Re:Act
An integrated work destination where interactions happen
Role
Design Strategist
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​Software
Adobe Suite, Figma
Outcome
A strategic proposal with conceptual designs, envisioning an integrated workplace that fulfills 3 main goals proposed by our client:​​
1. Create a uniquely appealing office
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Focus on interactions
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Prioritize user needs
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Provide behavioral data to optimize interactions
2. Build connections between populations
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Encourage interactions
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Fortify the sense of community
3. Support diversity
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Connect remote and in-person employees
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Celebrate diversity between employees
Discovery
Context
In the post-COVID-19 time, the firm plans to adopt a hybrid work model with a maximum of 75% workplace occupancy rate on a typical workday. Such a transition to hybrid working will have firmwide impacts, presenting challenges and opportunities to reimagine the workplace ecosystem.
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This project presents the product design component of the workplace strategy proposal to foster a cohesive workplace community in the hybrid new normal.
Challenge Identification
Junior
Frustrations...​​​​​
...due to the same cause: the lack of social interactions with other colleagues.​​
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Harder to master communication skills and build relationships with co-workers
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​Receive less mentoring and feedback from managers and collaborators
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Fewer networking and career development opportunities​
Through 3 employee interviews, we learned that:
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Hybrid work divides employees into remote and onsite groups, making it difficult for the firm to maintain a coherent community.​
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Junior employees are the most affected employee group due to their lack of familiarity with the industry, their colleagues, and the firm culture. ​
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Therefore, we chose junior employees as our starting point of analysis to understand how to foster a sense of community under a hybrid work model.
To approach the problem, we conducted firm-wide interactions analysis, identifying 6 main employee groups and categorizing how they interact with juniors.
The analysis revealed:
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Ad-hoc interactions account for a large proportion of all interactions and have been the most significantly affected by remote work.
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Through the lens of the juniors group, we can reach all levels of employees through different types of ad-hoc interactions. In supporting juniors' workplace interactions, we can involve everyone and foster a firmwide community.
Broader Trends​​
​Industry studies and trends further confirm our findings: ​
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87% of employees rate team collaboration and relationship-building as a top reason for having an office.​
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Junior employees with 0-5 years of experience are more interested in working in the office
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Companies are placing more emphasis on creating a unique communal office experience to attract employees to the office.
In addition, research emphasized the significance of ad-hoc interactions:
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Ad-hoc interactions help boost productivity and creativity.
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They facilitate periodic breaks from work, allow for recharge, and provide “happy coincidences” where people exchange ideas for an “aha” moment.
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​They also deepen interpersonal relationships and generate happiness in the workplace.​
​How might we promote ad-hoc interactions virtually and draw employees into the office?
Concept
Re:Act
Through Re:Act, we emphasize workplace interactions, redefining the workplace as a space that enhances collaboration, fosters connections, and boosts the sense of community.
We plan to achieve this mission in three ways:
Decrease Hierarchy​
Remove barriers to
conversation
Encourage Ad-Hoc
Support interactions in a hybrid environment
Foster Community​
Encourage personal connections
Re:Act will be realized through Re:Actions, a set of spatial and virtual solutions that foster community and facilitate interactions.
The Physical Solution at a glance
In our physical solution, we reimagine the office to be experience-oriented, proposing design guidelines and spatial typologies that support and promote a range of formal and informal interactions. Through workplace digitization, complemented by the virtual solution, we envision a flexible, evolving workplace that adapts to user preferences and behaviors. In this way, the solution appeals to employees by emphasizing the unique offerings of the physical workspace.
The Virtual Solution
The virtual solution involves an application that encourages employees to form connections and capitalize on office spaces and amenities. ​
Key Features
Employee Connection
Increase Reach
Allow employees to form connections beyond their teams.​​
Employee Roster​ & Profile​
Friend Match
Workplace Management
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Generate Interest
Encourage employees to explore office spaces and amenities.
Reflect and Evolve
Evaluate and optimize office utilization through data driven decisions.
Location-based Picture
Personalized Offie Map
Monthly Summary
Data Visualization
Office Event
Benefits & Impact
for Employees
Interest
Interpret the workplace in an intriguing way.
Self-Awareness
Understand one's behaviors to achieve personal growth.
Connect with Others
Form personal and professional connections.
A Tailored Workplace
Provide feedback to better fulfills one's needs and preferences.
for the Firm
Understand Employee Needs
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Create a smart workplace that evolves with user feedback and ensures employee productivity and well-being, attracting and retaining talent in the long run.​
Maximize Real Estate Investment Returns
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Encourage employees to explore different spaces and optimize office occupancy and utilization, increasing the value of the workplace.
Conceptual Prototype
Employee Connection
Increase Reach
Allow employees to form connections beyond their teams.​​
Match people based on their backgrounds and interests to introduce new interactions.
Provide access to firm-wide networking opportunities.
Remove barrier to initiating conversations.
Draw employees to the office and boost engagement.
Workplace Management
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Generate Interest
Encourage employees to explore office spaces and amenities.
Reflect and Evolve
Evaluate and optimize office utilization through data driven decisions.
Personalized office plans, enabling employeees to enjoy the office and discover new amenities.
Employee-shared photos enhance the sense of community and attract people to the office.
Users can reflect on and adjust their behaviors to maximize their workplace experiences
Displayed on public screen to inform employees about real-time occupancy and collect data to inform workplace managers' decisions
Implementation
Juniors as Change Agents
Junior
A Tech Savy Generation
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Comfortable with technology and data analytics.
Open to Change
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​Willing to embrace changes and explore a new working environment.
Breadth Over Depth
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Interested in getting to know diverse groups of people rather than developing in-depth relationships in the workplace
We approached the challenge with an initial focus on the junior employees since they were the most negatively impacted by remote working and would benefit significantly from increased in-person interaction.
While this guided us in our initial analysis, it is not the sole reason why Junior employees play a critical role in our change management proposal and why they are central to our approach to hybrid workplace management: our research reveals that junior employees have some characteristics that make them the ideal drivers for change.
It is important, however, to note that we see Junior employees as change agents who will aid us in kickstarting our solution; this does not mean we prioritize them over other members of the firm. Re:Act aims to generate a firmwide impact: by strengthening social interactions between individuals, we create a closer and more efficient community at the client office, where the teams can become more connected and can work more effectively as a whole.
Change Management
1
Pilot Program​​​
Early adopters
Obtain baseline insights
Showcase benefits
Motivate participation
2
Implement​​​
Encourage participation
Allow for various levels of engagement
Cultivate community
3
Continuation​​​
Support Forum
Long-term support
Enhance videoconferencing for people who stutter