When Bob Graydon, CEO of Multiquip, and his team looked around at the office campus the company had used for the last 30 years, it became apparent that as the company had transformed over the years, the space had not. “We needed a new building for a number of reasons,” Graydon explained. “We had been at our existing facility for 30 years. It had gotten old and wasn't in the right location for us. We came upon the time when the lease was going to expire, and we took advantage of that.” During this transition, Multiquip was able to also consolidate warehousing and distribution.
Breaking out of their long-held office footprint took some creativity; while the new office placed everyone on one floor, the previous office had spread employees out across two floors in three separate buildings. Graydon elaborated,
Instead, the Multiquip team wanted to provide employees with a range of workplaces—from spots for solo work to an open cafe where teams could meet at any time of the day.
However, despite a clear vision, the team wasn't sure how to achieve these goals. “We had an idea of how we wanted it to feel, but we had no idea practically how to put it together; so we had to rely on the dealer, Corporate Business Interiors (CBI), an awful lot. They made all those dreams come to life for us.”
Working with CBI, Graydon and his team spent time test-driving options from desk chairs for the workstations to lounge chairs and ottomans. Gradually, their choices became the foundation for the new office—both aesthetically, functionally, and in mindset.
“When we came into the building, we told staff that we didn't want them necessarily to stay in their workstations anymore. That's their home, where they can deposit all their materials, but everyone has a laptop now, so they're free and mobile. My advice to them was go work somewhere in the building. Go sit in a collaboration area, go to the café, go to a meeting room; feel free to get up and move around whenever you need to move around, but interact with the rest of the organization.”
By giving employees permission to work away from their desks, the Multiquip management team was able to encourage a change in the company culture and empowered their team to break their typical mold.
Although users are encouraged to work throughout the floor, being able to work while standing or sitting added to employee satisfaction and wellness. This was achieved by incorporating height-adjustable desking in employee workstations.
For Graydon, he has two favorite spots: a corner lounge and the work cafe.
“There's one area in the far corner that we named after the employee who sits nearest to the space. It's a lounge style area, very comfortable and casual. There's a big sectional in there."
Graydon continued, "There are two sides of glass [to the room] and it's the best view in the building, so it's the most comfortable room. I see a lot of people going in there to work individually, but I also see people holding meetings and they are kind of relaxing too. That's my favorite little room in the place.”
“I'm also really very happy with the way the work cafe turned out. That was where we put the most effort because it's the center of the building." Graydon added, "It has an almost 180-degree view because we have a rounded front of the building, and we put all the effort into knowing—or hoping—that it would be the gathering spot. That's exactly how it turned out. There are people in there from early in the morning to late. Of course, it gets busy during the lunch period where people come in and actually eat, but for the most part there's almost always somebody in there at one of the booths or in a chair working or having a cup of coffee.”
The response was profound and immediate. Employees immediately took to the space and began to make it their own. Departments mingle much more fluidly, and in-person discussions have replaced the interoffice phone calls and emails.
For the Multiquip team, company leadership recognizing the changing needs of employees has been transformative, which has led to a happier, more connected team.
Project Details
Headquarters:
Cypress, CA
30,794 sq. ft.
142 Employees
Partnerships:
Corporate Business Interiors
DRA Architects
Product Solutions
Seating:
Inspire®, Rock™, Recharge™, Retreat™, Evo™, Normann Copenhagen, Gunlocke Avoca™, Gunlocke Tia™ Stools
Workspaces:
Terrace®, Approach™
Tables:
Aware®, Altitude®, Structure, Recharge™, Gunlocke Briefing™
Storage:
Align™, Essentials™, Involve®
Architectural Walls:
Aspect™
Accessories:
Pivot™