Case study

Workplace Guidelines and Office Design Berkeley Heights, New Jersey

L'ORAL USA
In the 2nd quarter of 2009, LOreal USA implemented the real estate decision to co-locate shared service departments (such as Human Resources, Accounting, and Information Technology) into a new headquarters building in suburban New Jersey. Over 600 employees from a dozen buildings in the New York Metro area moved in to the new location. Even though this move from Clark, New Jersey to Berkeley Heights, New Jersey was not a far distance, it was a much more significant change for some employees. Some staff will have new commuting considerations, others will shift from an urban setting to a suburban environment and still others are moving from old buildings to a new office development. Despite the many changes occurring, L'Oreal's primary objective was to have its workplace better align with the organizations culture and business objectives and this meant a shift from an office intensive environment to a primarily open plan.

GOaLs
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Alignment of workplace to organizational culture and business objectives Provide a flexible design that adapts and changes over time Maximize efficiency and provide opportunities for densification of space Improve opportunities for working more collaboratively Provide a sustainable workplace for employees

RP

OR

TE

L EA

ES

T AT

IND

US

TR

CO

the physical setting

Real estate

work processes

Business

NOLOGY

HIGH PeRFORMaNCe
HUMA

TECH

workplace tools
A

technology

WORKPLaCe

N TIO

employees

Culture

The High Performance Workplace diagram illustrates that real estate is only one of the critical factors to understand when designing a workplace.

N R E

S
OU R

RM

CE

FO

IN

best practices

trends

FUTURE

Case study
L'Oral USA Workplace Guidelines and Office Design Berkeley Heights, New Jersey

PROCess
Perkins+Will first analyzed the clients existing workspace in multiple locations, held focus groups with employees, benchmarked what other consumer product companies and competitors were doing and provided recommendations for office, meeting room, and support spaces. The collected data on their existing conditions found that individual space was noticeably underutilized and follow up user meetings informed the team to understand that they needed more informal team space and conferencing space.

The Strategic Process

Existing Conditions

What does the future of LOreal workplace look like?

Case study
L'Oral USA Workplace Guidelines and Office Design Berkeley Heights, New Jersey

desIGN
The design supports the L'Oral USA goals by implementing features of a high performance workplace, providing collaborative spaces, daylighting, modularity and flexibility, as well as sustainability.

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COLLaBORatIve sPaCes

1 3

MOduLaRIty aNd FLexIBILIty

dayLIGHtING

sustaINaBILIty

COLLaBORatIve sPaCes
As you enter the LOreal office as a visitor or employee you are greeted by the welcoming buzz of the activity hub. This multi-function space acts as a lounge for informal meetings, or an area for visitors to touch down and check email. There is a kitchen so that staff can prepare lunch or grab a cup of coffee. The activity hub has movable furniture and is able to accommodate departmental or group meetings. Opposite the elevator lobby each floor has a conference space that can seat up to 24 people around modular tables and can be reconfigured into a training or lecture room, or can be divided into two meeting rooms. A combination of semi-private teaming areas and enclosed meetings rooms are adjacent to the open office area give employees a choice about what type of work area supports the task that they are performing.

Staff Activity Hub

Training of Lecture Room Layout

Meeting Room Layout

Divided into two Meeting Rooms

Reconfigurable Meeting Space

Case study
L'Oral USA Workplace Guidelines and Office Design Berkeley Heights, New Jersey

MOduLaRIty aNd FLexIBILIty

When you enter the work area, neighborhoods are created by breaking up clusters of workstations with team and informal meeting areas. In the new environment only senior management sits in an office (approximately a 15% reduction in offices from their previous workplaces). Most of the increased efficiency was reallocated to meeting rooms, team rooms, open pantries and lounge areas which encourage collaboration. The layout utilizes one standard size office and one standard size workstation that make it easy to move staff around providing another way to better utilize the inventory of spaces. Clusters of workstations are designed with a module that will allow for a section to be swapped with offices or the reverse as the organization changes.

Modular Workstations

Workspace A Above: Workspace A shows all open office works stations, while Workspace B shows how one cluster of workstations can be reconfigured into 3 offices or support spaces.

Workspace B

OFFICe ReaLLOCatIONs
Range of previous workspace allocation Assistant Vice President

Range of previous workspace allocation Range of previous workspace allocation Assistant Vice Assistant Vice President President
Range of previous workspace allocation Range of previous workspace allocation Range of previous workspace allocation Range of previous workspace allocation Assistant Assistant Vice President Assistant Vice President Vice President Assistant Vice President
Assistant Vice President

Range of previous workspace allocation

NEW Director, Senior Manager, Professional Staff and Administrative Workstations Director and Senior Manager

Director and Senior Manager Director and Senior Manager

Director and Senior Manager

Director and Director and Senior Manager Director and Senior Manager Senior Manager Director and Senior Manager

Professional Staff and Administrative Professional Staff and Administrative

Professional Staff and Administrative Professional Staff and Administrative PREVIOUS Director and Senior Managers (4 standards ranging from 60-140 SF, some workstations, other offices)
Professional Staff and AdministrativeProfessional StaffProfessional Staff and Administrative and Administrative Professional Staff and Administrative

PREVIOUS Professional Staff and Administrative (4 worskstation standards ranging from 44-64 SF)

Case study
L'Oral USA Workplace Guidelines and Office Design Berkeley Heights, New Jersey

NEW Assistant Vice President Office

PREVIOUS Assistant Vice President

dayLIGHtING
The planning diagram below illustrates workstations located at the perimeter of the building floorplate and private offices have glass fronts and are located near the center core to allow natural light to flow into the entire office area. Daylight sensors control the lighting depending on the amount of light coming in to the work area. The project was able to reduce light loads and in turn energy consumption by 16% in relation to ASHRAE 90.1 code. Much of this reduction can be attributed to the lighting levels achieved by having a large amount of natural daylighting in the open office areas.

Typical Floor Plan

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Case study
L'Oral USA Workplace Guidelines and Office Design Berkeley Heights, New Jersey

sustaINaBILIty
The building is LEED-NC gold, and the interior is expected to earn LEED-CI silver. The project ensures the energy related systems are performing to the design standards by the commissioning process. Low-emitting adhesives, sealants, paints and coatings were specified to reduce the indoor contaminants that are odorous or harmful to the comfort and well being of the inhabitants. Lighting is zoned, and all offices and team rooms are equipped with occupancy sensors, thus saving on energy use. High efficiency fixtures, such as low flow sensored faucets, waterless urinals and dual flush toilets reduce the burden on municipal water supply and waste water systems. Bike storage and showers are provided to employees to reduce load on public transportation system. Multiple shared support spaces such as copy/print/mail rooms are located along the primary circulation path and provide wall surface for graphic design and messages that celebrate LOreals commitment to sustainability.

Zoned Lighting with Occupancy Sensors

Shared Support Space

Sustainable Brand Message

Daylighting

Furnishings Utilize Recycled Content

Low-emitting Materials

Sustainable Messages

Sustainable Features

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ResuLts

F e at u Re
Efficiency

Be N eFI t
Reduction in overall rentable square feet by 10%

One typical office and one workstation

Minimized Space Standards

Easier to move people around as needs change Physical symbol of the shift in culture
Borrowed natural light leading to higher comfort and satisfaction

Interior Offices
Physical symbol of the shift in culture Increased meeting seats from .34 per person to almost 1 to 1 meeting seats per person

Increased Meeting Seats

Better alignment with work styles Increased team work Increased employee satisfaction

Gracious Amenity Spaces

Greater collaboration and familiarity among people Time savings since people dont have to leave the building for lunch Better alignment and awareness of the business among employees

Product Displays

Improved morale, recruitment of new employees Aligned accommodations to work functions

Increase in space efficiency by sharing high density filing and general storage areas

Reduced Filing
Drive towards electronic filing; leading to availability of shared information Increased space efficiency

Modularity /Flexibility

Ability to respond quickly to workforce and organizational changes Able to densify and change out a cluster of six workstations to eight Encourages communication, fitness, and information flow

Interconnecting Stair
Provides greater exposure and transparency to activities of the organization

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Case study
L'Oral USA Workplace Guidelines and Office Design Berkeley Heights, New Jersey

CLIeNt's PeRsPeCtIve

"Overall, our experience with the Perkins+Will team has been extremely positive. The process that began almost two years ago has been a wonderful learning experience for me and one that has exceeded Management's expectations. This success met our teams objectives in the areas of: technology, setting new standards for working more collaboratively, flexibility of design, and a workspace that incorporates sustainability throughout the building.

There are so many details that go into a project of this scope, but if I were to pick one thing that I feel netted the biggest productivity gain, it would have to be the conference rooms. Between the variety of sizes and functionality and the flexibility of furniture and multimedia, they have become the foundation of what makes this design great. The rooms are in constant use and the feedback from employees has been fantastic. In my opinion, this was really the corner stone that allowed the other components to work so well.

Bravo to Perkins+Will for a job well done and making our new facility the standard for excellence for all future facilities. It has been my sincere pleasure being a part of this experience."

Steve Raiteri, AVP HR Planning and Operations, L'Oreal USA

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Entry Corridor

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Case study
L'Oral USA Workplace Guidelines and Office Design Berkeley Heights, New Jersey

Entry Corridor and Flexible Conference Room

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Entry Corridor and Conference Room

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Case study
L'Oral USA Workplace Guidelines and Office Design Berkeley Heights, New Jersey

Conference Room

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Staff Activity Hub

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Case study
L'Oral USA Workplace Guidelines and Office Design Berkeley Heights, New Jersey

Staff Activity Hub and Touchdown Station

Staff Activity Hub

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Caf

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Case study
L'Oral USA Workplace Guidelines and Office Design Berkeley Heights, New Jersey

Open Office Work Area

Conference Room

Break-Out Area

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"the process that began almost two years ago has been a wonderful learning experience for me and one that has exceeded Management's expectations. this success met our teams objectives in the areas of: technology, setting new standards for working more collaboratively, flexibility of design, and a workspace that incorporates sustainability throughout the building.
Steve Raiteri, AVP HR Planning and Operations, L'Oreal USA

Sonya Dufner, LEED AP Associate Principal Planning + Strategies Senior Consultant 215 Park Ave. South, New York, NY 10003 t: 212.251.7126 f: 212.251.7111 e: [email protected]

www.perkinswill.com