Reimagining the Workplace as an Experience

The role of the workplace has shifted dramatically. Once measured in square metres, efficiency, and density, its true value today is defined by experience—how well it draws people in, keeps them engaged, and supports their best work. Our work with a global life sciences organisation shows how data, co-creation, and consumer-inspired thinking can transform the workplace into a compelling destination for employees.

The Challenge

The pandemic changed everything. For this client, the traditional office was no longer enough. Staff expectations had evolved, work patterns had diversified, and hybrid had become the new normal. The challenge was to create a workplace strategy that:

• Positioned the office as a place people wanted to be, not just where they were expected to be.
• Supported agile methodologies and new ways of working.
• Enhanced the role of the workplace team as more than a facilities function—making them a driver of engagement and value.
• Anticipated emerging needs rather than waiting for major lease events or external triggers to initiate change.

In short, the workplace had to become an adaptable ecosystem—one that felt as engaging as the best retail, hospitality, or cultural experiences.

Our Approach

We designed a four-sprint process to build a future workplace innovation roadmap:

1. Kick-off & Current State Review – Assessing the baseline through data, staff engagement, and observation.
2. Gap Analysis & Future Vision – Mapping what was missing against where the business needed to go.
3. Co-creation with Employees – Treating colleagues as consumers, we brought them into the process to shape solutions.
4. Final Roadmap – Translating insights into actionable short-, medium-, and long-term recommendations.

At the heart of this approach was a new perspective: staff were not just employees—they were customers of the workplace. Their needs, preferences, and behaviours would inform design just as consumer insights drive product innovation in retail.

Key Insights

Three powerful insights emerged that shaped the strategy:

1. Colleagues as Consumers – Just as retailers rely on feedback loops, the workplace had to implement systems that continuously listened, measured, and adapted. This meant moving beyond personas to create detailed individual profiles, capturing not just job functions but personal preferences, wellbeing needs, and lifestyle choices.
2. Workplace as an Operating Model – The office was reframed as a dynamic product. Data on demographics, psychometrics, mobility, and tools was linked with performance metrics such as satisfaction, wellbeing, and productivity. This holistic model enabled evidence-led decision-making.
3. Innovation Through Experimentation – Piloting, testing, and learning became core to the roadmap. By prototyping new settings, technologies, and services, the organisation could refine its workplace continuously rather than waiting for infrequent refresh cycles.

From Insight to Strategy

We delivered a strategy that made the workplace as compelling as any consumer brand experience.

• Customer Feedback Loops: Borrowing from retail, the workplace integrated tools such as live surveys, feedback portals, and real-time analytics to capture staff experiences and inform rapid improvements.
• Data-Driven Profiles: Individual colleague profiles incorporated demographics, workstyles, behaviours, and personal preferences. This enabled the tailoring of workplace settings to support wellbeing, engagement, and performance.
• New Workplace Metrics: Traditional efficiency metrics were complemented with measures of people performance, environmental impact, and positive business outcomes. This allowed the workplace team to demonstrate clear value.
• Habitats & Experiences: Instead of rigid zones, the workplace was reimagined as a series of “habitats” shaped around consumer-style profiles. From focused enclaves to social community spaces, each setting delivered a distinct experience.
• Agile Prototyping: New space types, technologies, and tools were piloted and tested. Staff were encouraged to experiment, give feedback, and help refine solutions. The roadmap allowed for rapid adaptation and continuous innovation.

The Outcome

The result was an innovation roadmap that elevated the role of the workplace from static infrastructure to a living, evolving ecosystem:

• Employees were empowered as active participants in shaping their environment.
• Workplace teams gained new tools and data to demonstrate value, becoming strategic partners to the business.
• The office was reframed as a compelling destination—supporting collaboration, culture, and wellbeing while competing with home and hybrid models.
• The roadmap created a structure for continuous improvement, ensuring the workplace remains aligned with fast-changing needs.

Why It Matters

This project shows that the workplace can no longer be designed as a one-off product. It must be managed as a service—measured, adapted, and refined continuously to keep pace with changing expectations. By learning from industries like retail and treating colleagues as consumers, organisations can transform their offices into spaces people choose, not just endure.

For this client, the workplace became more than a building. It became an experience—designed with intention, powered by data, and alive with innovation.