PHILADELPHIA, PA – Public Health Management Corporation, a nonprofit public health institute that creates and sustains healthier communities, has moved the company's headquarters to Centre Square, 1500 Market Street.

Designed to encourage collaboration and innovation among PHMC's diverse on-site teams as well as off-site programs and affiliates, the new, state-of-the-art space occupies more than 125,000 square feet on six floors of the building, and includes an open floor plan with minimal individual offices, multiple gathering spaces and cutting-edge technologies. The office centers around the “Town Square”, a centralized café, fitness and help center created to foster healthy behaviors among employee and guests.

“PHMC's new headquarters is changing not just where we work, but also how we work,” says Richard J. Cohen, president and CEO of PHMC. “We believe that physical space drives cultural change in the way we lead, innovate and work together to accomplish our mission. Our new headquarters encourages collaboration, creativity and efficiency.”

Since its creation in 1972, PHMC's business has increased to approximately $200 million, with 350 programs, 11 affiliates and more than 2,000 employees. The new space meets the increased capacity needs of the nonprofit, as well as the changing workspace needs of its employees. Results of a 2013 PHMC employee survey revealed that headquarters' employees spent 41 percent of their time working with others but 50 percent of employees lost at least one hour every day due to workplace issues, such as distractions in or around the work area, access to technology, finding co-workers and finding an appropriate meeting space.

To address these issues and develop the office, PHMC closely partnered with architectural design firm Bradberry & Kheradi to create a truly dynamic work environment that integrates design with culture change.

In addition to fewer individual offices, the office includes hoteling workstations for off-site employees and guests, a variety of meeting and privacy spaces as well as lounge areas for work or socialization. The space incorporates sophisticated technologies for communication and collaboration, aiding in better workflow and cost savings. The workspace encourages mobility, with a grand staircase connecting multiple floors; wireless capabilities allowing employees choice in where they work; and treadmill workstations on each floor for movement and exercise.

The Town Square features a café with nutritious food prepared by MANNA, a fitness center operated by Weston Fitness, a walk-in help center serving employees and a large Conference Center with capacity for 200 people, overlooking City Hall and the new Dilworth Park.

Along with greater collaboration, the new space encourages environmentally-friendly and efficient practices. All employees have laptops and the building is equipped with advanced audio/visual technology for display and document sharing on TV screens. PHMC deployed multi-function devices, located in central areas on each floor rather than in individual workspaces, for shared, on-demand printing, scanning and electronic faxing, thereby reducing waste.

“PHMC has taken best practices from the business world and applied them within the nonprofit setting,” says Cohen. “We've always seen ourselves as a pioneer in the field of public health. Now, we've taken that same innovative spirit into our space, blending forward-thinking design concepts with the needs of a modern workforce.”

Instant Insights /

Public Health Management Corporation Moves Headquarters to 1500 Market Street

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