EUA:Pulse | April 2019

shaping denver : architecture : planning : interior design



PULSE is our quarterly outreach,
showcasing our latest designs and
connecting you with forward-thinking
industry experts.

EXPERT INSIGHTS: JOY SPATZ, AIA, NCIDQ, LEED AP BD+C

WHAT’S IN THE WAY

of a highly effective workplace?

Today’s workplace can be dysfunctional leaving workers starved. We
all have an appetite for effective and supportive habitats that feed our
need for connection, ideation and production.

Simultaneously, companies crave talent that makes a difference–enhancing culture and
thinking smarter to achieve innovation. The workplace is a complex ecosystem and very
often stress is a symptom of an ineffective workplace. By tuning into the conditions that
impact individual and team success, we can identify necessary changes to align place with
worker needs.

THE COMPOUNDING CHALLENGE
Stress is an inherent part of life–most of us having a to-do list longer than our grocery
list. Continued high stress plays a critical impact on people, their families and health.
The ability to accomplish work well directly correlates to levels of confidence, personal
satisfaction and achievement. From our experience leading work sessions with teams,
regardless of position and industry, we have found that typically half of the people report
moderate stress levels and the other half report high stress levels; in fact, very few identify
as having low or no stress. Stress levels inversely correspond to satisfaction levels. People
reporting lower stress also report higher satisfaction.

PARADIGM
Supporting the need for meeting privacy and innovation, the meeting rooms for this tech company create
destinations for collaboration, minimizing distractions in work areas.The adjacent collaboration zone allows for
ideas and discussions to come to life.

To learn more, visit: eua.com/paradigm

UNDERSTANDING THE UNDERLYING FACTORS
This begs the question, “What is occurring at the workplace that keeps people from
achieving what they need to and causing stress to overflow into the rest of their lives?” In
a nutshell–other people. At work, we are constantly battling interruptions and distractions,
often by co-workers who mean well but are clueless to the impacts of interruption. It’s all
too common that we modify our workday to start early and or stay late well beyond the
traditional workday to get work done and stay on track. Why do we let our overwhelming
to-do list and work demands trump the need to care for ourselves? Because getting work
done feels good and falling behind causes anxiety and stress.

By observing workplaces, we tap into the interplay that occurs between people and spaces.
When studying employee patterns, behaviors and tendencies, we identify conditions that
support work, but more often those that disrupt and erode a worker’s ability to work
effectively, causing stress. It’s not about just getting work done, it’s about getting work
done well. To do this we need to balance worker needs and group behaviors.

DEFINING A COURSE FOR STRESS REDUCTION
The question becomes, “How do we truly best support employees?” The impact of a
well-designed workplace with supportive team behaviors can be paramount to the way
workers report stress levels. By creating awareness of conditions that are in the way
and identifying changes that provide the workforce choice and control, we can identify
the team’s ideal work environment. We can then open the conversation for behavioral
construct agreements–honor zones for focused work, alternate strategies for calls in phone
rooms vs. at their desk, duration of walk up conversations or a visual system for alerting
others when in focus mode–among others. When this all comes together, employees will
feel balanced and connected, work more effectively and net even bigger results.

HANSON DODGE
Social zones–spaces specifically intended for collaboration and socializing, often with food nearby–enhance
culture and group connections, and also remove distracting activities from the workstation area, improving worker
concentration while at their desks. Adjacent focus rooms offer an additional choice in privacy within the workplace.

To learn more, visit: eua.com/hd

IDEAL FUTURE STATE
The sweet spot is achieved by fostering the good and changing the conditions that are
critically in the way. It’s the best chance of advancing both the organization and the
individual. When people feel confident in their ability to achieve, they are more likely to
have a positive impact on culture and positive connections with peers, they are happy and
do better work, and most importantly, they report lower stress and are more likely to stay.

When investing in a workplace environment, it’s critical that the design team act as a
facilitator throughout the process to identify shifts to reduce employee stress, resulting in
better quality work for the organization and greater fulfillment for individuals. Sometimes
we find that it has nothing to do with a monetary investment, but an awareness and
change in how we interact. The path starts with awareness, builds on a commitment to
support better work and ends with a well-designed and aligned workplace.

The payoff? A happier workforce and a better performing workplace.

J OY S PAT Z AIA, NCIDQ, LEED AP BD+C
denver studio director | principal

[email protected]
303.256.1150

Joy integrates strong leadership and interpersonal skills as she works with teams to create
successful outcomes and enhance client’s businesses. In her 30+ years of experience, Joy
has demonstrated that the most important aspect in a successful project is people. As a
Workplace Strategist, Joy believes design has the power to improve user experience and
by aligning the design with the needs of the organization, teams and people, business
outcomes are amplified.

GATES CORPORATION
A global industrial company, the Gates Corporation wanted to honor their various locations by
incorporating local, rare artwork from each in the design across all six floors in their new
corporate headquarters.

To learn more, visit: eua.com/gates

CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS
After completing a successful expansion of their CTEC facility, Charter Communications was in need
of further room to expand.The goal was to transform this former storage shell into a working, daylit,
single-story, high-functioning office setting.

To learn more, visit: eua.com/charter

E X PE RT I NS I G H T S : J AC K I E P O S SELT, A S ID, LEED A P ID+C

ATTRACTING
EMPLOYEES

in the age of match.com

We live in a world of instant gratification, a world where virtually
everything is digital, online or at your fingertips, a world where you
can sign-up for Match.com one day and be married the next. While
it seems like getting connected is easier than ever on the dating
scene, the struggle is real for businesses to find and court qualified
candidates. Organizations are rethinking how their culture and space
(aka their dating profile) are positioned to attract the next generation
of workers.

To learn more, visit: eua.com/attract

AAA COLORADO
Needing a larger state headquarters and room for continued growth, AAA purchased an existing, three-
story building located along a major highway, allowing for additional visibility.

To learn more, visit: eua.com/aaa

E X PE RT I NS I G H T S : E R I C R O M A N O, A IA , EIT, LEED A P

MAXIMIZING
REAL ESTATE

the art of creating spaces
that spark innovation

An office is just an office, right? But what if it’s not? What if it can
be more? What if you could actually make your real estate work
for you? Turns out, you can. More and more, office settings are
utilizing what we call, “smart spaces,” or spaces designed for
multi-use and flexibility.

to learn more, visit: eua.com/max

CSG INTERNATIONAL
Spread between four floors, CSG International was looking to consolidate their operations into a fresh,
inviting and cohesive office within 1½ floors of a new office building.

To learn more, visit: eua.com/csg

EUA SPOTLIGHT

G A B R I E L L E S C H U L L E R AIA, LEED AP
workplace | science + technology
[email protected]
303.256.1137

Fostered in a deep curiosity of learning about culture and the work around me, I credit my
educational background with enabling my adaptability to working with a wide variety of
clients, team dynamics, challenging problems and technical project types.

KAT I E K E A H E Y LEED AP ID+C
workplace | professional services
[email protected]
303.256.1134

My clients can expect work sessions to be organized, productive and inquisitive. I especially
enjoy working with professional service firms for the aesthetics and materials associated
with, and over my career I have had extensive experience in these types of projects.

J A N E C R I S L E R AIA, LEED AP
learning | historic preservation
[email protected]
303.256.1140

Focusing on important civic buildings, whether it is a new school or a historic structure,
I seek out projects that impact entire communities and I am passionately committed to
improving and shaping public places through the design and preservation of buildings.

Follow our experts on LinkedIn

J OY S PAT Z AIA, NCIDQ, LEED AP BD+C
denver studio director | principal

[email protected]
303.256.1150

1899 Wynkoop Street, Suite 300 | Denver, CO 80202

eua.com

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