Bevec
Bevec will soon enjoy a modern and clean workplace tailored to the needs of its employees and departments.
@Žiga Ivanc
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Not having a clear vision and strategy fot the workplace. Too often, business leaders try to create an attractive work environment by pursuing a set of cool ideas like setting up a dazzling lounge area with a pool table and bean bags, and installing trendy artwork.
@Žiga Ivanc
Last week on our WDC24 story, we explored how flexible workspaces can support diverse working styles and team dynamics, inspired by Mark Catchlove’s presentation at the 7th WDC, ‘Flexibility and Choice Empower Productivity: Understand Your Team’.
Mark Catchlove from MillerKnoll recommended shifting from activity-based to relationship-based workspace design to promote connection, collaboration and autonomy. The process involves understanding employee needs, mapping workflows, creating tailored spaces, involving employees in the design and refining the workspace through feedback. This approach empowers employees, enhances engagement, and aligns workspace design with organizational goals.
Read last week’s blog here!
In today’s workplace, customization goes beyond aesthetics. While a beautiful office sets an example for your brand, a high-performance workplace prioritizes meaningful spaces for the people who use them.
Take SIP for example, they have developed a strong brand identity that resonates deeply with its niche markets. Or LEGO, whose HQ is a powerhouse of brand awareness, workplaces benefit from designs that reflect the unique values of their users.
A customized workspace creates a sense of connection, pride, and belonging, transforming a shared environment into a space where employees can truly perform at their best.
To create a sense of belonging, workplaces should strive to deliver a brand-like experience for all users. As Metka Hrovat highlighted during her presentation at WDC24, their ‘SIP Experience’ embodies consistent branding that brings their mission to establish a cohesive and distinct culture to life.
SIP’s success highlights how a strong brand experience begins from within:
1. Employees as Fans: Brands grow from the inside out, employees should be the biggest advocate of a company’s brand. At SIP, this is achieved by making the company’s values highly visible and deeply ingrained in day-to-day office life.
2. Visible Values: Core values, such as robustness and adaptability are displayed in every office, keeping employees connected to their purpose and the goals they strive to achieve.
3. Pride in Place: SIP’s new headquarters exemplifies these values, showcasing a design that exerts pride and reflects the company’s mission in every detail. When a workspace resonates with the company’s brand, employees are more likely to feel aligned with its vision, shaping its public image.
By connecting employees to the brand at every touchpoint, SIP ensures its employees are not only motivated but also embody the company’s identity in their interactions, internally and externally.
SIP Experience Center, photo: Miran Kambič; SIP Values, Metka Hrovat, @SIP
Circling back to Jesper Toubøl’s insights from the LEGO HQ, let’s further illustrate the value of workplace customization. At LEGO, inclusivity and flat organization are central to creating a welcoming environment. By creating an atmosphere where every employee feels company values, LEGO empowers its workforce to perform at their best.
Like SIP, LEGO seamlessly integrates its brand into every aspect of its headquarters. Their mission to “create workplaces that bring our LEGO brand and values to life” ensures that the in-office experience continues to add value to employees while reinforcing brand identity.
1. Interactive Meeting Spaces: Meeting rooms integrate LEGO’s products and brand ethos. Larger rooms feature playful elements like LEGO playstations, allowing employees to engage with their products creatively.
LEGO HQ, Interacting Play, Jesper Toubøl, @LEGO
2. Signature Experiences: From 3D LEGO models to collaborations with other brands and digital technology, LEGO creates signature moments that highlight its mission and instill pride among employees.
LEGO HQ Denmark, Lego/C.f. Møller Architects
3. Brand Presence Everywhere: From workspace interiors to the building facade, every detail reflects LEGO’s brand. Employees are constantly surrounded by reminders of the company’s values and culture, ensuring pride in the company!
Want to be inspired? Check out the LEGO HQ experience here.
LEGO HQ Denmark, @Adam Mørk
Now that we’ve explored the importance of customization and belonging in the workplace, using SIP and LEGO as a benchmark, here’s how you can bring these ideas to life in your organization:
1. Establish your company’s core values and beliefs
Start by identifying the values and mission that define your company. What does your organization stand for? What principles guide your operations, and how can these be reflected in your workspace? Clearly defining these values will help create a foundation for your workplace strategy.
2. Infuse the values into day-to-day work life
Think about how your company values can be woven into the daily experience of your employees. Does this mean creating new traditions, redesigning your spaces, or providing resources that reflect your mission?
For example:
Can you recognize SIP’s values in this photo of their headquarters?
SIP Experience Center, Slovenia, photo: Miran Kambič
3. Consider Whether Your Environment Needs a Refresh
Sometimes a fresh start is the best way to reinforce your values. Ask yourself:
A new or redesigned workplace can invigorate your team, enhance job satisfaction, and ultimately boost productivity. If you’re unsure where to begin, check out our last week’s blog (link!) on how flexible workspaces empower productivity.
Lokve HQ, Croatia, photo: Kragelj
4. Build Brand Awareness Through Creative Expression
Customization does not have to revolve around physical products or legos, it’s about showcasing your identity. Use your space to tell your company’s story in ways that resonate with your team, for example:
Brand awareness is about making your identity visible in ways that inspire and motivate others. Be creative, think outside the box, and lead by example to set a tone of pride and belonging for your team.
By taking these steps, you’ll not only ensure that your company has a stronger sense of identity but also create workspaces that connect employees to a shared purpose.
Need help bringing these ideas to life? Partner with Kragelj where we offer an assessment of the potential existing/new premises, and help you create a workplace that reflects your brand and inspires your team every day.
GenePlanet, Slovenia, photo: Matej Kolaković
For business and media inquiries: [email protected]
Izabela is a passionate advocate for innovative workplace strategies, and also serves as the marketing face of Kragelj Architects. With a degree in Architecture, Urbanism and Building Sciences from TU Delft in the Netherlands, she brings a unique and forward-thinking perspective to the company's clients and projects.
Contact her: [email protected]
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Bevec will soon enjoy a modern and clean workplace tailored to the needs of its employees and departments.
Aviat Networks, Inc. is also present in Slovenia with a research and development center and 100 development engineers. To support the local team, they have decided to renovate their workspace in Trzin, following the example of the local offices in Amsterdam, Kenya, and Istanbul.
The new offices of the global US company Aviat Networks, Inc. are located in a modern skyscraper in Istanbul’s business centre and offer outstanding views of the seaside bay.
Workspace flexibility goes beyond providing a range of open and closed spaces; it’s about designing an environment that respects diverse working styles, team dynamics, and individual needs.
Change is challenging. Whether it’s a manufacturing team adopting new methods, or office staff and leadership adjusting to a new workspace, change can feel like an emotional journey.
At WDC24, Keynote speaker Jesper Toubøl emphasized the importance of how informal moments in the workplace supports diverse ways of working.
Metka Hrovat is the Executive Director of Brand and HR at SIP d.d. and Excecutive Consultant at Brand Trust. She as 25 years of experience in operational and strategic marketing, communication, and brand management.
Metka has 10 years of experience as a marketing director in publishing and manufacturing companies and 15 years of experience as a board member in Slovenian and international corporations.
A customized workspace creates a sense of connection, pride, and belonging, transforming a shared environment into a space where employees can truly perform at their best.
SIP Values:
LEGO’s mission, to “create workplaces that bring our LEGO brand and values to life” ensures that the in-office experience continues to add value to employees while reinforcing brand identity.
