>> GERRY: WELCOME BACK AGAIN TOOUR SPECIAL EDITION ON WORKPLACECULTURE WE'RE ON LOCATION ATBUSINESS FURNITURE.
EACH WEEK A GROUP OF INSIDERSJOINS ME TO OFFER PERSPECTIVE ONTHE WEEK'S TOP STORIES. THISWEEK WE'VE PUT TOGETHER A
SPECIAL PANEL TO SOUND OFF ONALL THINGS WORKPLACECULTURE-RELATED.OUR INSIDERS ARE BUSINESS
FURNITURE CEO MARY BETH OAKES,AXIS ARCHITECTURE FOUNDINGPARTNER DREW WHITE AND EMPLIFYCO-FOUNDER & CHIEF PEOPLE
OFFICER TODD RICHARDSON.WELCOME TO THIS SPECIAL EDITION>> WE'RE BEEN TALKING ABOUTWORKPLACE CULTURE.
I THINK TO ME, IT'S INTERESTINGTHAT IT SEEMS AS THOUGH THEREARE LOTS OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE ADEFINITION OF WHAT CULTURE IS,
IN THE WORKPLACE.I'LL ASK EACH OF YOU, YOURDEFINITION, OR WHAT EXACTLY ISWORKPLACE CULTURE?
>> THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION, ANDSOMETIMES HAS DIFFERENT ANSWERS,AS I THINK ABOUT CULTURE, ITHINK IT'S THE WAY WE ACT AND
BEHAVE IN AN ENVIRONMENTTOGETHER.IT'S HOW WE WORK TOGETHER, HOWWE COMMUNICATE TOGETHER AND
EXPRESS TOGETHER.HOW YOU ACT AND BEHAVE AS AGROUP.>> TO STEP BACK, IT IS ABOUT THE
PERSONALITY OF THE COMPANYITSELF, VALUES, BELIEFS, HOWINTERESTED ARE THEY IN CREATINGA NEW ENVIRONMENT.
>> INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, CULTUREWAS THE NUMBER ONE SEARCHED WORDIN THE ONLINE DICTIONARY.SO, IT'S A VERY COMMON, VERY
POPULAR SEARCH, AND TO ECHODREW'S COMMENT IS THEPERSONALITY OF THE ORGANIZATION.>> Gerry: I'LL BET A WILL THE
COMPANIES, H.R., ARE AMONG THOSESEARCHING.EVERYBODY IS TRYING TO GRASP IT,IT SEEMS, AND SOLVE IT, AND A
LOT OF IT RESOLVES AROUNDTALENT, KEEPING THREATEN, RIGHT,AND ALSO ATTRACTING TALENT.>> YES.
IT'S RECRUITING, ATTRACTING,RETAINING THAT TALENT, ANDMAKING SURE THEY'RE ENGAGED INWHAT THEY DO, TO GET THE MOST
OUT OF PEOPLE, TO GET THE BESTOUT OF PEOPLE, AND TO ENSURETHAT THEY'RE FULFILLED.>> AND YOU MENTIONED ENGAGEMENT,
HOW DOES THAT PLAY INTO THEAEQUATION.>> I ALWAYS THINK ABOUTENGAGEMENT, I THINK OF THE
DEFINITION ABOUT SOMEBODY'SABILITY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCEEVERY DAY, TO OVERCOMEOBSTACLES, TO BASICALLY MAKE
PROGRESS, RIGHT?AND THERE'S SO MANY WAYS THATYOU CAN HELP EMPLOYEES TO DOTHAT.
AND THE CULTURE DEFINITELYSUPPORTS THAT, A CULTURE THATPROMOTES WELL BEING ANDCOGNITIVE WELL BEING AND
PHYSICAL WELL BEING, THERE'SLOTS OF DIFFERENT WAYS TOENGAGE, LEADERSHIP IS A PART OFTHAT CULTURE, THAT ENGAGEMENT, I
THINK ENGAGEMENT IS THE WAY THATEMPLOYEES CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCEAND MOVE FORWARD EVERY DAY.>> Gerry: AND THIS WASN'T TALKED
MUCH ABOUT 10, 20 YEARS AGOCERTAINLY, WAS NEVER TALKEDABOUT, AND NOW IT'S AT THEFOREFRONT.
>> OH, MY GOODNESS, I THINK IT'STHE NUMBER ONE THING, WHEN ITALK TO LEADERS, THAT'S THENUMBER ONE THING, IT GOES BACK
TO WHAT TODD MENTIONED, IT ISABOUT GIVING YOU THAT ABILITY TOATTRACT AND RETAIN THE VERY BESTTALENT, AND I THINK THAT'S ALL
AROUND CULTURE AND ENGAGEMENT, ITHINK THAT'S THE NUMBER ONETHING, THERE REALLY IS A DIRECTCONNECTION TO THE BOTTOM LINE OF
AN ORGANIZATION.BASED ON HOW WELL YOU CAN CREATEA CULTURE AND ATTRACT AND RETAINTHE BEST TALENT.
THERE'S A DIRECT CORRELATION TOYOUR BOTTOM LINE.>> Gerry: THAT IMPORTANCE OFWORKPLACE CULTURE, AND THE
THINGS WHERE TALK ABOUTENGAGEMENT.>> I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR ITTO BE TOP DOWN, THE LEADERS HAVE
TO BE ENGAGED AND PART OF THEDECISION.ELIMINATING SILOS, I THINK PARTOF -- THE SECOND BIGGEST MIGHT
BE COLLABORATION.SO, TO KIND OF INCORPORATE ANDCOLLABORATION INTO THEENVIRONMENT, ALLOW PEOPLE
CHOICES, GIVE THEM SPACE WITHINTHEIR OWN CULTURE, TO BE IN AQUIET SPACE, TO BE IN A LOUDSPACE, TO EAT LUNCH, TO CLAB
COLLABORATE.>> Gerry: SO MANY ENVIRONMENTSWHERE THERE ARE AN UNLIMITEDNUMBER OF OFFICES, OF
TRADITIONAL OFFICES INTRADITIONAL COMPANIES, BUT THATWAS WHAT, YOU GOT THEPROMOTIONAL, CORNER OFFICE,
THAT'S GONE BY THE WAYSIDE, HOWDO YOU IMPLEMENT, HOW DO YOUEXECUTE THIS MORE MODERN OFFICEENVIRONMENT IN THAT TYPE OF
CULTURE?>> WELL, I THINK FIRST THINGSFIRSTFIRST, YOU NEED TO ENSURE THAT
THAT TYPE OF WORK SPACE PLANNINGWILL BRING OUT THE BEST IN YOUREMPLOYEES.THE FIRST HURDLE IS TO MAKE SURE
THAT'S THE RIGHT PATH FOR YOURORGANIZATION.AND THEN IT'S TO LEAD BYEXAMPLE.
I DON'T HAVE AN OFFICE, I DON'THAVE AN ASSIGNED DESK, I WORKFROM THE COMMON SPACE OF OURWORK SPACE SO I CAN GET TO KNOW
MY EMPLOYEES BETTER, I CANINTERACT, I'M ALWAYS ACCESSIBLE.AND I'M ABLE TO KEEP A PULSE ONWHAT'S HAPPENING.
>> YOU WORK WITH A LOT OFCOMPANIES, HOW DO YOU DO IT?HOW DO YOU IMPLEMENT THIS NEWERCULTURE, IF YOU WILL, IN A
TRADITIONAL COMPANY WHERE THAT'SBEEN SOMETHING TOTALLY DIFFERENTFOR MANY YEARS?>> IT DOES START WITH THE
EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP TEAM, INHELPING THEM TO CREATE A VISIONFOR WHAT'S POSSIBLE, AND DOINGLOTS OF RESEARCH ABOUT REALLY
WHAT ARE THE GAPS IN THEWORKPLACE, AND HOW DO YOU -- FORTHOSE GAPS.AND AS DREW ALLUDED TO,
SOMETIMES THE GAPS HAD TO DOWITH LACK OF PLACES FORCOLLABORATION, LACK OF PLACESFOR FOCUS AND CONCENTRATION, NO
PLACES THAT PROMOTE COMMUNITY.IT'S IMPORTANT TO BUILD IN THOSETYPES OF PLACES.I THINK IT DOES START WITH
LEADERSHIP, AND REALLYUNDERSTANDING THE VISION, ANDHOW YOUR SPACE CAN SUPPORT THATVISION.
AND HAVING A REALLY WELL DEFINEDPLAN FOR EXECUTION, FORIMPLEMENTATION, AND LOTS OFEMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT AND
FEEDBACK.I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TOINCLUDE EMPLOYEES IN THATPROCESS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
BECAUSE THEY UNDERSTAND BETTERTHAN ANYONE HOW THEY WORK ANDWHAT'S BEST FOR THEM.AND I HAVE LEARNED A LOT ABOUT
JUST GIVING EMPLOYEESFLEXIBILITY AND CHOICE, ANDCONTROL.THOSE ARE ALL THINGS THAT REALLY
STIMULATE GOOD ENGAGEMENT, YOUFEEL LIKE YOU'RE NOT TETHERED TOA SPACE, BUT RATHER YOU CANCHOOSE A SPACE THAT HELPS YOU DO
YOUR BEST WORK.IT'S REALLY -- THAT'S WHAT I'MSEEING WITH ORGANIZATIONS THATWE'RE WORKING WITH.
>> IN TERMS OF, WE HEAR SO MUCHABOUT THE MILLENNIALS, THEMILLENNIAL GENERATION, AND HOWIMPORTANT THEY ARE, TALK A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.BUT ALSO, MULTI-GENERATIONALWORK SPACE, YOU'VE GOTMILLENNIALS, OLDER FOLKS,
YOURSELF GOT THE MIX.THAT PRESENTS CHALLENGES OROPPORTUNITIES, IF YOU WILL, OFTHEIR OWN.
>> WE'RE SEEING THAT A LOT OFCOMPANIES ARE PUTTING TOGETHERMULTI-GENERATIONAL TEAMS, TEAMSOF DIFFERENT AGES THAT ALLOW
PEOPLE TO GO AND WORK ON APROJECT TOGETHER.THEY CAN UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER'SDIFFERENCES, BUT HOPEFULLY
PROVIDE A SOLUTION THAT'SEXCITING.I THINK IT'S A LITTLE BIT TO DOWITH MENTORING, MENTORING BOTH
FROM A YOUNGER PERSON TO ANOLDER PERSON AND VICE VERSA.>> Gerry: WHAT ARE YOU SEEING,TODD?
DEALING WITH MULTI-GENERATIONALSPACE, OR WORKPLACES, EXAMPLESOF WHAT MAYBE SOME COMPANIES AREDOING TO ADDRESS THAT?
>> RIGHT, A LOT OF THEM ARE OPENSPACES WITH LITTLE AREAS WHEREYOU CAN GO AND FIND THE FOCUSFOR CERTAIN PROJECTS.
BUT THE OPEN SPACE TOCOLLABORATE IS REALLY WHAT'SCHURNING COMPANIES ON RIGHT NOW.>> HOW ABOUT TECHNOLOGY,
OBVIOUSLY THAT'S PART AND PARCELOF WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, HOWDOES THAT PLAY A ROLE?ARE THERE ANY PITFALLS AND
CHALLENGES WITH TECHNOLOGY?>> SURE, WE TYPICALLY LIKE TOSTRESS THE POSITIVES.IT IS MAKING OUR WORK FORCE
BEING WITHOUT BORDERS.WE CAN INTERACT WITHINDIVIDUALS, WE CAN HIRE FOLKSTHAT CAN WORK FROM HOME, WE CAN
ALSO HIRE FOLKS IN OTHERCOUNTRIES, OTHER STATES, FOLKSTHAT ARE REALLY TUNED IN TODOING THE BEST WORK FOR US.
>> I'M SEEING A LOT IN TERMS OFMILLENNIALS, THEY LOVE TOCO-LOCATE, RIGHT?THEY ARE COLLABORATING, YES, BUT
THEY LIKE TO SHARE SPACES ANDWORK ALONGSIDE EACH OTHER,SOMETIMES WORKING TOGETHERSOMETIMES NOT, IT'S THAT
CO-LOCATION, FOR THEM IT ISABOUT A SENSE OF COMMUNITY.THEY WANT TO BE PART OFSOMETHING BIGGER, THEY WANT TO
KNOW THEY'RE MAKING A TRENSDIFFERENCE, MAKING PROGRESS, ANDPART OF THE ORGANIZATION.AND WHAT YOU STAND FOR AS AN
ORGANIZATION.>> HOW DO YOU MEASURE SUCCESS?ALL COMPANIES ARE LOOKING TOTHAT BOTTOM LINE, AND THEY SAY
OKAY, WE WANT TO ATTRACT ANDRETAIN TALENT, AT THE END OF THEDAY IT'S ABOUT THE BOTTOM LINE,MEASURABLES, HOW DO YOU ADDRESS
THAT?>> DEFINITELY OBVIOUSLY ACORRELATION WITH TURNOVER,RIGHT?
WHEN YOU HAVE LOWER TURNOVER,VERY IMPORTANT, AND WE DO A LOTOF SURVEYING WITH OUR EMPLOYEESTO TRY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY
ARE THINKING, WE TALK ABOUTVALUES AS A COMPANY, AND HOW AREWE DOING WITH LIVING THOSEVALUES, I THINK THAT'S A GREAT
WAY TO KEEP PEOPLE ENGAGED ANDMOTIVATED AND FEEL LIKE THEY'REPART OF IT.>> I GUESS IT WOULD BE PEOPLE
LINED UP TO COME WORK FOR YOU.>> RIGHT.AND WE THINK ABOUT EXACTTARGETIN THE PAST, SOME OF THE
PROJECTS WE'VE WORKED ON THERE,PEOPLE WERE FIGHTING TO HAVE AJOB THERE.THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT.
THE OTHER THING IS GIVING PEOPLEOPPORTUNITIES, ALLOWING THECHANGE THEIR ROLES WITHIN THECOMPANY IS IMPORTANT IN TERMS OF
TRAINING AND FUTURE DEVELOPMENT.>> GIVE YOU THE LAST WORD, TODD.>> PETER DIRECTOR SAID YOU CAN'TIMPROVE WHAT YOU DON'T MEASURE,
IF YOU'RE NOT DEALING IN ANANNUAL SURVEY WITH PULSESURVEYS, YOU'RE MISSING THEBOAT.
>> Gerry: ANOTHER GREAT ADDITION