Happy space, happy face

When I think of a horrible office environment, I picture Milton Waddam from “Office Space.” Milton, the overworked and underappreciated employee whose only concern is his stapler, finds himself “demoted” to the most unfortunate desk location: the basement, sitting near the clanking furnace.

Office space design is much more than aesthetics. Simple upgrades and thoughtful additions have great potential in boosting employee satisfaction and development. I don’t know about you, but “productive” is not exactly the word to describe me when I’m not a happy camper.

Since the move from the former office in Troy, to the firm’s new office in Royal Oak, the buzz around Eisbrenner Public Relations has been nothing short of positive comments and compliments. It’s apparent a lot of consideration and personal touches were involved in the development of our new space.

As I sit in my cubicle and notice all the décor’ upgrades around me, I can’t help but feel proud of our office environment. The true colors (literally) of Eisbrenner PR have shone through, and the office embodies the culture I brag about to my friends. Here are a few things that stick out to me:

1. Branding the office space

For those of us who don’t enjoy tight spaces, we appreciate the wide-open space of the Eisbrenner PR office. The openness allows for easy conversation or informal brainstorm sessions with my colleagues, and clients now are able to see the faces of Eisbrenner PR when they visit. Of course, our workstations double as protection for kooshball fights, though the low walls make it harder to hide. Whether it’s the exchanging of ideas, or the playful throwing of koosh balls, the new space truly represents Eisbrenner PR.

2. Extend teamwork

The large message coaching room, conference tables and breakout rooms are incredibly useful. It’s convenient to schedule team meetings and have an alternative place to work. These options are especially nice when meeting with team members who don’t exactly keep a tidy desk (I won’t mention names)! And, if you’re looking for a break from the kooshball action or the office gets too rowdy, you can use the rooms to make a phone call or write a press release.

3. Love for the environment

Not only do we love our office environment, but we have a love for the natural environment. We do our part to respect the world around us! In the kitchen we have designated bins to recycle plastics, cans, bottles and paper. We also reuse printing paper and glass dishware to cut back on our paper waste.

4. Expand communication

Breakout rooms have dry erase boards next to each room for team members to reserve a room for a particular time or communicate to others what’s going on in the room. It eliminates scheduling conflicts and is a simple communication device.

5. Display core values

One of my favorite features of the office is the display of our core values. Various pillars in the office have wall decals of each of Eisbrenner PR’s five core values. Each core value represents our firm, and when I walk in the front door, pick up a document from the printer or just look up from my cubicle, I’m reminded what I should strive for each day as an Eisbrenner PR team member.

It’s safe to say the characters who played the employees in “Office Space” were lethargic individuals who dreaded waking the next morning to return to their jobs. The Eisbrenner PR team couldn’t be further from this image. Instead, we’re able to walk into our dynamic office and remain connected to one another through our work and the great environment we’ve formed. To view pictures of Eisbrenner PR's office, check out our facebook page