Central Massachusetts' 2016 innovative workspaces
Edd Cote
Laddawn Vice President Owen Richardson (center) holds a meeting with employees Caitlin Mahan, vendor relationship partner, and Jeff Copetas, digital marketing director, in front of the company's climbing wall in its Deven's headquarters. Office features for the 304-employee manufacturing company include a rock-climbing wall, treadmill desks and stand-up workstations, company bicycles, free gym memberships and a virtual (work anywhere) workspace, fostering collaboration and teamwork across all departments.
When packaging products maker Laddawn, Inc. first moved its corporate headquarters to Devens five years ago, the company filled 10,400 square feet at the former Davis Library site. Now, company growth has led the manufacturer to expand by 23,200 square feet into another building right on its campus.
While its first building had features of a collaborative work environment – including high tables, couches and chairs, a library and a meditation room – the expansion represented an opportunity for Laddawn to make its open workspace even better, said Owen Richardson, the company's vice president of sales and marketing.“We were eager to create an environment where people were excited to come to work every day,” Richardson said.
They only completed the full move last month – so the honeymoon period is still very real – but even so, Richardson said they accomplished what they set out to do. The new facility has virtual desktops where people can log in anywhere, a 1,500-square-foot rooftop deck, couches and chairs and treadmill desks. And when employees really need a break, they can go for a bike ride on a company bike or go for a climb on the rock wall.
“You might sit at a desk for awhile, log on and work at a treadmill ... move to [a] standup work station alongside someone you need to collaborate with, and then back to a different desk,” Richardson said.
Businesses, developers and designers said the current office space trend is decidedly an open floor plan with lots of natural sunlight, a privilege that was once only reserved for executives in corner offices. But equally important to the open floor plans and amenities is a solid company culture, where employees feel like they're appreciated and valued.
“You spend the majority of your time with your colleagues. We want folks to feel like their teams are part of their family. For the right folks, that's a draw,” said Patrick Davis, director of systems and process at Marlborough staffing firm The DAVIS Companies.
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