Innovation meets history: transforming Big Tech HQ

In the heart of New York City, a major global technology company aimed to transform a historic city block into their new sales headquarters. They envisioned a space that celebrates innovation while honoring the architectural heritage, welcomes both visitors and employees and engages the community through events and retail spaces. This landmark project would seamlessly blend the building’s rich history with the company’s forward-thinking vision. 

The building’s footprint offered the perfect potential for creating a custom, environmentally friendly workplace that captures Manhattan’s unique energy. 

To revitalize the landmark space, the company’s corporate real estate (CRE) leaders had to balance several competing priorities: 

• Designing cohesive, welcoming experiences for diverse user groups (employees, visitors, clients)
• Integrating multiple entrances and destinations across the massive footprint that honor the history of the building, character of New York and company culture
• Balancing cutting-edge design with efficient operations powered by best-in-class technology
• Creating a common understanding of operations across departments and roles
   

Having worked with JLL for years, the tech company turned to JLL’s consulting team for guidance. Together, they developed a strategic plan that put people first while tackling the project’s complex challenges. 

The first step was inviting a variety of stakeholders to define the overall vision for the workplace experience. JLL’s consultants led multiple all-day planning sessions with key stakeholders to define the overall vision. This collaborative process ensured alignment between the client's goals and our expertise in workplace strategy.

“We believe that we are here to provide the services and spaces that allow our employees and our company to thrive,” says the client’s real estate and workplace services lead. “We talked about the users and the users’ experience. It's really about the people and the interactions that set the experience. And so for me, that was really important.”

As a flagship sales office, the sales leaders provided crucial input. “They asked us what the dream office would be if you were to host clients,” said one sales representative. “And they asked us all kind of experiential design questions to incorporate into this building.” 

With that feedback top-of-mind, we cleared their workplace cache and started envisioning a new workplace: melding people strategy with experience management, change leadership and technology advisory. This business transformation called for a new Target Operating Model (TOM) to connect corporate strategy to operations - determining how a company can be best organized to more efficiently and effectively deliver and execute on its strategy. ​

People, processes and technology are key components of any TOM, so our next step was to create detailed user personas, including resident and visiting employees, clients and even employees' families. Each persona's journey through the building was mapped to identify critical touchpoints and opportunities for enhancing the experience – defined as “marquee moments.”

“They wanted to define the whole experience one would have in the building,” explains Amanda Kross, Americas Lead for JLL Consulting Services. “They needed to determine all the touch points that bring the journey to life—from the people you interact with, to the technology you interact with and how you flow through the space.”

We pinpointed three key marquee moments to prioritize:

1. Entry experience: creating a powerful first impression
2. Workplace experience: supporting new ways of working
3. Lasting experience: extending the impact beyond the office

For each of these, we created detailed service plans showing both customer-facing activities and behind-the-scenes operations. This creates a smooth experience for users while making internal processes more efficient, all aligned with their operating model.

The client’s site lead explains, “Because we were introducing a new workplace model, it was really important that we also thought through a new service model for the workplace.”

Each marquee moment became a unique, human-centered opportunity for employees to interact with the building, colleagues and guests in meaningful ways. Those moments have resulted in better occupancy rates, improved talent retention and enhanced brand reputation.

For the workspace itself, the team advised using different types of spaces throughout the office instead of assigned desks, as well as zoning areas where most people work, quiet spots where they can concentrate, and lively common areas for collaboration and socializing. This design gives employees the freedom to choose where they work based on what they're doing that day or how they're feeling. To help employees understand how to use the wide range of new space types, we developed a workplace guide. Since the spaces and the guide were rolled out, data shows that the alternative seating options are more popular than the standard desk among employees.

A key part of any modern workplace is good technology. We had an important challenge: creating easy-to-use technology for a leading tech company. Working together with our client, we added helpful technology throughout their office that makes daily life better. For example, we set up systems that make checking in visitors simple and interactive maps that help people find their way around the building. These improvements support everyone's daily work while keeping up the company's innovative reputation.

While specific metrics are confidential, the project delivered great results:
 

• We successfully set up flexible seating (where people choose to sit each day) across their biggest office space yet
• Employees are happier and more productive because they can choose from different types of workspaces designed for specific needs
• Customers have better experiences thanks to thoughtfully designed visitor journey and sales touchpoints
• Day-to-day operations run more smoothly with our improved processes and new role definitions
• We also created a practical guide they can use for designing future workplace services and experiences

By focusing on what people actually need and using smart approaches to office design, we created a welcoming experience that works well for today’s way of working while reflecting what makes the client, their building and their city special.

“It's exciting when you come to a building and have that ‘wow’ moment—seeing everything working seamlessly together and watching people really enjoy the space,” says Kross.

Want to copy/paste this success story at your company? JLL Consulting Services can transform your workplace strategy to attract the best and brightest, while achieving cross-functional business goals. Contact us today.