Creating the office of the 21st century The office space market has experienced unusually dynamic development, largely because of the economic upturn, which has translated into a high number of companies investing in Poland. In order to maintain their market position, developers and interior design companies need to intensify their quality-based competition. Piotr Szymczak: Readers of the ‘Harvard Business Review Poland’ indicated the location of the working office as a key element of business activity numerous times. Warsaw is at present in the top 5 of European capitals in terms of office space under construction. Where do you see the origins of this interest in the Polish market and how do you assess the potential of the Warsaw market? Mikołaj Sznajder: We see that investors have become more interested in Poland in general, not only in Warsaw. Our country increasingly welcomes more advanced processes and technologies which drives interest in cities like Warsaw, Cracow, Katowice and Wroclaw. There is an increase in office space in smaller cities like Bydgoszcz, Torun and Lublin.
Transcript
Creating the
office of the
21st century
The office space market has experienced
unusually dynamic development, largely
because of the economic upturn, which has
translated into a high number of companies
investing in Poland. In order to maintain their
market position, developers and interior
design companies need to intensify their
quality-based competition.
Piotr Szymczak: Readers of the ‘Harvard Business
Review Poland’ indicated the location of the working
office as a key element of business activity
numerous times. Warsaw is at present in the top 5
of European capitals in terms of office space under
construction. Where do you see the origins of this
interest in the Polish market and how do you assess
the potential of the Warsaw market?
Mikołaj Sznajder: We see that investors have
become more interested in Poland in general, not
only in Warsaw. Our country increasingly welcomes
more advanced processes and technologies which
drives interest in cities like Warsaw, Cracow,
Katowice and Wroclaw. There is an increase in office
space in smaller cities like Bydgoszcz, Torun and
Lublin.
Taking part in
the debate:
Anna
Czerwińska,
Project Manager,
KMD Poland
Beata Osiecka,
Board Director,
Kinnarps Polska
Agnieszka
Krawczyk-
Rogowska, Lease
Manager, Central
Region, Skanska
Property Poland
Magda Szubert,
Concept
Developer,
Ecophon Saint-
Gobain
Mikołaj
Sznajder,
Associate
Director,
Department of
Office Space,
CBRE
Moderator:
Piotr Szymczak,
HBRP
Piotr Szymczak: Last
year is often referred to
as exceptional for the
office space market.
What contributed to
that?
Agnieszka Krawczyk-
Rogowska: Last year
was definitely
exceptional. In Warsaw,
nearly 800 thousand
square meters were
leased, which confirms
that the capital is the
leading location in the
country. I have to
admit, though, that in
regional cities, the
demand is also very
high (last year over 600
thousand square meters
were leased). Business
services centers in the
regions leased over
80% of our space. We
also note that the
existing service centers
are expanding their
space and new players
keep entering the
market. We are
optimistic about the
market both in Warsaw
and the regional cities.
Piotr Szymczak: What
is the current vacancy
rate in Warsaw and
what conclusions about
the existing trend can
be drawn from it?
Mikołaj Sznajder: Last year’s
vacancy rate was the worst
nightmare for developers
because in the middle of the
year all estimates indicated
that there was 4.7 million
square meters of office space
in Warsaw, and at the same
time the numbers projected
about 16% of vacant space,
which would mean that
approximately 750 thousand
square meters was de facto
available in Warsaw. Yet we
finished last year with a rate of
12.3%. In comparison, the
rate was approximately 14.1%
in the middle of the last year
and its drop to 12.3% was
caused by a record-breaking
number of concluded
transactions. Rental contracts
were signed for over 800
thousand square meters of
office space. Simultaneously,
the projects which are now
under construction will
increase office space in
Warsaw by an additional 650
thousand square meters.
Piotr Szymczak: Is it still
correct to say that Warsaw is a
tenant’s market? How will the
current trend impact the level
of rental prices?
Mikołaj Sznajder: The asking
price to lease will most
probably remain at the same
level;
but tenants are negotiating
all the time, and this
influences the market. Some
time ago, the tenant was
freed from rental payment
for the five first months if
the contract was for five
years. Today it is nine
months on the average for a
five-year contract. The
standards for finishing of the
buildings has become
increasingly competitive, and
let’s remember that that
means money saved by the
tenant. At the same time,
the prices for the finishing
offered by the developers
are significantly higher than
3-4 years ago. Very high
standard office space is
offered more frequently.
Piotr Szymczak: Now let’s
address the decision-making
factors influencing particular
choices of the companies
that are planning to relocate
their offices. Which factors
are most important?
Anna Czerwińska: We
asked ourselves the question
of how to attract employees
to our office. It turned out
that access to the location is
fundamental. After our eight-
month adventure at
Służewiec we realized that
this location would not be a
good choice. We had a huge
problem
with parking and
transportation; that is
why we decided to look
for something at the
periphery of the center.
With some help from an
agency we found an office
with fantastic access and
location and connections
with all means of
transportation.
Piotr Szymczak: The
role of the office is
changing. We see slogans
such as activity-based
workplace or smart Office.
What do they actually
mean?
Agnieszka Krawczyk-
Rogowska: In 2014 we
moved to a new office
space which was arranged
according to activity-
based workplace
principles. Before that we
carried out research which
showed that we don’t
really spend that much
time at our desks. We
attend meetings, have
brainstorming sessions,
discuss particular
projects. Sometimes we
also work at the client’s
location or from home.
These analyses enabled
us to design space where
people can sit down in a
quiet work area. With
over 80 people in the
office we have around
50 desks which gives a
ratio much below 100%.
We also have creative
work areas where we
can meet in a friendly
colorful spaces and
discuss the current
issues. We also have
focused work areas,
because in an open
space office, spaces are
very much needed where
one can regain focus, cut
off external stimuli. We
also have places where
our employees can relax.
In our case that is our
table soccer and fitness
room, where we practice
pilates or cross fit.
Beata Osiecka: We
have been dealing with
the activity-based
workplace for several
years. Every company
uses its principles in a
different way. It seems
to be viewed as new
standard. Currently,
however, the standard is
actually the lack of a
defined standard. You
can’t impose on a
company how they
should work in the
future. It is rather the
company itself that
defines how it will work.
The very name activity
based working is
meaningful.
Initially, the concept largely
meant encouraging employees
to change their workplace
depending on the tasks they
carried out. Today we say that
employees change their
workplace not only with
regard to their tasks but also
depending on their mood on a
particular day. Acceptance of
this idea is associated with the
corporate culture of an
organization. We have very
different clients on various
levels of the corporate culture.
Approximately half of our
clients represent a traditional
approach to workplaces. There
are also those companies that
want to change something but
don’t really know what. They
need some help during the
transformation process.
Finally, there are very
conscious clients who have
tested some solutions and
became really involved in the
project-related part of the
process. In such a case our
role is just to support them in
this process.
Piotr Szymczak: Why do
companies refuse to benefit
from the advantages of the
new trends, knowing that they
would improve team work
effectiveness?
Beata Osiecka: Because of
their functions, some
organizations
are not a good match for full
implementation of all these
solutions and they only use
a small part of them. Every
case is different and we
need to try and educate the
market. We have been doing
this for many years but not
all organizations need new
solutions of this type. That is
why we publish successive
reports on trends, which are
helpful in finding answers
about how we will work in
the nearest future.
Magda Szubert: Modern
working environments are
becoming increasingly
popular even if they don’t
form a standard activity
based workplace. Surely,
classical open space is
slowly fading into the past.
It is being replaced by
diversified spaces where we
have different rooms and
places dedicated to different
tasks.
The analysis of how offices
function is the biggest part
of our job. Our experience
and some international
research show that very
often these analyses
underestimate the time
employees need to focus.
This is why too little space is
assigned for traditional
working places or they are
prepared inadequately. They
lack relevant sound-
absorbing materials which
help people not to disturb
each other. The spaces for
traditional work are
shrinking. At the same time,
they are more often located
near meeting spaces, which
means that talking disturbs
those who are working in
the traditional way. At the
same time, we have
workplaces dedicated to
focused work, but it turns
out that there are often too
few of them. These facts are
reflected in research carried
out in the Netherlands,
where the concept of the activity
based workplace originated. It
indicates that the percentage of
time spent on individually focused
work in companies is
underestimated by at least 30%.
A study was also conducted in a
company where the activity based
workplace had functioned for at
least five years; and it
demonstrated that some problems
related to classical open space
occur there as well. The
employees were most dissatisfied
with their lack of privacy. One
cannot forget that the office is
supposed to improve effectiveness
and satisfy the basic needs of our
employees. This means that they
must have the opportunity to
focus on their work and to
communicate with each other
without any limitations. The
balance between communication
and concentration is the key to
success.
Piotr Szymczak: What are
specifics of the management
change in working space? How to
painlessly shift from an office to
an open space?
Magda Szubert: It is a painful
process. While dealing with it we
pay attention to communicating
the employer’s actions to even out
the disadvantages. We help the
client work out the so-called code
of conduct. It is very important
and it really works if it is skillfully
prepared together with the users.
We can do our best to prepare the
interior, take care of the
acoustics, but it’s also the
employees who influence it. If
they shout to one another across
a few rows of desks or leave their
phones at their desks then it’s
they who are disturbing others at
work.
Beata Osiecka: Most of all, time
is needed to manage change.
Currently, two months before
moving is too short a deadline to
say what the office is supposed to
look like. Sometimes the research
process begins even before the
client starts looking for a new
office space. We have clients with
whom we’ve worked for three
years before their planned change
of the location. It is also necessary
to get the client’s management
involved because the management
change processes will not work
without support from the top.
The client also has the internal
responsibility for creating a team
which would support the process
internally in terms of
communication. We can support
them with applications,
consultations, studies and
workshops but the responsibility
and awareness are on the part of
the client.
Agnieszka Krawczyk-
Rogowska: In the next stage it is
important to listen to people who
are already working in a space.
The office should be alive because
every day people perform some
activities or tasks there. These
change over time. We have to be
prepared to introduce some
modifications later on. When we
implemented the activity based
workplace in our company we had
an opportunity to work for some
time in that space, collect feedback
and introduce some improvements.
For those who have undergone the
change it is important that
somebody on the management
board listens to them.
Beata Osiecka: We call this stage
co-creation. It is a trend that
makes us realize how much the
style of management has changed:
from a totalitarian style to
consultative decision-making. We
also notice this shift in the process
of choosing office equipment. For
organizations co-creation is a
fantastic tool which allows
employees’ involvement in the
change, improves motivation and
employee engagement.
Piotr Szymczak: Your employees
were involved in the process of
naming conference rooms
so that they felt more engaged.
Did this experience really pay
off?
Anna Czerwińska: Our concern
was for the employees to be able
to find particular rooms. On the
other hand we didn’t want to
invest huge amounts in screens
located all over the office which
would only show the location of
conference rooms. We
announced a contest for the
names of the conference rooms
on the second floor that would
correspond to the previous ones.
On the fourth floor the rooms
received the names of European
capital cities and on the third
floor — names of countries; on
the second however they were
named after important cities in
particular countries. If somebody
says: ‘let’s meet in Barcelona’,
then a thoughtful employee
knows that it is on the second
floor. Additionally, we took the
geographic location into account
and if you turn north you’ll know
where to find Barcelona.
Piotr Szymczak: It is
sometimes said that an office
can attract talents. In your
opinion, is the workplace
important from the point of view
of a prospective employee?
Anna Czerwińska: The office
certainly attracts. On the other
hand, sensible employees know
what they can require. And a
sensible management board
knows what to ensure to the
employees: ergonomics and a lot
of space. Health is important for
everyone. Thus, the investment
in the purchase of good
equipment: desktop elevators
which allow a standing or sitting
working position and are
adaptable to the user’s height
and weight.
Magda Szubert: The conditions
in the office translate not only to
effectiveness and employee
satisfaction in their work but also
to their well-being after they
have left work. It is said
Modern working environments are
becoming increasingly popular even if
they don’t form a standard activity based
workplace. Surely, classical open space is
slowly fading into the past.
that modern workplaces
are to serve employees so
that they can more
effectively use their
private time.
Agnieszka Krawczyk-
Rogowska: Currently
around 80% of individuals
who come for a job
interview would like to see
their desk. It is, after all,
the place where we spend
the major part of the day.
Managers also pay
attention to public
transportation access to
facilitate commuting.
Piotr Szymczak: Could
you indicate one key
feature that is
characteristic of a good
office in your opinion?
Mikołaj Sznajder: Our
research indicates that the
following are the most
important for employees:
access to daylight, the
opportunity to control the
environment, e.g., air
conditioning or ventilation,
the chance to eat their
own home made meal and
public transport. According
to our research,
communication is a factor
which is exceptionally
desirable. Employees
seem to attach virtually no
importance to green areas
around the buildings or
bicycle parking spaces.
These are of course
appreciated by those who
use them but it was only a
one digit percentage rate.
For comparison: access to
daylight and air conditioning
topped at a 90% rate.
Magda Szubert: I would add
the noise factor to that list.
Various studies show that 49%
of employees identify noise as
the factor that disturbs them at
work most. In my opinion the
office that people want to visit is
a place that balances various
needs: concentration and
communication.
Beata Osiecka: Location is
definitely important from our
point of view. It mainly refers to
the commuting time. The
second issue is office
friendliness, i.e., whether we
enjoy coming to the office and
whether it affects us in a
positive way. Ergonomics is also
important in this area. Our
latest research demonstrates
that as many as 84% of
employees prefer ergonomic
solutions to just visually
attractive ones. Let me add that
three in four respondents stated
that a user-friendly and
ergonomic office affects the job
satisfaction level as much as the
level of remuneration and
flexible working hours. The third
issue is the opportunity to
decide what the office looks like.
It is definitely motivating. More
often, employees wish to co-
create their future place of
work.
From leasing
to furnishing Each stage of a company headquarters design
process can be precisely adapted to its needs
and expectations. The example of KMD’s
Warsaw office proves that fruitful cooperation
between the developer and the interior design
company makes it possible to create an office
that is the pride of all parties involved.
Aleksander Krakowski, Editor, ICAN Institute
KMD IS ONE of the largest
Danish companies and at
the same time the country’s
IT sector leader. The
company was established in
1972. Initially it operated as
a joint enterprise of local
governments. Today KMD is
a dynamic private business
with annual revenues
exceeding 640 million Euro
and over three thousand
employees employed in its
branches in Denmark,
Sweden and Poland. KDM
provides IT services mainly
for the Danish
sectors in the world. The
company has been involved in
many community and
environmental projects.
Entry into the Polish
Market
KMD has been on the Polish
market for over a year now
and has cultivated its image
as a good employer from the
very start. Thus KMD
approached the selection of its
business location with utmost
care. The company
had a long list of requirements for
the new location to fulfill. Based on
its previous experience on the
Danish market, KMD Poland knew
that in order to attract greater
talent, the best conditions should
be offered to prospective
employees, and the choice of its
business location was crucial. The
Gdański Business Center located in
Warsaw's Muranów district
(developed by HB Reavis, the
Slovakian real estate developer)
was eventually selected by the
company. Currently, KMD occupies
two floors there and is planning to
lease the third floor soon.
A dual perspective
The following pages present a
case study of KMD. We look at
the company from the points of
view of two companies, that is,
HB Reavis, the developer of the
building in which the KMD offices
are located, and Kinnarps, the
furniture company that supplied
the office furnishings, meeting its
client's needs to a “T.” This is an
exceptional case presented in our
supplement, where two
companies report their
experiences related to the same
client independently. It is worth
emphasizing that both the
developer and the furniture
company are proud of their
fruitful cooperation with KMD.
Taking such a broad perspective
lets us notice the extent to which
an interior space may be adapted
to the requirements of a given
company.
This dual case study offers us a
perspective on why KMD chose the
Gdański Business Center office
building and how it adapted the
leased space to meet its needs.
We’re certain that this presentation
of the entire process, from the start
with KMD’s search for an office
space in Warsaw as a foreign
investor, to their choice of a
developer and building manager,
and finally, their involvement in the
interior furnishing process will be
an inspiration for our readers.
HB REAVIS
You’ll feel at home
in this office Bare walls, a few desks, chairs and computers, tangled cables on the floor
and the buzzing noise of fluorescent ceiling lights.
This office already belongs to the past. A modern workplace is highly
functional, spacious and attractive and primarily, it meets employees'
needs at work. After all it is employees who are most important in the
office. They should feel comfortable and relaxed, which will translate into
their motivation and positive attitude toward their everyday tasks.
Karol Wyka, Senior Leasing Manager, HB Reavis Poland
ONE OF THE KEY
FACTORS for KMD was a
convenient location. The
top choice among many
investment projects
suggested by DTZ
consulting agency
(currently Cushman &
Wakefield). was Gdański
Business Center, the
property of international
real estate development
group HB Reavis. The
Center is considered to be
one of the most accessible
office facilities in terms of
transport in Warsaw.
Numerous bus and tram
stops, the Dworzec
Gdański metro station,
Warsaw Gdańska train
station and Venturilo bike
rental facility guarantee
excellent connections not
only with the city center
but with other city districts
as well. An additional asset
of the building is its
immediate surroundings.
The building complex is in
the center of green
recreation grounds
equipped with a large
number of benches and
public Wi-Fi access points
where employees can relax
or work during warm
weather. The ground floor in
all four buildings are
allocated to shops,
restaurants and cafes with
additional space for summer
gardens. Employees can
have lunch there, arrange a
meeting or have a drink with
colleagues after work.
“We largely hire computer
programmers. Computer
specialists are usually
individualists who prefer
working from home. But we
wanted to build a well-
integrated team, not a
collection of individuals,”
Jens Brinksten CEO KMD
Poland emphasizes. “That is
why we took so much care in
selecting and designing our
new office space. Less time
spent on commuting to work
and the developed
infrastructure in the
immediate surroundings
are the most important
arguments we have to
convince employees to work
daily in the office with us.
Prior to the official opening,
we organized a trip for our
employees so that everyone
could get to know the new
location, get used to their new
surroundings and check the
view from the window.
Everyone had a positive
feeling about the new location
and we’re looking forward to
the completion of the office
furniture installation.”
At the moment KMD occupies
two floors (the goal is three)
in the glass-walled Building A
of the center situated in
Warsaw's Muranów district.
The reception area features a
minimalist design style
consisting mainly of whites,
wood and comfortable sofas in
natural colors. This design
scheme echoes the
Scandinavian roots of the
company. The remaining office
space was divided into several
activity zones:
individual work areas and meeting
and relaxation areas.
The focal point of the office is so-
called Zone 1 — a public space
which boasts a large open kitchen
equipped with traditional tables
and bar counters and a relaxation
section with sofas and swing chairs
to be used by employees on a daily
basis and occasionally for
integration events. KMD places a
large emphasis on employee
integration, which is not an easy
task with a team of nearly 200
employees. This is why family and
integration evenings are organized
on a regular basis and new ideas
as to how to use the space
constantly crop up. For instance, in
order to ease parents' daily living,
the company hired child-minders
during the most recent school
holidays and equipped two
conference rooms with toys. “Many
of our employees took advantage
of the office holiday option. It was
louder than usual in the office but
there was also a lot of laughter.
Foremost, employees could
perform their daily duties without
worrying about what to do with
their children,” Anna Czerwińska,
Project Manager KMD Poland told
us.
Besides an open kitchen area,
there are also closed kitchens with
microwave ovens where employees
heat and eat their lunch without
disturbing their co-workers. The
office is supplied with fresh fruit on
a daily basis and coffee and tea
lovers can enjoy freshly ground
coffee and choose from jars with a
range of teas.
You may easily lose your way
walking around the 4-thousand-
plus square meter area (ultimately
to be 6.2 thousand), so KMD
decided to mark spaces with color.
There are red, green, blue and
yellow zones. Each color has been
used discreetly and is not
overwhelming. Elements of color
can be found in the floor covering,
acoustic screens or conference
room decor.
The company has achieved what it
most desired. A tight-knit and motivated
team performs the best and is esteemed
by clients.
Employees have 29
conference rooms at their
disposal. Together with the
future third floor, they will
have 46. Apart from color, a
name system was created to
ease area recognition. The
fourth floor rooms are named
after European capitals, and
the names of countries can be
found on the lower level.
The arrangement is not
accidental. Scandinavian
cities and countries are in the
northern part of the office and
Rome, Athens, Italy or Greece
are in the southern section.
While standing in Budapest,
we may assume that Wien is
just a few steps away, and
Hungary is on the floor below
us.
The office furnishings in each
room suit different work styles
and meeting formats. We can
find traditional conference
seating arrangements with large
rectangular tables and chairs in
some rooms and comfortable
colorful armchairs and coffee
tables in others; still others are
equipped with high tables and
bar stools. Where whiteboards
do not match the decor in some
rooms, specially laminated
panes serve for writing.
Rooms not only boast monitors
and projectors, but there are
also minicomputers installed
behind monitors, so that
employees do not have to
attend meetings with their
personal laptop. To further
facilitate communication
between teams,
Points to Remember When
Designing an Office Space
1. An office is
designed to be worked
in. This seems obvious
but it is often forgotten.
We concentrate on
trends and colors. We
tend to imitate what we
have seen elsewhere;
after all, “they have it so
beautiful so why don’t
we?” This is a mistake! A
well-designed office
space should satisfy your
business needs. Review
the actions your
employees perform on a
daily basis. Do they talk
much on the phone?
Arrange for separate
teleconference rooms. Do
they often have
meetings? Don’t forget a
sufficient number of
conference rooms. Do
they use large-format
plans or drawings?
Provide them with tables
on which they can place
all of their materials. The
hot desking system that
is popular recently does
not necessarily need to
be the best solution for
you, and a modern open
space arrangement is
certainly not a universal
solution for all
businesses.
2. An office is not only
to be worked in. People
develop the most long-
lasting friendships in
their workplaces. Help
your employees to
integrate! A well-
integrated and friendly
team will achieve
decidedly more than a
group of even the most
talented individuals. Plan
for an area for informal
meetings, and best for it
to be next to the coffee
maker (the best things
always happen in the
kitchen!). This is the
place where your team
not only has the
opportunity to discuss
an action plan for the
next few days but also
to meet after work
from time to time. If
you want to foster a
more relaxed
atmosphere, you can
set up staff chill out
rooms with table
football games,
consoles, billiard tables
or even punching bags.
Everyone benefits from
a moment of rest
during working hours,
and a quick release of
negative emotions
helps to return to work
just a few minutes
later.
3. Image is
everything. We live in
a visual culture. Photos,
pictures, infographics
and pictograms appeal
to people more than
words. These principles
may be implemented in
the office context. First
of all, clients will come
to a nice office more
willingly. So save
significant travel time
by organizing business
meetings in your office.
If you have at least
several conference
rooms and they
represent different
interior design styles
you can invite your
guests to a different
room each time,
offering a fantastic
topic for small talk at
the beginning of even
the most difficult
negotiations. Second,
pictures of a well-
designed office space
can be published on the
company’s home page,
social media websites or
employer branding
materials. Third, and
foremost, people enjoy
working in a pleasant
environment adapted to
the needs of the cadre.
Employees praise their
office in front of their
friends and do not ask to
work at home so often.
They come to work with
smiles on their faces and
have the sense that their
employer takes care of
their comfort.
4. Trust experts. You
surely have your own
image of a new office
space, but remember
that a well-designed
office is something more
than just an
arrangement of desks
and computers
connected to a power
supply. It is worth taking
advantage of
professional expertise.
Nowadays, developers
themselves are making
more comprehensive
offers — not only for
leasing space, but for
support with your office
design and finishing
work. Working together
with their interior design
department, you will
analyze the company's
needs, plan sufficient
floor space for your
target number of
employees, chose an
appropriate style, color
scheme and
technological solutions.
On the basis of the
information you provide,
designers will draw up a
plan of your office space.
They will present the
optimal arrangement of
workstations and
common areas and
suggest which finishing
materials
should be used. When
the plan is ready, their fit
out department will start
work. When they are
through, all you have to
do is move in and enjoy
your new office.
5. Don’t forget about
people. An office should
be functional, inspiring
and comfortable. But not
for itself. It should be
comfortable for the
people who work there.
That is why it is worth
taking their opinions into
account. The more your
staff are involved in the
process of creating your
new office, the more they
will be committed to it.
And after all, a loyal and
motivated employee is
the greatest treasure.
Depending on the size
and type of business, you
can hold a brainstorming
meeting or approach
several people during the
morning coffee break, or
conduct a paper or online
survey. Ask them what
they like and dislike in
the present office, what
is missing and what they
would like to change.
Your employees’ minds
are buzzing with ideas,
but they don’t always
know whether or how to
inform you. Encourage
them to cooperate. Let
the new office be your
joint project. Once you’ve
chosen the location, you
can invite your team to
visit the site. Examine
window views, immediate
surroundings, public and
car commuting
opportunities. We spend
many hours at work
daily; that is why it is so
important that we feel
good here.
multi-media projectors
have been installed in
several locations, so people
from different corners of
the world can work
simultaneously.
“We paid much attention to
the functionality of each
room, and this approach
resulted in a friendly and
intuitive work environment
where people feel
comfortable. Our office
could have easily occupied
just two floors but we
wanted to provide our team
with a truly comfortable
setting and an atmosphere
of well-being. This is the
reason why we ultimately
decided to lease three
floors,” Jens Brinksten
explains.
Attention to employee
comfort is also visible in
the arrangement of
individual work spaces.
Everyone has
an adjustable desk, letting
them work in many
positions. Desk top surfaces
are larger than standard,
and employees easily can fit
two monitors on them. To
ensure acoustic comfort,
floors have been covered
with soundproof sheet
flooring that muffles the
noise of footsteps. Sound
absorbing screens have been
fixed close to the desks and
a chill-out room has been
separated from the
remaining space with special
soundproof doors, double
walls and floors. “It is a
really practical solution. Even
when you stand very close to
the chill out space, you can’t
hear your colleagues playing
table football or console
games. You can enjoy peace
and quiet in the library,
where professional literature
is available, or in relaxation
spaces filled with armchairs,
poufs and hanging chairs
located some distance from
work
desks,” mentions Anna
Czerwińska.
The result of these efforts is
that employees who used to
work from home come to the
office every day now. And
don’t come just to do their
work but to meet their
colleagues, play table football
or have a cup of good quality
coffee. The company has
achieved what it most
desired. A tight-knit and
motivated team performs the
best and is esteemed by
clients. This wisely designed
office space has surely
contributed to the company's
success. It has long been
known that a business is only
as good as its people. Happy
employees are the best
ambassadors for every brand.
So it is worth striving for their
satisfaction.
An office that attracts Software developers are among the most desired employees
nowadays. Since the very beginning of KMD’s activity in Poland,
the company has emphasized an attractive and user-friendly work
environment.
And that was a very good choice.
Beata Rejkowska, Sales Operation Director Kinnarps Polska
The decision to open a
Polish KMD office was the
result of our high estimation
of the competences and skills
of Polish software developers,
as well as their foreign
language capabilities. The
mission to create KMD Poland
was delegated to Jens
Brinksten, a CEO with huge
experience in launching new
businesses on international
markets.
Brinksten quips that the
company was established on
the couch of a Warsaw hotel
lobby in December 2014. The
action plan drafted was,
however, quite a serious one.
KMD Poland would create an
office where people would
enjoy working and spending
time. The company moved
into their new offices in the
Gdański Business Center in
the Warsaw Muranów district
as soon as October 2015. The
speakers at the official
opening
in November 2015 included Leo
Apotheker, the Chairman of the
KMD Supervisory Board (former
CEO of SAP and HP), and Steen
Hommel, the ambassador of
Denmark in Poland.
Space matters
The choice of an office, its
arrangement and furnishings
were as important for KMD
Poland as the organization of
this Danish company in the new
country. Work on the office
began immediately after
creating the Polish office in
November 2014. By the end of
the year, Kinnarps Polska was
selected from the short list of
suppliers. The deciding factors
were flexibility in their approach
to KMD’s expectations, the
designer’s vision and the
presentation of the project.
Besides, Kinnarps was also
known at the company’s head
office. The first stage was to
lease a space temporarily
in the Warsaw office hub
in Służew, and in
February 2015 the first
KMD Poland employees
moved in. Initially,
temporary furniture
rented from Kinnarps
Polska was used to equip
the office. The company
first occupied 1,000,
then an additional 500
square meters. For the
Kinnarps design team
this meant an additional
challenge — arranging
and furnishing the
temporary office while
keeping the target office
in mind.
Simultaneously, the final
office search began, and
in April 2015 a contract
to lease office space at
the Gdański Business
Center was signed. In
the beginning, KMD
Poland leased two
floors with over four thousand
meters of space. Of key
importance was also the
attractive location with its
excellent access.
Guidelines big and
small Work on designing the space
began for good. The basic
guidelines were provided by the
managers of the head office, who
are responsible for the
infrastructure, security, and
furnishing of other KMD locations.
For example, they determined the
number of conference rooms as
well as the required working
space for each employee. Jens
Brinksten and Anna Czerwińska,
the Project Manager at KMD
Poland, worked in close
cooperation with the Kinnarps
experts — architect Sebastian
Górski and Key Account Manager
Marzena Staczyńska. It was on
their recommendation that the
chill out zone was planned in an
area with windows overlooking an
open space — this differed from
the initial design. The types of
space for employees determined
by KMD were located accordingly
by Kinnarps, taking optimal
acoustics into account. All
solutions were on display in the
Warsaw Kinnarps showroom.
Many of the furnishings from the
temporary office were also used
in the new location.
Fresh green and pop-
art By the summer of 2015, the
order was clearly defined and it
was time for elements of decor.
The dynamics of the work place
was to be emphasized with
reproductions of famous pop-art
works on the walls. The CEO of
KMD Poland opted for fresh
green, known for its relaxing and
naturally soothing influence.
Acoustic comfort was increased
with acoustic panels, which also
play a decorative role. Rooms
intended for entertainment, called
game rooms, have been made
completely sound-proof,
Ergonomics a priority
For the youngest
generation in the labor
market, the Y
generation, that is,
people born between the
years 1980-2000, the
ergonomics of the work
environment is as
important as their salary.
This is the quite
astonishing result of a
study ordered by
Kinnarps and presented
in February at the last
Furniture and Light Fair
in Stockholm. The
outcome was a surprise
even for us. Although we
know perfectly what
great value appropriate
office furnishing may
have, we did not expect
that in the ranking of
factors that have an
impact on the job
satisfaction, ergonomics
would be rated so highly.
As many as 79% of the
respondents stated that
ergonomic equipment at
the office influences their
feelings at work to the
same degree as the
salary. This is good
news. The earlier we
realize the significance of
ergonomics, the more
sensitive we are to non-
ergonomic solutions, and
in consequence, limit the
later risk of health
complications, which in
turn brings about a
generally higher quality
of life.
Nowadays, health
symptoms that may be
caused by a poor
quality workplace are
observed by both
younger and older
employees. 56%
respondents from the Y
generation, 57%
participants from the X
generation (born in the
years 1965-1979), and
62% of the so-called
baby boomer
generation (born
between 1946 and
1964) admitted that
they have been
experiencing certain
symptoms or pain. It is
thus not surprising that
ergonomic awareness is
rising in all age groups.
At present, employees
assume that an ideal
workplace should be
equipped in a both
modern and ergonomic
way. Given the choice
of office furniture that
was visually attractive
or ergonomic, the vast
majority (84%
respondents) opted for
ergonomics.
Although the issues
related to health and
feeling good are important
for every generation of
employees, certain
differences are noticeable
among them. Employees
from the Y generation are
more open to
environments and new
types of office solutions,
such as activity-based
working spaces, where
they move during the day
according to the character
of the tasks performed.
Representatives of the X
generation like to change
their body position during
the day while working at
their workplace, making
frequent use of adjustable
height desks that enable
them comfortable work in
a sitting or standing
position. The baby boomer
group, in turn, have a
quite traditional approach
to work — the best
workplace for them is in
their own office room, in
peace and quiet. It is
worth noticing that about
half of the respondents
(65%) try to work while
changing their body
position during the day.
Nearly half (49%) work in
an upright position, and
43% walk during breaks
to eliminate the risk of
occupational diseases.
What conclusion may
companies draw from this
survey? In our opinion,
employers who wish to
create the most effective
workplace should place
some of the decisions
into the hands of the
employees. It is the
employees that may
ultimately to select the
best pieces of equipment
and tools of work,
adjusted to their own
needs and preferences.
At Kinnarps we are
convinced that it is not
only the employee’s age
that matters. We must
remember that
contemporary work
teams are becoming
increasingly diversified in
many aspects. Today, it
is more and more
obvious that alongside
the growing diversity of
teams, employers are
also becoming
increasingly aware that
feeling good at work —
and thus, the work
effectiveness — depends
on complex factors that
are impossible to be
determined taking into
account one’s own
preferences or those of a
selected group.
Nowadays, the
motivation, involvement
and effectiveness of the
team are influenced by
the employer’s flexible
approach and sensitivity
to needs of the team that
consists of different
people.
Aleksandra Krawsz, Marketing & PR Manager
so that their users do not
disturb others at work.
An important part of the new
KMD Poland office are
conference rooms. Their total
number is 29. Every one of
them is decorated with
furniture and carpet in a
characteristic color. “What is
more, the conference rooms
differ in the way they are
furnished, which defines the
type of work they are
intended for. The furnishing
ranges from plain conference
tables to high tables for
working in an upright
position, to couches and
armchairs for less formal
meetings,” explains the
architect, Sebastian Górski.
How does the office
function? The so-called Zone 1 has the
role of a public space where
employees may invite their
guests. During the winter
break, this zone hosted
activities organized for the
employees’ children. The
company is continuously
seeking new uses of this
space so that it can benefit
the local community. For
example, volunteers from
KMD Poland plan to organize
tutoring for students here. In the chill-out zone, events
