Do you think the below image depicts a living room hang-sesh or a business meeting?
Image via Steelcase
I recently had the pleasure of visiting Steelcase's Munich-based Learning + Innovation Center, which is a counterpart to the office furniture company's Grand Rapids HQ. As someone used to working in a traditional office setting and who spent many hours learning in dimly lit classrooms, I was pleasantly surprised when I saw how bright and casual the Learning + Innovation Center's set-up was. As I walked through each open concept floor filled with plush seating, standing desks, orange magnetic chalkboards, and a few scattered glass cubicles amidst glamorous courtyards, I found myself wondering if this environment can truly harness innovation or if it just encourages a little too much relaxation.
I began to understand and appreciate Steelcase's office culture vision, though, after hearing Senior Industrial Designer Alban Moriniere explain how the Learning + Innovation Center is successful not only in its comfortable design, but in how teams are formed to work within it. Below, Moriniere explains Steelcase's "Pod" team building system:
"At the moment, we are experimenting with a new way of working, which no longer involves being divided by departments or floors. Instead, we are now by grouped by what we call "pods". Pods are groups of different people all working on the same goals, tackling multiple projects at once. When we have a new project coming in, instead of addressing it to specific departments separately, we put together two designers, four or five engineers, two marketing people, one person from quality, one person from sustainability, a project manager, etc. This group has to learn how to work with each other, build trust, set up their own meetings and meet together in a space of their choice within the building.
We have been using the pod method for about a year and a half now. What is really interesting about this way of working is that I get to know people that don't have the same job as me. My buddies at work are now from other departments rather than just designers. All of the designers still meet together and share what we are doing sometimes, but I am no longer sitting in a specific design area surrounded by just designers. I am surrounded by people that have various backgrounds and expertise. It challenges my thinking everyday."