Human Relations Case Study

An Office Design Built for Outgoing People

Ashley is the CEO of Luxury Luggage, a designer and manufacturer of upscale luggage as well as cases for smartphones, laptop computers, and tablet computers. Luxury Luggage has a large central office in a ninety-year-old downtown building. The supplier network of companies that manufacture and ship luggage and covers is located throughout the world. Despite the intense competitiveness of the business for luggage and electronic-device covers, the company has survived.

Up until recently, the office space for Luxury was divided into closed offices for higher-ranking individuals, cubicles, open space, and conference rooms. Ashley, however, read a few articles about how open work areas help companies become more democratic and encourage communication, collaboration, and creativity. She also read about the advantages of the top executives working out in the open on worktables, among all the other workers.

With the help of a design consultant, Ashley redesigned the office space to be totally open, with just a few conference rooms for holding discussions with major customers, such as retail store executives. Ashley and her executive team moved their offices out into the open.

Within two months, praise and complaints about the new office design trickled in to Ashley. Those people who liked the new design talked about the ease of interacting with their coworkers, including being able to talk to them without using e-mail, texting, or the telephone. In contrast, Alberto, the head of product design, presented a very negative view of the new office design to Ashley. He insisted that the two discuss his concerns in a restaurant booth, so they could have some privacy.

Over a glass of wine, and before placing the dinner order, Alberto jumped right into his concerns: “Ashley, the new office design is a playground for chatty, outgoing people. They love jabbering away during the day, waving to people, and getting someone else’s input before reaching even a simple decision. But you are destroying the spirit of our more introverted employees, who are really the heart of a product design business. These people need to think in solitude, unbothered by the buzz and cell phones of coworkers. A good example is Magnolia, our top luggage and cover designer. She told me she has to create her designs at night and on weekends so she can think straight without interruptions.”

Ashley responded, “I hear you, Alberto. I am just trying to be modern in laying out our office. I will give your concerns some more thought. We love both our outgoing and more reserved staff members.”

Questions

1. What action, if any, should Ashley take in response to Alberto’s concerns about the new office layout at Luxury Luggage?

2. If Luxury Luggage decides to retain its open office design, how might the company accommodate the needs of more reserved people?