The economic realities of the 90s have forced businesses to reassess and make fundamental changes in the way they structure their organizations. In this report, Herman Miller's Advanced Applications Group looks at how new ways of working affect corporate facility design and answers some frequently asked questions about supporting on-site work in a time of continual change.
View Link

The Impact of Churn:
Managing Workplace Assets

The moves that constitute churn, which averages about 40 percent annually, typically occur due to companywide restructuring or to achieve greater efficiencies within and between departments. Developing strategies to manage churn-related facility costs and to minimize disruptions and downtime is essential for organizations that find it difficult to avoid churn because of the nature of their businesses. Facility managers and corporate real estate executives are likely to use tactics such as universal planning, free-address (unassigned) offices, spine walls, raised floors, flexible furnishings, zone distribution, and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) to address churn. In some cases, alternative workplace strategies, such as team environments, wireless networks, and telecommuting, provide a way to avoid the issue of churn altogether.
View Link

Churn:
When Work and Life Balance, Everyone Wins

Companies in some developed countries are facing a labor shortage. One way they can attract and retain workers is by helping them achieve a better work-life balance, an issue that cuts across social and geographical borders. Some companies have responded by offering flextime, telecommuting, and a compressed workweek, for example. In one study of 29 American firms, offering flexibility to workers had a positive impact on the companies' bottom lines in a variety of ways. However, formal work-life balance programs and even legislation aren't likely to be effective unless the corporate culture is conducive to work-life balance. So far, smaller companies have been more adept at work-life balance initiatives than larger ones, perhaps because it's easier for managers at small companies to see how flexibility works for both the company and the worker.
View Link