Does it help reduce and unify?

Like them or hate them, nobody understands workflow and custom user settings like Microsoft.  Windows 11 dropped in October.  I wanted to wait a little while to monitor the known issues and health status before sharing my thoughts. 

Some folks refer to an operating system as shell and kernel, whereby the kernel is the heart and core that manages operations and bridges the resources for delivery to the shell, also known as the User Interface or User Experience.  Windows 11 focuses heavily on shell improvements, and from my perspective, support for the remote worker.

We are already seeing MSFT Fluid making its way into TEAMS meetings by way of versioning, whiteboard, OneNote and other real-time sync / collab tools that allow for meaningful work for distributed teams.  As this progresses, we’ll see more companies recognize the value and adapt custom, low-code solutions via Power Automate.  Enough about the future – let’s talk about right now.

Back to Windows 11. 

Windows 11 is a shell update chock full of user preferences and setting changes.  When I look across the 20+ new features, I see an emphasis on supporting the remote-first company who has already leaned forward with MS365 tools to remote manage and support their distributed teams.  Here are my top 5 as measured by our mantra Reduce and Unify:

1. Pin Apps for Accessibility – “Quickclicks”   – users can set only the apps they use for work and hide the rest.  Single click or auto start apps can appear on the traditional desktop configuration or along the bottom task bar.  They can also automatically open in a predetermined area of your screen – which leads me to #2.  Score one for REDUCE.
2. Snap Layouts – In the world of commercial design, I would relate these to ‘typicals.’ Essentially, snap layouts allow you to establish screen real estate to different, pre-determined windows.  For multi-screen users – this is helpful if you’ve dedicated one screen to one task, and another screen to another task.  It organizes your windows so you don’t have to move, resize, or reshape on the go.  Super helpful.  Score one for UNIFY.
3. Multiple Desktop – This takes snap layouts to a different level.  Essentially, multi-desktop does exactly what it sounds like it does – creates additional computing space.  The best example I can give is if an executive has multiple roles – accounting, marketing, and HR – each of those roles can have their own desktop with supportive apps.  It allows the user to compartmentalize their thoughts into buckets….each bucket containing all the tools necessary to support that function. Score another for UNIFY.
4. Personalized Start Menu – It’s exactly what it sounds like.  As Cloud Service Providers, we can set up customized machines that have work-specific start menus.  There are some settings that traditional users can manipulate, but most of these settings are enterprise level .json files best left to the kernel guys.  Score one for REDUCE and UNIFY.
5. Sound / Network / Video Controls in one place. Clearly this update is coming as response to the boom in video conferencing.  No call is complete without hearing, “You’re on mute” or “hang on, let me check my camera settings.”  Sometimes the simplest change makes your life easier.  Score one for UNIFY.

There are a lot more features in Windows 11 including HDR settings for enhanced gaming and videos, the ability to hide desktop icons and declutter new mouse click options, and creative new web widgets. That said, and as with every new Windows iteration, it doesn’t come with immunity to new security threats, so I’m hanging tight with 10 at Orion Growth.  The security pros have a lot to work out. The reality is that the world’s largest operating system is also the world’s largest target to hackers. Zero-day threats are plentiful and honestly, I don’t think (opinion here) we can fix security issues with software patches anymore.  That’s a different article entirely and one best left to the bright-minded, kernel-specific, cyber hacks of the world.

Parting thought:

Windows 11 is shell-specific and slants heavily towards custom user interface/user experience settings.  MSFT appears to be directly responding to feedback data from knowledge workers who are already using their productivity solutions. For the foreseeable future, workers will remain in remote settings, further requiring self-guidance and navigation of custom settings.  Sharepoint, Teams, Power Automate, and the Office Suite that makes up MS365 has the tools to support remote-first companies.  Now it’s up to those companies to figure out what they want to automate, and how they want their workspace to function.  One thing is for sure – work has shifted from a noun to a verb, and MSFT is giving the world a platform to do it from anywhere, re-writing security requirements from the ground up.

It’s been a while since I’ve written. The last 6 weeks in the US have been dizzying – especially after the last 18 months of change. The fodder is reaching its peak with regards to Hybrid and RTW strategies. Companies around the world are just now starting to realize that people REALLY do want at least SOME autonomy. I can’t believe it has taken this long, and I really can’t believe only 30% of polled companies have made physical changes to their places of work. Which leads me to my point for this piece:

“I’m so thankful to be building companies rather than trying to change them.“

For the first time in my entrepreneurial life, I feel like I’m squarely in control of the wave and not caught in the whitewash. Never has the choice been so clear on which path to take. The answer is progress; take the path to progress.
Here’s the thing – people love routine. People who really love their routine (which has been disrupted) are anxious. Companies who RELIED on employees to love THEIR routine are REALLY anxious. Their traditional routines relied on being face to face – in the office – 9 to 5. Absent thought, people sacrificed their time, gas, milage, parking, tolls, and maintenance – let alone baseball games and dance recitals – because they had to GO to work. Here’s the distinction – they had to GO to work. My excitement is because I now understand the difference between work and workplace

Work is what you do.

Workplace is where you do it.

Now certainly this doesn’t apply to everyone. In CRE terms, this is office use and even more specifically the tenant/occupier side. For purposes of this piece, I’m talking about office workers only. The factory/industrial side has seen their revolution twice – once with the Robber Barons, and once with Kaizen, 5S, Six Sigma and subsequent applications of robotics and automation. This revolution is new to the knowledge workers and it’s going to change the world forever….1TB at a time.
It’s the collaborative revolution and the automation of workflow process that I’m talking about. It’s a rapid departure away from project thinking and a complete and total adaptation to system thinking. It’s the APPLICATION of the technology – the integration of the data – and the interrelationship of information so we can measure time, money, production, efficiency, and gasp – engagement, experience, and social wellbeing. What sets apart this revolution from the ones in the past is that this one puts PEOPLE first. Just as assembly lines couldn’t be automated without obersvation, workflows cannot be automated until we event model the process. This about people and process first, then place. Simply put – if we can make people feel fulfilled, encouraged, and productive in their workflow process, they can do that work from anywhere.

But what about all the bright ideas that happen during whiteboard sessions – are we supposed to ignore creative processes that help brainstorm innovation? Ummmm, no. And the best answer isn’t that there are are 100 apps for that. The best answer is there is an entire platform from which we can collaborate in every form of communication you can think of – with centralized file sharing and built in video and soft phones – connected to customer management systems scalable from a 3-person company to a 30,000 person company….and it’s INCLUDED in a monthly license fee for $13/person. Yes – a scalable, unified platform that allows for centralized document storage, blanketed with an extensive communication solution and compatible with the world’s most recognized suite of office-based tools that allows you to work from your computer at home or the computer in the hotel lobby and STILL have access to the same documents and collab tools…..sheesh – I’m exhausted.

By now you get it. It’s not really such a dizzying time if you can see the tools that exist and accept that good enough is genuinely good enough if you’re buying off the shelf. Which leads me back to my original statement: I’m so thankful to be building companies rather than trying to change them. If we model carefully and create a roadmap into technology with the hopes of building a more flexible, engaged, efficient, safe, and productive workflow, we’ll attract and retain the very best people. The people have the very best ideas which help foster systemic thinking about life-life balance and how to positively contribute to the organization.

I’m really not sure how you change into that, but I’m fairly certain it can’t be bought.

Roll up your sleeves and come join us.

Orion Growth is a technology-enabled commercial real estate firm in Charlotte, North Carolina who apply smart process to all things workplace.

We are happy to announce Orion’s design contest winner is Paula Wideman from paulaproduct.  Paula has won a complete home office provided by our friends at Trendway in Holland Michigan.

Thank you all for your submissions and rising to the challenge.  Congrats Paula!!

JLL HR Leaders team up to share their perspectives on creating people-centric workplace of the future. At Orion Growth, we’ve always taken a people-first approach. It’s refreshing to see research being done on what we already know to be a fundamental truth.

Photo by William Felker on Unsplash

Isometrics and Global Workplace Analytics published their findings on WFH experience, benefits, and barriers to success. MAY 2020

Explore how CRE LEADERS are planning for the future.

As I continue to research the modern workplace, I can’t help but notice the seismic impact COVID has had on global thinking.  Suddenly, I’m finding myself connected to thought leadership around the world who are offering their perspective, and their particular experiences with regards to change and impact. 

One of the more interesting movements gaining global traction is ESG (corporate environmental, social, and governance activities).  Now before you roll your eyes based on the name – it’s important to note  these criteria help factor future financial performance of companies (risk and return.)  It turns out the natural environment is teaching us far more about our investment behavior than algorithms.  The ESG is helping financial institutions understand the true cost of profit.

In workplace, I emphasize the importance of understanding the total cost of ownership.  Tracking and mining total cost isn’t easy, but it remains a true measure of how well a company is operating.  The data for payroll and benefits is easy to quantify, but office cost – total office cost….well, the world is just now figuring out how expensive that is.  In order to get to the bottom line, you have to take a contrarian view on success and look through a lens of skepticism.  It’s hard to point out flaws, and even harder to accept them.  In the end, it helps drive out waste and preserve profits.  With ESG, it helps drive down risk by understanding impact.

During my dive into ESG, I came across so many empathetic and emotional marketing tools.  Grandparents of wealth staring into the jaded eyes of their heirs.  Melting icecaps with polar bears stuck on floating icebergs.  Fires, floods, on and on.  What I was looking for was more analytical.  Why did ESG funds perform well in Q1 2020?  Turns out, they were heavily invested by tech companies.  So obvious that tech companies would invest in ESG funds – Al Gore and Larry Fink have been telling them to since the early 2000’s.  Of course the fund will perform well – it’s got a ton of money being pumped into it by the worlds richest firms.  The high tide raises all ships. 

Then I came across this article in Seeking Alpha, a crowd-sourced content service for financial markets. Baruch Lev takes the contrarian view on the ESG factor, and his perspective is transparent.  This isn’t a linear A+B equation – just like buying tech and signing leases isn’t the only contributing factor to workplace expense.  There’s always more to it, but in today’s rushed, distracted, obtuse, noisy world, it’s not always clear.  But here’s the thing – Lev’s perspective is strictly analytical and doesn’t mention any factor of empathy influencing fund value.  That’s like saying the feel of the office (design, materials, views) doesn’t affect employee engagement or make an impression on clients and visitors. 

So what?  Well, I’m not entirely sure and because it’s 2020, I don’t have to be entirely sure right now.  What I do know is people are starting to wake up to factors of impact.  In my world, clients are really starting to understand the value of their people.  Words like remote, flexible, workflow, distributed model, digital innovation…..those words fell on deaf ears for years.  Companies are losing talent because of it.  A whole new world of funding is going to be required to infuse markets.  Institutional investments poured into REITS with Office, Retail, and Hospitality generally accounting for a combined 40-50% of these funds.  If ever there is a time for CRE and Finance to reinvent, it is now.  What if we could type the word ‘finance’ into Google images and get the results for “sustainability”?

Chris Moeller is the Founder and Managing Principal of Orion Growth, a division of Gaia Ventures, LLC.  He has been thinking through challenging business processes for 2 decades and believes behind every great process is a greater human being.  Orion Growth is restoring the human connection by fundamentally changing the way workspace is delivered. 

Today is September 17, 2020.  For companies who mirror fiscal and calendar year, that means it is budget season.  Analytical thinking abounds. This year, empathetic thinking will permeate the discussion.  Employee engagement, workflow, productivity, assistive technology, hardware continuity, centralized platforms, and perhaps most importantly, safety.  Information security, compliance, and confidentiality will be at the forefront of each of these discussions and decisions.  As I mentioned in August, this is the rise of the Chief Workplace Officer, and this is the time to account for it.

In search of leadership thought, I turned to Law.  I found it in Managed Legal Services. 

Orion Growth was on the leading edge of the first digital movement in e-Discovery (EDRM).  During and after the Great Recession, we conceptualized, designed, and delivered nearly 450,000 SF of document review space in North America.  We helped transform a mechanical, human process into a digital workflow by providing a space imagined from the screen back.  We provided thought leadership and the most valuable resource of the 21^st Century, ideas. 

Well folks, it’s happening again.

This week, Mark Cohen wrote a piece in Forbes that highlights how COVID is transforming the Legal industry. Specifically mentioning UnitedLex and Axiom, two firms Orion has worked with, Cohen acknowledges digital transformation has been a C-suite priority for some time.  Perhaps the most important part of Mr. Cohen’s piece is his notion of ‘Digital Maturity’ as the waypoint along the digital journey:

  “The digital journey—and it is a journey—involves deploying more efficient technological tools; agile, fluid, multidisciplinary, up-skilled, empowered and engaged workforces; data; and smarter workflows that streamline delivery and enhance customer outcomes and experience. Digitally mature companies build a culture of constant improvement from which no business unit or individual is exempt. Digital transformation is a team sport, and there are no time-outs.”

Workplace forever forward must embrace both sides of the network – Server In (Physical) and Server Out (Virtual).   The challenge for the Chief of Space is balance.  The IT becomes complicated quickly, and so does the real estate.  We’re working through methodologies that systematically keep workplace processes in control.  We’re consolidating stacks that have been fragmented and pulling data back into one centralized location that can be managed and maintained from anywhere.  We’re looking at the physical properties of what office space does to support task-based and focus-based workflows.  We’re determining (departmentally) who is best suited to be a remote worker and who needs a daily environment.  ‘Digitally mature’ companies see value in these discussions.   This isn’t a fad or a trend.

In search for success, leadership will realize the role needs to incorporate three disciplines:  HR, Real Estate/FM and IT.  Three senior leadership positions with directional workflow to a centralized location subject to business analytics.  KPI’s will elevate real time metrics and AI will begin to process simple task- based commands.  The entire organization will be connected, not just by network, but by workflow and purpose.  Done correctly and boldly proclaimed, this will generate a stronger pool of talent and produce a culture unrivaled by the competition.  The end justifies the means.

These are exciting, dynamic times.  Entrepreneurial thought and leadership ideas are what revolutionize business.  Perhaps the most exciting part of this journey is that this evolution is industry agnostic.  Good business process with great people behind them –all rallying for efficiency and common direction- will lead us out of the COVID pandemic and thrust open the locked doors of the office.

Chris Moeller is the Founder and Managing Principal of Orion Growth, a division of Gaia Ventures, LLC.  He has been thinking through challenging business processes for over two decades and believes behind every great process is a greater human being.  Orion Growth is restoring the human connection by fundamentally changing the way workspace is delivered. 

Who is ready to get creative?  Over the past few months, I have been trying to figure out how to use my creativity.  As most of the world continues to “work from remote”, it brings me to think into what the future of our workplace is going to look like.  We, at Orion, have been discussing that we think that this year has led us to a ‘new movement’ in the world of workplace design. 

This notion of a movement spurs the idea of how everyone really works. 

-Do you work by yourself? 

-Do you collaborate with others? 

-Do you sit at a desk? 

-Do you move throughout the day? 

-What helps you to be productive? 

-What are your objectives for being productive? 

-What is expected of you?

I think we are starting to realize that people thrive in very different ways.  Not all people need to sit in an office at a desk with others around them.  Some people need that.  Not all people need to sit in a coffee shop with the hustle & bustle to get their mind activated.  Some people need that.  So, why in the world would we not simply give them the option?  Why would we not create a workplace culture that gives opportunity for workers to select what works best for them?

With this in mind, we want to see how this ‘movement’ places people in different types of work settings. 

So, now we are calling on you to be creative and rise to the challenge.  We look forward to your submittals.  The prize will make you very happy in your home ‘work setting’. 

The link is here:

OG-Design Contest

Send your ideas & designs to jessical@oriongrowth.com by October 1, 2020.

Dror Poleg, futurist & author of Rethinking Real Estate, joins Spencer Levy to share insights on the impact of innovation on commercial real estate and the evolution of cities.

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/up-around-bend-what-could-be-next-for-commercial-real/id1505081153?i=1000488733740

The dust is starting to settle.  Management has stabilized business units.  Relationships are proving to be invaluable.  Face to face meetings are starting to happen again.  Companies, like families, are starting to recognize what is important.  For some, the future is bright.  Not so much for others.

For workplace, specifically office, it’s not great out there. 

If you have read my articles in the past, you know Orion Growth believes there are three workplaces inside an organization’s ecosystem:  The physical office, its virtual version, and culture.  Some firms allow one or the other to dictate or influence the hierarchy, while others place a specific emphasis to highlight their mission.  For example, a company who invites their clients in for regular engagement will naturally spend more to create an office experience.  They dress to impress.  Others choose to focus more on culture or user experience.  Some like mahogany wood paneling while others install slides and bike racks.  It’s all workplace. 

So what?  Well – ‘workplace’ gets complicated after you sprinkle some Covid-19 into the mix. 

Overnight, we went home.  Overnight, we decentralized.  Overnight, we became less secure.  Overnight, companies like Amazon, Door Dash, Citrix, Microsoft, and Zoom saw 25%+ gains while entire mega-industries like Agriculture, Education, Construction, and Healthcare had the music stop.  Alera Group put together a pretty interesting whitepaper illustrating impact by industry.  Here it is. 

Interdepartmental concerns abound.  Operations is being pulled in 60 directions, HR is concerned about bringing people back and equally concerned about compliance with work-from-home while struggling to keep up with personnel requests. IT and IS are concerned about data/network/hardware and critical infrastructure plans while juggling help desk requirements.  Finance and Accounting seem pretty stable after going remote, given the FinTech solutions that have been adopted over the last 5 years. Marketing / Communications is in full tilt, working hard to align with post-pivot company objectives and the newly exposed lack of a centralized internal communication platform.  Consideration is being given to leased space – discussions are circular and seem to be going nowhere.  One-year extensions are everywhere – it’s ‘the big pause’ I’m alluding to in the headline.

The time is now for a Chief Workplace Officer.  The corporate real-estate function is interdisciplinary.  IT/Network. Legal/Contracts.  HR/Programming.  Finance/Leases. Marketing/Signage.  This is the tip of the iceberg.  From construction and purchasing through admin and delivery of a finished space, corporate real estate literally touches every inch of the organization.  None of this will be possible without a new digital office – a unified and centralized platform that supports these disciplines from anywhere.  An office on the cloud if you will.  Throw in the complexities of what this will look like when we, ‘go-back’ and how the new office will support work-from-anywhere and you have a whole new field. 

The office upstairs will closely resemble the actual office.  Establishing how people work, their basic function and flow, are equally important in both worlds.  We don’t put gregarious sales groups next to deep work programmers in the office….and we certainly don’t give them the same tools for their trade.  Careful consideration of platform and hardware are equally as important as location of restroom, breakroom, and the intentionality of collaborative space and huddle rooms.  Real Estate and IT just got together and had a baby. 

As a certified Microsoft partner, we’ve taken a deep dive into virtual over the past year and half.  We’ve turned our office into a test lab for hardware – working with various assistive technologies that support our work from anywhere platform.  My aim as the owner of the company has been to provide my clients and co-workers with enriched virtual experiences.  That means clear audio, crisp video, productive screen space, ergonomic positioning, with fast processing and network connectivity.  It also means providing an insightful, simple virtual platform for file sharing, collaboration, and organization. The hardware helps them. The platform helps me.  

Measuring productivity with work-from-anywhere is an issue.  Absent a platform and user interface, it is nearly impossible to measure how long, how often, or how effective someone is doing their job.  The great news is that remote-managed solutions are ubiquitous, inexpensive, and unbelievably simple to implement (when compared to comparable systems of the past).  Off the shelf applications that allow system admins to implement meaningful no-code or low-code solutions are out there.  Plus, non-proprietary platforms that allow Open API and Open Source API give IT the ability to write scripts to gather information across these platforms.  When paired with field-tested peripherals, users and clients alike benefit from a reliable, enriched, and simplified virtual experiences while directors and executives benefit from refined analytics and real-time reporting in a fully customizable platform.  Simple, right?  

The CWO might just become one of the most important positions in the company over the next 10 years.  H/Her role will consider each discipline and establish the hierarchy for budget and implementation. Departmental platforms will be created.  Workflows will be re-established.  Security will be reconfigured.  New physical offices will be redesigned with careful consideration around health and safety.  The new office hubs will support work-from-anywhere platforms and offer enriched Audio/Visual and collaboration tools.  When people come back together (and they will come back together) they will be highly productive, and the new workplace landscape will seamlessly support that. 

So now what?  It starts with pressing the pause button again to restart the music.  Things will be different for a while. There’s no need to dwell on that when so much needs to be done.  With budget season nearly upon us, we need to roll up our sleeves and start to have substantive discussions about disposition, return-to-work, and work-from-anywhere costs.  For the foreseeable future, a new budget allocation for workplace is imperative, and it might require everyone to give up a little for the organization to benefit a lot.

Chris Moeller is the Owner and Managing Principal of Orion Growth, a division of Gaia Ventures.  He has been pairing companies who seek efficient, repeatable workplace solutions with providers for over a decade.  Orion Growth is restoring the human connection by fundamentally changing the way workspace is delivered. 

Photo by Joe Roberts on Unsplash

A few weeks ago, I wrote a piece about the Tools of The Trade.  In it, I explain computer/peripheral hardware testing and the various software interfaces we have evaluated and (ultimately) adopted as a company.  I strongly believe that focused, productive employees are happy employees. Just as a physical workspace (office) influences culture and happiness, so does tech.  As Google announced yesterday, their employees can now work remote until July 2021.  It takes an incredible amount of back-end to make that work, and it is clearly here to stay.  Orion Growth’s sole focus since the Covid shut down has been researching and supporting remote work.

As Certified Microsoft Solutions Providers, Orion is constantly researching new virtual applications that help companies collaborate, share, and store information within a secure environment.  We are integrating building controls and distilling meaningful data to help tenants, owners, and landlords make more informed decisions.  We are rethinking how to deploy fully remote-managed offices while incorporating clear and concise methods of communication to workers.  We are limiting occupancy count and automating thermal sensors at controlled entry points for social distancing objectives.   This thinking transcends office planning and is becoming more and more vital for landlords and tenants alike. 

Remote-managed solutions are here to stay.  It’s time for the smartest of companies to be familiarizing themselves with terms like Application Programming Interface (API) Software Development Kit (SDK) and providers such as GitLab and GitHub.  Basic programming around interfaces that help elevate workplace data such as real time occupancy, network settings, proximity information as well as environmental conditions such as air quality, temperature, and the security of the premise are the remote norms of the future.  The tech is here – now it’s just a matter of defining the information the organization is looking to distill and establishing the interface to collect that data.  Workplace solutions have gone virtual, and we’re embracing those changes.

Our new models for future office uses are compelling.  Truth is that future tenancy is only as flexible as its most limiting solution.  Remote managed, open source integrations offer the most compelling evidence of what is possible.   Landlords and tenants alike have a whole new frontier in front of them.  At Orion Growth, we are embracing this change and remain excited about this fundamental shift in commercial real estate.

Chris Moeller is the Owner and Managing Principal of Orion Growth, a division of Gaia Ventures. Orion Growth is restoring the human connection by fundamentally changing the way workspace is delivered.  For more information on Orion Growth, please visit www.oriongrowth.com.

Photo by Pontus Wellgraf on Unsplash

Effective immediately, Friday is now ‘work-ON-home’ day at Orion Growth.  #FoundationFriday

The Canadian government released a public service announcement back in April about staying productive while working remote.  It is a simple, yet incredibly refreshing notion that a government-issued PSA about general mental health was important enough to broadcast to the people.  Sure, it’s about staying productive, but it’s really all about staying healthy so you can present your best critical thinking while at work.  This week, I’m taking this concept and I’m running with it.

Work-On-Home is simple.  It means scheduling a day-date with your spouse, learning a new video game with your child, or taking a walk with your mom.  It means MAKING the time to help your neighbor or signing up to be a big-brother / big sister.  It’s about pursuing other community and civic-related activities. Time and time again, I’ve heard the excuse there’s not enough time in the day.  At Orion Growth, there is.  In return, all I ask is that time spent restores the human connection.  It’s the simple gift of time.

Our company credo states (in part): ‘we are restoring the human connection by leading companies to work differently.’  I find it incredibly difficult to lead by following everyone else’s actions.  We are all grasping for guidance and looking to different sources for answers to the unknown.   Suddenly, the unknown is so scary in America.  What if we just show up to work refreshed, regenerated, and fulfilled from the weekend?  What if we forgot about a ‘regular work week’ and simply put our best work together because we are full of energy, focus, and commitment? What if we could help to solve our client’s problems, completely and efficiently? What if we engaged our fellow co-workers by being present in our discussions and relating to the challenges they are faced with?  If we all do this every week – Monday through Thursday – maybe we’ll be work-exhausted by Friday, whereby we turn our attention that WHOLE DAY to work on home?  Show up, work hard, and give back…. it’s actually all very possible.

So, we’re doing this for a while.  We’ve committed to #FoundationFriday for the next two months.  We have so many things we would like to explore.  Our families need us, our community needs us, and frankly we need us.  I’ll let you know how it goes – and I encourage you to try the same!

Chris Moeller is the Owner and Managing Principal of Orion Growth, a division of Gaia Ventures. Orion Growth is restoring the human connection by fundamentally changing the way workspace is delivered.  For more information on Orion Growth, please visit www.oriongrowth.com.

Photo by Morgan David de Lossy on Unsplash

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
With infectious diseases transmitted through aerosols, HVAC systems can have a major effect on the transmission from the primary host to secondary hosts. Decreasing exposure of secondary hosts is an important step in curtailing the spread of infectious diseases. Designers of mechanical systems should be aware that ventilation is not capable of addressing all aspects of infection control. HVAC systems,1 however, do impact the distribution and bio-burden of infectious aerosols. Small aerosols may persist in the breathing zone, available for inhalation directly into the upper and lower respiratory tracts or for settling onto surfaces, where they can be indirectly transmitted by resuspension or fomite2 contact.

Infectious aerosols can pose an exposure risk, regardless of whether a disease is classically defined as an “airborne infectious disease.” This position document covers strategies through which HVAC systems modulate aerosol3 distribution and can therefore increase or decrease exposure to infectious droplets,4 droplet nuclei,5 surfaces, and intermediary fomites6 in a variety
of environments.

This position document provides recommendations on the following:
• The design, installation, and operation of heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems, including air-cleaning, and local exhaust ventilation (LEV) systems, to decrease the risk of infection transmission.
• Non-HVAC control strategies to decrease disease risk.
• Strategies to support facilities management for both everyday operation and emergencies.

Infectious diseases can be controlled by interrupting the transmission routes used by a pathogen. HVAC professionals play an important role in protecting building occupants by interrupting the indoor dissemination of infectious aerosols with HVAC and LEV systems.

I wrote a piece last week stating my opinion that, basically overnight, it became a tenant’s market.  Landlords are working hard to retain their tenants by offering simple extensions and favorable renewal terms.  They are in the driver’s seat when it comes to offering incentives to those who are looking for a quick fix.  But a quick fix will treat the symptom not the cause.  It begs the same question that  Technology Officers have been asking for years, “Do we know our total cost of (occupancy/ownership)?”

An informed tenant can immediately answer that question.  With ease, they can pull their total portfolio and quantify (by location) the tenant improvement costs (Construction + FF&E) and ongoing Operating Expenses (inclusive of base rate, escalations, common area maintenance, taxes and building operating expenses plus utilities)  The really keen groups can even add daily ongoing expenses for pantry, janitorial, and office supplies.  The expenses add up pretty quickly and are widely accepted in the board room as simply the cost of doing business.  Not anymore.

At first glance, a quick extension to a current lease seems like a good option.  It allows leadership to focus on stabilizing the business.  It gives employees a sense of security (if properly communicated).  It also gives everyone a breath to figure out what return-to-work will look like.  In fact, if coupled with a workplace strategy plan, it might be a brilliant idea.  Those who sift the pennies will be rewarded in dollars.

WORKPLACE STRATEGY (Physical Programming, Portfolio Planning, Virtual)

My hope is that recent events will leave American small business in a far more informed and safer environment.  It has us rethinking how we get to work, what we must touch, and how far apart we should be.  Our senses are heightened, and we are more aware of our physical environment.  THIS is where the physical planning of a workplace THRIVES. 

Programming, programming, programming – ESPECIALLY office users.  How people work, where they move throughout the office, where high-touch environments are located, and the frequency of use will determine construction materials and alter company standards moving forward.  Rethink conference rooms with 18 seats, those are now Zoom meetings.  Training rooms (that largely remain vacant) with occupancy for 50 people?  Gone. Rent the building amenity room downstairs or get more creative with your venue.   Not only will reprogramming the flow of your workers help to illustrate your commitment to their health and wellbeing, it will lead to improved efficiency both in their work product and the overall footprint across the portfolio.  The two simple suggestions above might cut rentable square footage by 20% compounded over a 60-month lease term.  Do not forget, you avoid the tenant improvement cost on the front end too…

With a simple change of Program comes a seismic shift in footprint.  In 2019, Jones Lang LaSalle published a cost benchmarking guide to building out office space across North America.  They conclude the average construction cost of progressive office space is $152.23 per square foot.  If we assume a 10,000 square foot requirement and cut our meeting and primary conferencing needs to achieve a 20% reduction in size, we’re cost avoiding over $300K in direct construction expense AND reducing footprint.  The impact to operating expense matches the construction expense if the rate is $30 per foot and the term is 60 months.  $600K stays in your pocket by making simple programming decisions and carrying that forethought throughout the portfolio.   

No holistic approach to workplace is complete without the consideration of virtual.  None of these reduction practices work if the tech isn’t there.  Accessing files, sharing documents, collaborating, video conferencing all of which needs to be programmed just as if the employee were working in the office.  A new flow needs to be established.  That said, a new host of challenges will emerge.  Pushing updates, changes to settings, new software/applications will need to be downloaded and firmware updates will need to be scheduled.  IT will need remote-managed solutions both to service people who are working from home and those who choose to work in the office.  The need for a consistent platform of hardware – another repeatable kit-of-parts is upon us.  IT simply doesn’t have the time to diagnose the hardware first, then determine the problem.  A completely configured replacement needs to be available for next day delivery.  IT needs secured storage capable of shipping and receiving as well as access to a robust asset management system.  The way we work has changed.

BACK TO THE BEGINNING

I mentioned earlier this has become an informed tenant’s market.  If models exist that illustrate total cost of occupancy, then informed real estate decisions become easier to make.  If the process has been centralized to decision makers who are armed with a comprehensive, strategic understanding of defined factors, expensive mistakes will be avoided.  Nimble, cohesive decisions will allow progressive organizations to take advantage of incentives and sublease opportunities.  These will be just-in-time decisions subject to market conditions…highly tactical opportunities that are advantageous to the enterprise.    Success requires training, and training requires a goal.  Does your company have a goal?  It starts with a single step.

Chris Moeller is the Owner and Managing Principal of Orion Growth, a division of Gaia Ventures. Orion Growth is restoring the human connection by fundamentally changing the way workspace is delivered.  For more information on Orion Growth, please visit www.oriongrowth.com

Photo by Roger Hoyles on Unsplash

There’s little doubt in anyone’s mind that going back to work will look different for different organizations.  My son uses the line, “you do you” when he experiences a difference of opinion or suggests an alternative way to do something.  Companies will need to embrace the concept of “you do you” for a while and keep their employees in mind as they prepare to get back to the office. 

At Orion Growth, we have a standard gig-bag – an office toolbox – that we issue when new people join our team.  Welcome kits are nothing new to onboarding, but our ‘welcome-kit’ comes with horsepower, research, and field-tested data. It includes both physical hardware (Devices) and virtual (Content Management/Software).  Because we think it’s best to pack up and take your office with you at the end of the day, we thought we’d share our tool box of mobility.  Let’s take a look under the hood:

THE TRAVEL BAG:
Don’t underestimate the importance of a good gig-bag.  We use the Ogio Axle Laptop Backpack for it’s convenient size, weight, and travel ease. The TSA approved compartment allows you to keep your computer inside the bag at screening. The durable double rip-stopped face-coated material handles abuse well. The side mesh pockets are great for water bottles or odds and ends and the reinforced aluminum carry handle adds to the look and durability.  We embroider our Orion logo on the outside of each bag for proper branding and awareness. This bag is built tough, and it’s affordable. 

THE COMPUTER + EXTRAS FOR ON-THE-GO:
Currently we use the Microsoft Surface PRO 7.  There’s a lot of reasoning behind this selection.  First and foremost,  it’s a 2-in1.  Think laptop for work and notebook for convenience. Coupled with its slim profile, light weight, and extended battery life – this device packs a ton of features and functionality into a small frame … and for a decent price.  Tech specs are here.  Also standard issue for us is the optional Bluetooth mouse (no USB required) and pen, a super-functional tool when in notebook mode for meetings or to relax the mind while coloring or doodling on long flights. 

THE DESKTOP CONFIGURATION:
We chose Microsoft’s Surface devices because of their flexibility when on the go.  But when staying home or hitting the office, the Surface Dock turns it into a powerhouse by connecting it to dual monitors, and a wireless keyboard and mouse. The functionality of this computer feels no different than working on a traditional tower-style CPU.  We connect two Dell UltraSharp monitors to a Chief clamp-style monitor arm.  We chose a single clamp-style to reduce the redundant cost of two, independent arms, but greater range of motion might suit your workflow better.  Regardless, getting the monitors off the worksurface allows for easy daily disinfecting of the desktop as well as improved productivity and ergonomics.  This setup has proven efficient in our workflow time and time again, especially when reviewing drawings, auditing contracts, or using web-enabled video conferencing.  There’s no substitute for having a native file on one screen while interacting with remote team members on the other.  We stick a simple, Logitech webcam to the monitor, and we’re off and running!  Last but not least, we like to give our crew desktop courtesy power so they can charge via standard plug or USB.  Devices like this have been met with rave reviews.

HEADPHONES:
Headphones get their own subject line from us.  Tied with the task chair, this item is the most personal, subjective accessory in the office.  Some people love wires, some hate them.  Some swear by inside-the-ear pods while others love double, over-the-ear, noise cancelling cans.  After a BUNCH of different field tests, we standardized on the Poly (formerly Plantronics) Voyager Focus UC for four main reasons:

• Active Noise Cancelling – BOTH microphone and earphone need ANC.  Most people forget that, without a noise cancelling microphone, you allow outside audio to creep into meetings.
• Sound Quality – the double muff, over the ear sound quality puts you IN the call, not on it.  Even audiophiles can appreciate the sound quality.
• Talk Time – 12 hours on a full charge.
• Device Integration – It connects to PC via dedicated USB dongle, but simultaneously to any mobile device via Bluetooth.  Everything notifies to a centralized headset with independent controls for mute, noise cancelling, and volume.  They also offer tech support – which has proven very valuable.

Full disclosure: it takes a while to get used to these headphones.  They’re not small, and you will be subject to ridicule due to the double over-earphones and the boom mic.  We’ve been told we look like we’re landing airplanes while on team conference calls, which is a true statement.  I look at it like this; I wear a suit out of respect for the person I’m meeting with.  I wear these headphones out of respect for the people I work with. The noise cancelling function on both sides is unparalleled and I think focus and audio clarity should be the paramount consideration when making a decision on headsets.  I know I can’t live without mine, especially now that I’m working from home.

FURNITURE:
Not all furniture is created equal.  We made an investment for the long term when buying ours.  With help from our partners at Trendway, we designed custom workstations with high pressure laminate and mobile pedestals.  The design intent was singular: keep it flexible. 

Anyone in our office can get up and move to a different seat.  We simply disconnect our Surface from the dock, unplug any courtesy items that may be charging, and put our peripherals in our bag. 

At Orion, we now have a clean desk policy post Covid-19, meaning that each night, all employee items are packed up and brought home to allow for the proper cleaning and sanitizing of the office.  We have no tangled mess of cords, because we connect via Meraki WAP’s and we don’t have desk phones.  We’ve avoided the cost of structured cabling, and thoughtfully planned our workplace to be endlessly modular and to maximize mobility.  This forethought has proven invaluable during office restrictions and return to work. 

APPLICATIONS:
Each user has a Microsoft 365 Business account with an additional Project license.  We run our projects using Teams sitting on top of Sharepoint.  All drawings are authored in AutoCAD and marked up with Bluebeam REVU, but 100% of our company files live in the cloud and we’ve custom built our file taxonomy for extensive BI.  This level of organization enables us to move chunks of data into any application at anytime while maintaining a consistent file allocation hierarchy and avoiding service interruption.  We have learned firsthand how important autonomy is during this proprietary-forward IT business climate.  All data is locally backed up (real-time) to a Synology drive which is powered and protected by an APC UPS.   This configuration has allowed Orion to eliminate on-prem server hardware and the expenses associated with cooling, venting, and maintaining a dedicated telco space.  The cost avoidance and ROI is staggering, not to mention the entire system can be managed remotely, which takes required site visits out of play. 

We carefully select add-ons to our remote-managed suite of applications. We use Feenics Keep for Access Control/Security. We use Zoom Rooms for Video Conferencing. We use Airtame for wireless screen-sharing. We use HarvestApp for enterprise timekeeping.  Each of these applications has an open API, allowing us the ability to write scripts that monitor every signal between them.  We envision a time when we’ll be able to issue an access control badge and completely configure all software applications including HR & Payroll, software licensing, and office control settings from a centralized, remote platform. 

Through all of this, we remain solely focused on one thing: Employee Experience.  Ironically, there’s nothing more personal than how our employees embrace and engage these various pieces of technology.  We strive, every day, to keep their end-user experience on the forefront of our technology decision-making.  How we relate to our everyday virtual workplace is defining our virtual culture. We’ve found that most leadership discussions have only scratched the surface of this kind of thinking, both for the physical and virtual workplace.  (Yes, virtual culture is alive and well within workplaces with GREAT tech).  Orion Growth is fundamentally transforming the way workspace is delivered, and finding success by putting our employee experience first.

Chris Moeller is Principal of Orion Growth, a full service real estate consulting firm that services portfolio clients across the United States.

Photo “Two persons using Surface” by Christina @ wocintechchat.com

Getting a Handle on Total Cost of Occupancy & Other Lease Obligations.

And just like that, it is a tenant’s market.  For the last decade, Landlords have had a great run.  Those benefits to Landlords included; low vacancies, steady rate increases, and an abundance of new building tech for capital improvements.  Well-qualified tenants were signing longer leases, and smaller occupants were given tenant improvement packages requiring little effort (but were still subject to PM fees). It’s our position that in just under two months’ time, the pendulum has swung back in favor of the tenant. 

With all the fodder from furniture groups hoping companies will fully reconfigure, to broker stories alluding to phantom clients looking to double their size to accommodate social distancing…just stop.  This doesn’t make sense.  This is the time to gain a sound, data-driven understanding of the total cost of occupancy.  This audit process should allow you to accurately understand OpEx down into a single office, a region, nationally, or globally with the click of a button.  Workplace Solutions Groups and CFO’s should be able to track every lease dollar (Rate, CAM, CAP, Taxes, Insurance, Utilities) as well as every Tenant Improvement Dollar (Construction, FF&E, Move Fees, IT Expenses) across the enterprise.  After all, occupancy is generally accepted as a company’s second highest expense behind payroll and benefits. With work from home programs proving to be viable, it’s becoming the obligation of the execs to understand the cost / benefit of the office.  It starts with centralizing those costs and auditing the current expenses across the portfolio.  This is the time to build standards into lease documents, furnishings, construction, and IT.  Right now.

The Space.

So much efficiency is lost or gained right here.  A proper program of how people work is important but understanding the building’s loss factor might be even more beneficial.  Loss factor is the difference between the Rentable Square Footage (amount of space you pay for) and the Useable Square Footage (amount of space you actually occupy).  For the Landlord, this will determine the tenant’s financial contribution to Common Area Maintenance.  We’ve seen buildings’ lease space with 25% loss factors, leaving tenants to foot the bill for lobby space, additional training rooms, and unnecessary amenities throughout the building.  Always ask the landlord’s broker about the loss factor while on tour.  The building should be able to give you a certified Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) statement.  An acceptable number should be at or below 15%.  Choosing a space upon geography, or because the local team knows the property manager is long gone.  Data wins.

Rent.

There are several types of commercial leases but for purposes of illustration here, we will look at Full Service (Gross) and Triple Net (NNN).  A Full Service/ Gross Lease requires a tenant to pay a base rate and the landlord pays all associated expenses (taxes, insurance, utilities, and common area maintenance) while a Triple Net requires tenants to pay rent, as well as the associated taxes, insurance and CAM plus their individual utilities.  Gross leases are convenient, but exclude tenant leverage to renegotiate maintenance contracts or have clear visibility into actual utility usage.  Triple Net leases generally require tenants to carry their own insurance policy as well as manage multiple utilities and vendors.  With so many variables at play here, the take away is the rental rate.  Buildings are at least partially valued by Gross Rent Multiplier (GRM) which puts building owners in a position to preserve their rental rate.  Years ago, rental rates were the simplest term on which to base a negotiation.  Now, the negotiation has to dig much deeper into incentives (tenant improvement allocations) and / or term.  In general, don’t expect the negotiated rental rate to move much from the published rate.

Operating Expenses.

Each building is different, yet Orion strives for cohesion across our tenant’s portfolio.  No two buildings cost the same to run.  Some landlords thrive by keeping a watchful eye on spending while others prefer the higher priced vendors because they demand perfection.  Operating expenses within a commercial lease leave a lot open to interpretation, and therefore present challenges and risk to the tenant.  With so many vendors supporting a commercial building, it is important to request a list of qualified building expenses during the proposal phase of site selection.  Rather than a gross number, it’s best to request a breakdown of expenses so we can determine the value of that space independently.  Regardless of whether or not a building will align with a tenant’s budget, always negotiate for an expense stop (either by percentage or dollar amount) across the term of the lease and get a solid understanding of how capital improvement projects are calculated (or omitted) from operating expenses.

Alterations and Restorations.

Most tenants want to do something to their space to make it their own.  At Orion Growth, our Spacemakers create repeatable construction and Furniture Fixture & Equipment (FF&E) standards for our portfolio clients.  By applying these standards, our stakeholders have predictability around cost, time to market, and the overall feel for the planned environment.  Additionally, these standards are used during the RFP process to get contractor pricing and determine the value of the incentives.  The landlord can determine whether they would like to turnkey the space, or simply make it an allowance deal.  Either way, the clauses around construction and restoration need to be carefully considered.  Savvy landlords have found profits in controlling tenant alterations.  Maintaining the flexibility to accept a turnkey deal or a TI deal keeps the advantage in the tenant’s court.  Having company standards and a qualified build team is key to keeping a watchful eye on spending (as well as future warranty & maintenance).

Risk.

Today’s commercial leases have so many clauses.  As we have recently seen with Covid-19, Force Majeure has become a hot button topic and post 9/11 NYC had affected tenant relocation challenges.  Truth is, we never see these things coming, but there’s always a way to help mitigate risk while maintaining standard operating procedures.  If a landlord is requiring a 7-year lease, council might advise to negotiate an opt-out value after 60 months.  Sublease provisions should be thought through and standardized across the portfolio.  All of this requires conceptual ‘what-if’ planning and a cohesive set of terms that should be compiled before site-selection tours begin.  These scenarios should be played out across Finance, HR, Legal, IT and Operations so a consistent contract across the portfolio exists.  We can’t control events, but we can control how those events would affect our tenancy and our employees. 

In Summary.

Some of this may be elementary while some may be enlightening.  Truth is, the Commercial Real Estate market is still very siloed.  Brokers want a deal done.  Contractors want a clearly defined Scope of Work.  Furniture vendors want a purchase order.  Moving companies want solid dates.  The siloed approach can be effective if you’re a single or double location tenant and very involved with the process or simply don’t see the value in audit recovery across the breadth of occupancy expenses.  If you’re a portfolio client who has multiple offices across the nation or across the globe, standards are your best friend. Those standards start with lease language and finish with ribbon cuttings.  Any way you slice it, the expense data should be centralized, predictable, and accurate.  Expense justification should be on the forefront of everyone’s mind these days – that is if the organization is considering cost avoidance and audit recovery during these uncertain times.

Chris Moeller is the Owner and Managing Director of Orion Growth, a division of Gaia Ventures.  Orion Growth is restoring the human connection by fundamentally changing the way workspace is delivered.  For more information on Orion Growth, please visit www.oriongrowth.com

* Image by Carlos Muza from Unsplash

Of course, our virtual workplace is at the forefront of everybody’s mind, because just about everyone is working there right now.  When we return to the physical workplace, our office is going to look different and we are going to be asked to change our behaviors.  There might be space between our workstations or six-foot circles on the floor, and there will definitely be hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes on our desktops.  Meetings will start with elbow bumps at best and half of the team will be outside of the room. Logically, safety precautions taken in the workplace must apply to the technology that we use there and that we often bring home.

There is no question we will increase the investment in hardware, software, and training to extend the workplace outside the bounds of the office. If we use a computer to perform most of our job, in many cases we have worked effectively from home since mid-March. We continue to be productive even with the increased demands of significant others and children staying at home too. I’ve seen anecdotal reports that software developers and engineers are actually being more productive because they are keeping their best hours for work (insert here the obligatory picture of a coder with his high-caffeine energy drink in dark solitude). This productivity has happened because of the infrastructure that our companies have put in place to unify communications and file-sharing along with video conference calls that are new to some and seem to be wearing on us all.

At Orion, we believe that the highest purpose of a workplace is to restore the human connection. Going back to the office will make collaborative conversations easier. We want to get back to brainstorming sessions and problem-solving meetings and on-the-wall thinking.  We will get back to heads down productivity later.  Sure, it will be nice to get things done without our miniature roommates tugging on us to quit early and join the fun.  But, when stay@home orders are over, we might be even more productive outside of the workplace. Let’s collaborate smartly, making the most of our time together and being thankful for the technology that has brought us together while physically apart these many days.

Now a next action list for an effective return-to-work strategy for technology has these three categories: keep our tech safe, increase remote work investment, and collaborate smartly.

• Keep Our Tech Safe
  • Dispose of shared HID* (sharing a keyboard and mouse is not just gross anymore, it is not safe)
  • Bring your own device and share to screen as needed
  • Use voice activation where available
  • Have a Community Manager issue whiteboard markers or other multi-use tools
  • Assign a single employee to clean & maintain the Copier / Printer / Plotter
  • Remove tech from the work surface daily for effective cleaning; provide laptop backpacks!
  • Pen & paper are technology, too: bring your own & use it!

• Increase Remote Work Investment
  • Training, training, & more training: the time investment must be greater than the dollars spent.
  • Train on daily use applications & basic troubleshooting skills
  • Create a Remote Support playbook
  • Increase security & compliance reviews
  • Enable self-service password reset
  • Use multi-factor authentication and train your staff on it
  • Educate coworkers about Phishing scams
  • Provide mentoring for time management skills

• Collaborate Smartly
  • Communicate staggered workdays so that teams can coordinate with each other
  • Make screen sharing wireless i.e. touchless
  • Provide everyone headsets with noise cancelling mics
  • Use software that unifies chat, video, calls with file-sharing
  • Reimburse employees for home bandwidth
  • Encourage presence messages and camera use for impromptu conversations
  • Allow people to turn the video camera and presence off to relax

We’ve talked about the return-to-work user experience of your employees. What about your customers? Are your employees trained to be trainers for your customers? Are you willing to share your desktop with a customer and search for a file while they look on?  Are you protecting the data and information about your customers and using it wisely on their behalf?

In the next part of our Return-To-Work series, Chris and Brian are going to combine expertise in commercial real estate and asset recovery to show you how Orion applies cost-saving principles to the workplace. We use information about capital and operating expenses around lease requirements to provide an evidence-based method for your next office decision-making.

John

*Human Interface Device

I really enjoyed discussing the Power of Design with Jack Ossa.  Restoring the human connection is finally on the minds of so many leaders.  Glad to have had this opportunity to share our thoughts and visions at the end of 2019.

After listening to Jack and I talk here, go and subscribe to his podcast. He is a unique voice in our industry.

Chris

As a design professional, I am thankful for the opportunity to give you my input on how vital it is that we keep our workplace environment safe in this unprecedented time. Our workplace is our second home. It is where we spend a lot of our days and nights. It is where we communicate with our co-workers and our customers. It is where we achieve goals. It is a place that some of us have not been for a while. It is a place we miss.

So how do we get back there safely?  We must implement some simple short-term workplace solutions along with long-term upgrades as a community together.

First and foremost, I think the key to making this return-to-work progression successful is communicating with our workers. This will make going back to work so much easier for the physical, mental, and emotional needs of everyone involved. This time is very challenging, and the workplace must be treated as a haven so our workers will feel protected and be productive.

Below are some short-term initiatives that can be implemented now, while you are still at home.

• Reach out to your landlord’s property manager and:
  • Request a mechanical duct cleaning prior to re-opening offices
  • Request a maintenance plan for proper ventilation flow at returns/diffusers
  • Request cleaning of window blinds and make sure they function to let in daylighting
  • Request a plan for ongoing deep cleaning of common areas of the building
• Reach out to your executive team to suggest the following:
  • Providing masks for workers
  • Hand sanitizer stations at front entry, break room, & intermediate areas depending on the size of office with ‘hand wash’ reminder signs
  • Noise & mic canceling headphones (in lieu of work phones)
  • Give company mugs & water bottles for personal use
• Reach out to your janitorial team to address the following:
  • Ensure a deep clean in your suite prior to worker re-entry
  • Provide disinfectant wipes at each desk, especially “hoteling” desks that are used by multiple users
  • Provide disinfectant wipes at conference rooms & huddle areas
• REACH OUT TO YOUR EMPLOYEES AND TELL THEM ABOUT ALL OF THE ABOVE

The NCIDQ 2019 definition of interior design, states that it is an Interior Designer’s responsibility to analyze and plan spaces that meet fire, life-safety, and accessibility along with making sure that we address the well-being of the individuals utilizing the environment.

The future for interior designers now includes infection control planning for construction standards to meet health and safety requirements in the workplace. Much like healthcare executives, a company’s executive team will need to take these standards into consideration during the finish selection process. I envision we will utilize more materials that are antimicrobial, easily washable, like crypton or vinyl fabrics, and have an easy overall maintenance plan. Other areas that need further execution are touchless fixtures such as faucets, water fountains, elevator buttons and door hardware. These items have been in the market for quite a while and should become the norm in all new office buildings. Plus, many items can easily be retrofit by conscientious building owners.

In my opinion, a concentrated effort of how the space needs to be cleaned should be determined before we just pull our furniture apart for social distancing. Everyone has been focused on six feet of distancing per social distancing rules. Firms are discussing using floor circles around desks to signal appropriate space, adding floor arrows for “lanes” in the aisles, and getting paper placemats for desks each day. Social distancing is for people, not things.  Cleaning after the use of desks, collaboration areas, break rooms, etc. is more important for workplace safety.

Below is a list of long-term upgrades to the building and/or tenant suite that you work in:

• Common Area building improvements:
  • No-touch technology at building entry doors, elevators/common areas, & public restrooms
  • Filtration & disinfection of HVAC systems according to ASHRAE guidelines
  • Incorporate outdoor space for employees to get fresh air & vitamin D
  • Restrooms with built-in toilet rooms in lieu of stalls
• Tenant Suite improvements
  • Make cleanability a priority for furniture selection
  • Replace old counters with antimicrobial solid surface
  • Install adjustable monitor arms to allow more area for clean surfaces
  • Introduce green plants throughout space for better air quality
• Cleaning improvements
  • Implement a maintenance plan for carpet & resilient surfaces per vendor conformity
  • Create in-office cleaning protocols that each employee must adhere to
  • Maintain cleaning inspection schedules
• SELECT A COMMUNITY MANAGER FOR EACH WORKPLACE

Every workplace needs to anoint its Community Manager. This individual can be the bridge between the workplace and its employees. Many co-working businesses have this type of person. Some old-line thinkers might see this position as merely a receptionist or admin.  We need to see this person as an important piece of our workplace safety plan.  This person is an ambassador for the company that can engage with workers in both the physical space and on the virtual platform. Having a liaison between employees, executive leadership, landlord, janitorial staff, and any interoffice personnel will be transformative for the workplace.

How else will the workplace change? Here at Orion, we think the next direction will be to improve the virtual office. The virtual office has been our only workplace during this pandemic and it has become obvious where many companies are lacking in technology. Our team has known for some time that virtual functionality is fundamental to planning offices. It is now even more clear. 

But, I will let my co-worker, John, speak to that in the next article in our series…for now, please continue to be safe and we look forward to seeing you back at the office soon.

Jessica

I’ve had quite a few people reach out to discuss return-to-work programs in the middle of this COVID-19 pandemic.

As a company, we’ve decided to publish a series of to-do articles. Starting with our Lead Spacemaker, Jessica Letourneau, Orion Growth will take you through immediate, mid-term, and longer-term strategies that can be used to get back into a safer working environment. Jessica will start with simple, quick fixes that can be implemented while folks are still home, then move into the importance of updating surface materials, construction standards, and ultimately space programming to ensure health and wellbeing are considered throughout the office-making process. Standards are moving to hand washing stations, touchless fixtures including water fountains, door hardware, sink faucets, antimicrobial solid surface counter tops, air purification and the list goes on. Perhaps most interesting will be the discussion of HOW the offices of tomorrow will be utilized, designed, and maintained.  We’re envisioning a very different type of workspace design moving forward – and we’re excited to share our vision with you.

Next, our Senior Director of Program Management, John Ramseur, will be weighing in on the importance of the virtual office.  John is a self-admitted futurist of technology and was responsible for designing and implementing the entire remote / virtual office for Orion Growth.  We all travel a good bit on behalf of our clients.  While out, we realized our productivity suffered while we were on the road.  We needed a centralized platform that could be used wherever in the world to access, share, and collaborate on files the rest of our team was working with back in Charlotte.  Because of the success of our internal roll-out, (which has been highly evident during COVID-19) we’re excited to share the ins and outs and our repeatable kit of parts with you. Never before has the virtual office and a centralized, cohesive hardware solution been so important.  John will take us through that discussion.

Finally, our Finance & Analytics guru, Brian Smith and I will be focusing on audit recovery – specific to expenses within current lease portfolios.  Corporate Real Estate is an enterprise’s second largest expense, second only to HR/Payroll/Benefits.  Our exposure into national, multi-site companies has taught us that few firms can accurately quantify their real-time OpEx and cross reference that data with heart count, daily office use (attendance) or utilization factors.  Rental rate isn’t the only expense that needs to be tracked across the term.  Common area maintenance, load factor, taxes and insurance, and the efficiency of the landlord’s team to properly maintain a multi-tenanted building are all factors.   Lease decisions should be made on solid data points along with exposure to all the necessary expenses it will take to successfully transition the workforce into the space.   The office should help the overall vision, not hinder it through unwarranted expense.  Bryan and I will take a deeper dive into those expenses so you can fully understand what’s inside (and what isn’t) a landlord’s base rate.

As you can see, we are working hard to create immediate and tangible return-to-work policies. There is an underlying theme of now, short term, and longer term when it comes to the future of Workplace Solutions Groups.  Firms in 2020 should not find themselves behind the mobile workplace or health factor movement again.  The Cloud and virtual collaboration are not trends – they’re how we work.  Employers are now realizing the need to provide enterprise-quality mobile hardware and collaboration tools such as screen sharing, web-optimized video conferencing, noise cancelling (and mic-cancelling) headsets, and much, much more.  Finally, there are expenses to cut back on.  As justification of expense becomes a daily routine, we’ve got to be smarter and smarter about every dollar in every contract.  Leases and office space are expensive.  It’s our job to help our clients get a handle on those expenses before, during, and after the project completes.

Chris