The talent crisis and employee preferences for WFH means workplaces need to utilise office spaces as a tool to connect with staff. In Better Workplaces, AdNews looks at how agencies use office design to entice staff to come in and create a company culture worth staying for.
Media.Monks, the creative digital production arm of Sir Martin Sorrell's S4 Capital, has moved its 130 staff into a renovated level in Barangaroo's International Towers, Sydney.
Emily Forte business operations manager at Media.Monks APAC told AdNews the space was designed to meet the needs of employees and clients for the new normal at work.
Up 16 levels visitors are greeted by the agency's monochromatic branding in the elevator foyer.
Eleveator foyer.
Forte: "We were drawn to this space as it had an existing air of openness and various aspects that already lent themselves to collaboration, including 13 meeting rooms, three large project rooms and an extra-large boardroom.
"Along with these private spaces, the existing furniture featured countless breakout spaces, suitable for quick face-to-face interactions.
"The single level floor plan was also a big draw card for us, as it promotes integration across the different teams in the Sydney office."
Meeting room.
Meeting room.
Meeting room.
Meeting room.
Forte: "We have more space for in-person collaboration than ever before. We have a room specifically for project work, complete with a Google JamBoard to promote hybrid working styles."
All hands area
While Media.Monks maintained the majority of the existing fit-out with workstations and meeting rooms originally put in place by Lendlease, the company also worked with Sydney based interior and graphic designer Allan Marshall (S.A.M.), and project management company Facilitate on a minor fit-out project - called all hands area - that had a goal of creating a multi-purpose space within the office.
Overview of the all hands area.
Tv and couches in the all hands area.
Pool table in the all hands area.
"Music is an important point of social connection for our employees. We like to encourage them to take a break from sitting at their desks as it promotes inspiration through music."
Staff desks
Forte: "We currently have 130 Sydney.Monks and everyone has their own seat.
"The scattered hot desks also provide employees with quieter work zones away from the main pods of desks."
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