The most dynamic project that Arcturis and Edgewell have collaborated on is the creation of a fresh, modern work space for Edgewell’s headquarters in St. Louis. The space includes an open work cafe where employees and visitors are welcome to meet and encouraged to collaborate. The project succeeded on a number of challenges that came directly from the client.
“Edgewell challenged Arcturis to help them rethink their spaces for long term agility and success in a very quick amount of time.” - Michelle Rotherham, Director of Interior Design, Arcturis
Solution: Arcturis designed a working environment where individual offices and workstations were reduced by 20% and the ratio of individual to shared space was increased to an impressive 45-55%. As a result, employees are challenged to collaborate more often in the smaller focus and huddle spaces that were made possible by the reduction of individual work space.
Solution: Arcturis designed a working environment that places less emphasis on separate work spaces, while maintaining individual needs. Tall office panels were replaced with more transparent work stations creating light, yet functional space. Also,the additional flex space create by downsizing individual offices provided more opportunities for informal meetings and group collaboration.
Solution: Arcturis evaluated the efficiency of individual work space and established a new benchmark for the ratio of personal space to collaboration space. Instead of the generally accepted ratio of 85% to 15%, Arcturis set the standard to 55% personal space and 45% collaboration space. This design shift allowed Edgewell to create a new collaborative work environment to support their focus on a flexible workplace supporting an agile work force.
Solution: Arcturis carefully organized both open and private collaborative settings throughout the workspace, for easy access from all departments. In the main collaborative area called the “Heart,” employees cross paths to get coffee, socialize, and do business. With careful attention to details such as accessible power and variety of seating types, this multi-functional space is already seeing constant use during all times of the day.
Arcturis has been a strategic partner to Edgewell as the company evolved its brand and used the work environment as a tool to solidify their place in a rapidly evolving market.
Phase 1: Understand the Trends
• Arcturis used a database that tracks workplace data and trends. The data showed that the workplace has been evolving for decades, based on the nature of the work itself and those doing it.
• The workplace has changed from merely being the place you go to instead becoming the things you do.
• Technology plays a bigger part in the workplace than ever. Hi-tech conference rooms aide in global collaboration, minimizing the need for employee travel.
• Arcturis is on the forefront of this ever changing workplace culture, designing newly evolved standards, and establishing new benchmarks for our clients.
Phase 2: A Research-Based Approach
• The database is organized into classifications of space and is continually updated throughout the project including overall SF/person, collaboration space, focus space, and support space.
• We analyzed size and quantity of offices and workstations - as well as the quality of these work environments (daylight, flexibility, connection to others, etc).
• When possible, Arcturis analyzed employee performance relative to sales or profit and improved physical and mental wellness opportunities (connection to nature, intuitive layouts, opportunities for serenity, etc).
• We understood that attracting and retaining a talented workforce, and keeping them happy, is paramount to the success of a business and its culture.
Phase 3: Use Data to Reimagine the Workplace
• Based on Arcturis’s research in workplace trends, Edgewell’s work spaces were reconfigured to place emphasis on collaboration space.
• The number of private offices was reduced by 50% and the amount of square footage allotted to individual work space was reduced by 20%.
• Full height panels that defined offices and created a cramped workplace were reduced to allow for a more open environment.
• All the shifting of benchmark standards were based on data specific to Edgewell, providing them with a solution that was uniquely suited to their organization.
• Such an individualized design shift allowed Edgewell to create a new innovative work environment to support their focus on being nimble in today’s ever-changing business environment.
“We wanted a new space to display the new brand with some splash. Arcturis engaged all parts of our corporation in the design process, which really helped with buy-in through change management. Everyone enjoys the new space, and our gathering areas are used all the time. This has become a very special, cool, and unique space.” - Peter J. Conrad / Chief Administrative Officer, Edgewell
Clients like Edgewell don’t engage Arcturis simply because they want improved aesthetics – they demand spaces that perform and have measurable outcomes. Here are some of the concrete changes in collaborative possibilities in the new Arcturis-designed work spaces:
“I” VS. “WE” SPACE
Private offices require more space than workstations. Decreasing the number of offices allows for more collaborative spaces, such as focus and huddle rooms.
Year collaboration began: 2000
Number of projects: 17 and counting
Total square footage of completed projects: >250,000 square feet
Number of employees impacted: 2,000 @ 4 corp office and call centers
*All stats current as of 2019