologies.
 "We are entrenched in a different set of norms in Poland and are reluctant to change them," says Wislocki. "The hierarchy, for instance, remains a crucial element of our corporate thinking, and it often goes without saying that the higher you are the bigger your desk and your office, while in the Anglo-Saxon world what counts most are your achievements and efficiency. The staff of our Warsaw office found it strange at first that I didn't have my own room and worked alongside them in open space."

Happy medium
How to marry the possibility of cutting costs considerably and workers' reluctance towards and disquiet about the changes? One way is to look for a happy medium. To do so one must conduct a thorough analysis of all the factors which contribute to the effectiveness of workplaces, such as work method (i.e. the number of hours spent at desks), hierarchy, manner of receiving clients and the number of square metres each employee works in.
"When designing a 'new office', standard and schematic solutions go out the window. Each design is made-to-measure, and the understanding of how a given company operates is the key to its success," says Wislocki.
Most companies decide to convert their offices when they come up against certain difficulties but often such conversions are rushed and leave no time for analysing the work methods in place. This is when ready-made but relatively uneconomical solutions are applied.

'New office' costs
"Despite numerous obstacles, the attitude towards designing offices, including 'new office' schemes is changing. There is obvious interest, but sometimes it's the people with the power to introduce changes who stand in the way. It's generally middle management who oppose radical change," says Wislocki.
The costs of applying 'new office' solutions may also be a deterrent. High-tech communication equipment is very expensive and there may also be additional preparation costs.
Is the whole thing worth while then? It seems so, considering that compared to a traditional layout, a 'new office' can bring savings of 20-30 per cent: not to be sniffed at.