Teem
June 12th, 2015

RELATED GUIDE

13 Workplace Analytics Every IT Leader Should Track

Not long ago, it was easy to tell a person’s status in the workplace. You knew when a coworker made it to the top – he or she made the requisite move to an elusive corner office. But digs that come with modifiers like “spacious,” “breath-taking or “glamorous” are disappearing from the office landscape today as more organizations move to open floor plans where everyone from the CEO to the part-time intern works together.

So what happens to status in this great democratization of desk space?

That was the question explored in an article in WHY Magazine, a publication by furniture design company Herman Miller. According to the article, people are motivated by the following six things, all of which should help guide an organization’s office design:

  • Security
  • Autonomy
  • Belonging
  • Achievement
  • Purpose
  • Status

Exactly how status is defined or perceived by workers can vary over time or between cultures. It’s a bit different today than it once was.

Status in the workplace today is more about the respect we receive for a job well done – repeatedly. Office design is focused on function and having access to the people and the tools we need to do what we do best.

“The freedom to come and go as I please, being able to choose where I want to sit, getting assigned to a key account, posting to social media about the free organic Thai food in the cafeteria – these are all ways that people sense status now,” reports Tracy Brower, Director of Human Dynamics and Work at Herman Miller.

Does this mean we no longer dream of sweeping views of the city in our work environments?

Not necessarily. Some workers would still appreciate the guaranteed solace associated with a somewhat secluded corner space. Because of this need, maintaining some bookable spaces, such as meeting rooms, is considered essential even in the most flexible office environments. It just might not be a corner office.

You can read more about Herman Miller’s findings as well as how some organizations are accommodating status in the open office in There Goes the Corner Office, Here Comes the New Status.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Michael Moulton

SOME RELATED RESOURCES

5 Top Hiring and Recruitment Trends for 2023
The past few years have accelerated the evolution of the workplace. The job market has gotten much more competitive, with Zoom interviews becoming the new normal. As a result, it’s easier for candidates to apply and interview for more positions...
Why Workplace Flexibility Works
Back in the mid-to-late 2010s, employers interpreted things a little differently. Take the kegerator, for example. Back then, a growing number of big companies — Twitter, Yelp, DropBox, just to name a few — started stocking beer and wine in...
What are the Pros and Cons of Hybrid Work in the Modern Workplace?
Like transformative events before, recent events have fundamentally shifted the norms of the modern workplace. One of the most meaningful changes occurring at work today is the emergence of the hybrid work model. What are the pros and cons of...

Subscribe now

Subscribe now

News, tips, and product updates.
Subscribe to Teem’s blog today.