It's no secret that the demand for design is at an all-time high these days -- in particular for the corporate creative. It's desirable for companies; they've learned that bringing the role in-house ensures a better understanding of their business, brand and culture. And it's equally desirable for the creative; corporations often offer flexible work environments, attractive compensation and professional development. But it's really that the role of the creative has evolved; design thinking has helped solve many corporate strategic challenges and has presented new opportunities for in-house designers.
At Franklin Square, the design team was invited to collaborate with a workgroup that would ultimately shape what would become our new workspace. Last year, we were asked to share feedback on what a "best in class" work environment might look like and were given the opportunity to make recommendations on things as large as the building identification signage viewable from the highway and as small as the compostable utensils used in our cafe.
During the move weekend, our team oversaw the installation of all workstation and conference room identification, set up way-finding signage throughout the building, created digital imagery for our TV displays and (happily) sampled treats from the test kitchen. We even hand-delivered eco-friendly, branded water bottles and welcome brochures (that we concepted and designed) to each and every employee workstation the night before their first day in our new space.
Was all of this within the scope/area of responsibility for our job descriptions? Not really. But we recognized the importance of making a positive first impression; this was a big move for many and we wanted our fellow employees to feel welcomed in their new home on their first day. To that end, we designed an engagement experience to support that vision.
This project became a gateway for our long-term partnership with a new big client: our building. Our involvement has afforded the team the opportunity to impact/advise on our building and employee brand over the long term. It's engaging to have to diversify within the challenges we solve -- not only do we bring complex financial concepts into approachable and consumable design outputs, but we also inform brand adherence for things like food containers, clocks and kitchen scissors.
What we've learned from this experience is that opportunity is everywhere you turn. Work hard, make friends, have empathy but most importantly, love what you do. And if you can't, it may be time for your next adventure.
