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Thought Leadership

Celebrating Companies' Workplace Innovation: Spaces

Think inside the box.

Every office has four walls; how companies express their culture in the space between them is a differentiator and can be a business multiplier. That is why Spaces exists, to serve as a hub of inspiration to reimagine what the workplace can be.

In 2016, we sought to create an online community to highlight and celebrate workspace innovation. Behind this idea were two main drivers. At first, we had difficulty with showing our clients practical examples of modern workspaces in Indiana that are creative, collaborative, innovative and fresh. Secondly, there was a need for a platform where we could showcase the spaces of companies that are taking an innovative approach and being thoughtful about their workspaces. As companies are increasingly interested in creating a space that reflects their culture and brand, they needed a platform like Spaces to show off their space.

The competition.

To get companies and vendors to showcase their work and show off their spaces on the website, we developed an annual competition to award the best of the best in workspace innovation throughout Indiana. Each submission includes responses to a series of questions, details about the space, and photos of the finished workspace. The submissions are judged by a panel of industry-leaders and three awards are passed out along with a public-voted People’s Choice award at our event each year. Over the past four years, Spaces has grown from an idea to celebrating almost 200 workspaces around Indiana that range from small start-ups to Fortune 500 companies.

Spaces has grown from an idea to celebrating almost 200 workspaces around Indiana that range from small start-ups to Fortune 500 companies.

Spaces in 2019.

The growth and interest of Spaces has been something that we are incredibly proud of and it’s only gotten bigger in 2019. With so much excitement and interest from markets outside of Indianapolis, we have taken Spaces nationally this year and expanded into three other markets with more on the way. As a result of this expansion, we’ve developed a new website and branding as well.

The new digital hub allows a better user experience with the ability to sort, save, and share. You can filter all the technology companies from 25-100 employees in Indianapolis. Compare different markets for inspiration – law firms from Phoenix to Pittsburgh. Connect with the best designers, contractors, and furniture vendors by visiting their unique pages and seeing their portfolio. Event search and share the most inspirational break rooms from companies around the country.

Why it matters.

People spend more waking hours in their workplace than anywhere else.

Human capital costs are usually 15-20 times higher than the physical real estate cost.

Countless studies show the impact a physical built environment has on the productivity, engagement, and happiness of people.

So, whether you want to drive productivity and reduce attrition amongst your employees or just provide people with a better place to thrive, it is clear the workspace can be one of the most highly impactful tools to help deliver those outcomes. And Spaces can be the first step to help you visualize the possibilities.

SpacesShowcase Website.

Photography by Amy Payne and Unsplash. Photos featuring 2019 Spaces winners, members of Spaces team (Mary Kane, Matt Waggoner, Melissa Lawson), and Tinker House Events Venue.