Prioritizing why we come together will elevate our work and help our organizations thrive. The workplace is designed to foster company culture, reinforce values and identity, support engagement, and facilitate collaboration. Throughout the last few years, our world has adapted to learn how to manage business operations virtually, but the human elements have suffered. Relationship building and collegiality, mentorship, and celebration are just some aspects folks are missing in remote working roles.

With so many competing factors that affect enterprise functions and workplace design, the designers at DLR Group have found that direct interaction with stakeholders at all levels helps create clarity to drive meaningful decisions. So, how do we bring our teams together to help while the world continues to evolve and innovate? 

To get to the real “why” of the workplace, we must reflect on company values. To have meaningful discourse, workplace leaders must explore and discover the values that are most important to the company. There is no prescriptive list that works for each organization, and thoughtful discussions need to be done to get to the essence of what the company stands for. Who are you as an organization? What is the core purpose of your work? How do you best serve your clients? What are your growth plans? 

Getting those items on the table allows us to frame discussions around nine key areas: 

While these topics include elements of green design, it’s important to view sustainability holistically and in the context of other considerations. Determining sustainability priorities can help determine which, if any, third-party rating or certification system (i.e., LEED, WELL, Fitwell, Living Building Challenge, Green Globes, etc.) is best for an owner or tenant. 

As organizations advance efforts to document and report their progress on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) measures, defining each of these priorities will create a roadmap toward better organizational results and more equitable individual outcomes.  

Every company has its own diverse set of factors leading professionals to return to workplace environments in some form. It is up to Workplace Leaders and Designers to convene corporate real estate decision-makers and drive the conversation to ensure alignment on a company’s core principles and the reasons behind why we come together.  

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