Interview with Sara Armbruster, Vice President of Steelcase, Workplace Future and Corporate Strategy on June, 11, 2012 at NeoCon in Chicago
(Ozawa) Thank you for taking the time to speak with me today. I have been inspired by workplace research and information from Steelcase ever since I started my career as a workplace consultant, and today I keep up to date through your e-magazine, 360. Let me start by asking about the office space situation in the US.
(Armbruster) In the US, 10-year leases are the most common contract for office tenant agreements. In most cases, companies do not know what to do for their future office, but they do know that they do not want to make another 10-year lease.
(Ozawa)I assume that situation generates more demand for workplace consulting. Steelcase has developed a workplace consulting methodology called ARC. How do you conduct ARC?
(Armbruster) Survey methods consist of observation, census and interview. Sometimes we use video ethnography as a powerful tool.
(Ozawa)What is video ethnography?
(Armbruster) In order to analyze a current existing office or mock-up office prototype, we record workers activities with video cameras and observe taped behavior via high speed mode. For example, there is a variety of postures people take while in a meeting. When a peculiar pattern emerges, we investigate the reason behind it.
(Ozawa) I am impressed that your consulting strategy is based on detailed information gathered by methods as deep as ethnography. What do you think is the most important factor for successful workplace consulting?
(Armbruster) Engagement, in other words, workers’ sense of ownership and involvement, is the most important. Due to engagement of workers, workplace innovation can be accepted by users. Hence, change management will be less stressful.
(Ozawa)How many consulting projects do you have per year?
(Armbruster) Recently, we do roughly 500 workplace consulting projects per year.
(Ozawa) I think the number is huge compared with what is currently achieved in Japan, which indicates the potential market for workplace consulting in Japan. Personally, I will be sure to keep close attention to the workplace consulting scene in US and continue to study information from Steelcase as well.
Thank you for your time today. It was very informative!