Colliers Embraces Open Workplace Strategy

Colliers International has adopted an open workplace strategy in its North County San Diego office. The new space is the culmination of a three-year project to transition to an open and collaborative model. It includes flexible workspaces and ample collaborative and communal spaces as well as integration of technology and outdoor amenities. Colliers’ Central San Diego office completed a similar transition in 2016. We sat down with Andy La Dow, managing director of Colliers International San Diego region, to talk about the new workplace strategy and what it means for the firm’s office practice.

GlobeSt.com: Why did you adopt this new workplace strategy?

Andy La Dow: We have two offices in San Diego, and this is a culmination of a strategy that we have had for more than three years to make a number of changes operationally. We were looking to take two offices that we have in San Diego to operate more as a region and less as silos. In order to successfully do that, our physical work environments needed to be consistent and change the way that we do business physically in San Diego. With the completion of the Carlsbad office renovation, we have successfully completed a total renovation of both offices.

GlobeSt.com: How have your team members responded to the new workspace?

La Dow: I have been very pleased that everyone is really on board. People have really figured out that there are a lot of ways that they can work collectively that they didn’t believe they could do in the past. My experience when you want to implements a new workplace strategy, it is critically important that you initially solicit a lot of feedback and input from the people that are working in the current environment. Then, you allow that to drive what the outcome of the strategy will be. You quickly learn that there is quite a divergence or opinions, stylistically as well as physical layout. It is not a consensus building effort, but more about understanding everyone’s perspective and trying to figure out which strategy fits best for the business. The reception to our workspace has been very positive. We have independent contractors in this work environment, and their success is directly linked to our success.

GlobeSt.com: Colliers also represents office users. Does this office space benefit that practice as well or serve as an example of a new standard in workplace strategy?

La Dow: Absolutely. We have brokers that are involved in a lot of practice groups, and we have a lot of brokers that are involved in the representation of corporate office users, not only in San Diego but on a multi-market basis. These types of workplace strategies have been exposed to our different clients, and they have been involved in looking at what we have done and some of the tools that we have used as a way to help them shape their personal strategy.

GlobeSt.com: Do you plan to adopt this workplace strategy in other Colliers offices?

La Dow: The beauty of Colliers compared to some of our peers that are global publicly traded companies is that we are locally driven. Our leadership really respects and embraces local operational decision-making and leadership to create the strategy that fits within a given market. I think that there will be more people that are taking mote of the people that have transformational workplace strategies, but it is not driven as a mandate across the platform.