by David Houseman, Logitech Head of Workplace Experience
Like many organizations embracing hybrid work, Logitech has recently revamped another one of our physical offices to reflect the new ways of working. This was not about downsizing; we purposefully looked at the value the office provides employees today and how we use our space as we take a hybrid-first approach. We took the opportunity to rethink everything about our space and ultimately are becoming a learning lab for all things hybrid.
And just like that, we’re almost ready to welcome people to the new American headquarters in San Jose, Calif. Here’s to our next chapter in San Jose. We have a special time ahead of us. We get to figure out how to embody Future WOW (ways of working) and innovate from a great new space with seamless connection to the world. How lucky are we!
I’m particularly excited about how Logitech is approaching one of today’s most complex and controversial topics, hybrid. We are becoming our own “living lab” and our own “test kitchen.” Woven deep into the fabric of our culture is the spirit of experimentation, learning and continuous improvement. Our culture is an incredible asset as we embark on this hybrid journey together.
We’ve all read articles about CEOs mandating a return to office only to read weeks later that nobody listened and they are rolling things back. We don’t want to take that approach and it’s also NOT culturally who we are. Instead, we’re co-creating our approach with employee feedback from internal roadshows and building a methodical program, one that creates momentum over time and one in which we demonstrate leadership from a place of expertise instead of ad hoc decisions. This will be an evolution where each of us understands why we work from home and why we come into the office. When we achieve this, we become the trusted resource for other businesses to emulate our journey to an effective hybrid balance.
An effective hybrid balance is imperative to the work we do, given that the #1 biggest obstacle for people coming to the office is their commute. We need to continuously ask ourselves, “how can we earn your commute today?” Some days we will and other days we won’t. And that’s ok. After all, we make technology that enables the hybrid world. So how do we plan to make our employees’ commute worth it? We start with a complete overhaul on how we view and program space. We take a human-centric approach to design, asking ourselves how physical space can support culture, innovation, productivity, comfort and fun. We start with technology and design space around it. Function first, form second.
Imagine a place where, when you walk in the front door, you immediately feel the good vibes. A place where you exhale and smile. One where it’s easy to stumble across colleagues. An experience where you make yourself a latte and run into a teammate who needs your input, immediately engage in conversation and solve that problem. No scheduling. No canceling. No back and forth. It’s here and now. One and done.
Imagine spaces that deliver unwritten behavioral cues because they are fit for purpose. Walking around the office, different spaces have different natural noise and focus levels. In between spaces where you can perch and get work done in between meetings. Long gone are the days where we plop down at a desk and work all day with headphones on. Our global offices will be outfitted with Logi Dock Flex, Tap, LogiTune, Scribe, Rally Bars, and Sight (when available). Using our own products offers employees an improved user experience and, in the case of meeting room technology, provides something we don’t get at home. We also get the opportunity to share feedback directly with product teams to improve product functionality for our customers.
Whether you’re on the ground floor of Lausanne, the Canteen in Cork or the new Clubhouse or Plaza in San Jose, the value of the hybrid office becomes obvious in all the spaces where we come together. At the heart of the hybrid office is like a town square. It’s the place to see and be seen. It’s a place to socialize, network, meet for 1:1’s, monthly check-ins and informal conversations. It’s also a place to work for those that like the background noise of a Starbucks-like atmosphere. Most of all, these spaces are where our culture thrives and where our center of gravity emanates.
So, the next time our employees need to innovate, collaborate or problem solve, we’re ready for them with the right technology, in the right sized room, available when they need it. Employees: Come contribute to our living lab and provide valuable feedback. Who knows, you may help us discover a major pain point which becomes the inspiration for our next billion dollar product!
