I will never forget the first day I walked into my soon-to-be workplace for my final round of interviews. Despite being located in one of the more prominent centers in Detroit, when I got off the elevator and opened the door, I was greeted by a dim and narrow atmosphere with high-walled cubicles. Half of the desks on the floors were unoccupied, and I couldn't imagine spending more than forty hours there every week.
Having worked in an ad agency a few years prior where there was not a single item of furniture in grayscale colors and the fridges were stocked with beer, I could immediately sense how much more formal and professional the culture was than at Leo Burnett.
ANYWAY, all of that changed a few months ago when I found out that we would be moving! Today our office leader invited us to an open house at the new tower, and presented details about the new facilities. The major change is that the new workplace emphasizes openness and collaboration, through the plentiful amounts of natural light and destruction of walls.
I had heard mixed reviews from my co-workers regarding the seemingly lesser degrees of privacy available in the new setting, but MAN I came back from the open house STOKED! As a part of such a global (aka spread-out) firm, I had been given the awesome privilege of telecommuting (working from home) throughout the week. Seeing this new workplace (and all the investment that was being made to promote more relationship-building across the firm) just made me want to come into the office every day!
Anywho, some pics from Steelcase for visual appeal:
If you were waiting for some deep connection between this cool office setting and something meaningful in my life, there is none.
Just wanted to share that I am excited :)
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