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Robert Walters Amsterdam: the office of the future

Engaging, binding and retaining their people is the internal mission of Robert Walters, global recruitment specialist. Neuroscientific research - initiated by Hoogerwerf Project furnishing - reveals the tools to make this happen.

Text:
  • Nathalie Schalke

Ivanka Bojovic, Senior Manager Facilities at Robert Walters and Linda Goedhard, Project Manager at Hoogerwerf Projectinrichting are gloating in the atmospheric Grand Café of their recently opened Office of the Future on the tenth floor of the WTC at Zuidas. 'To create a place where people feel welcome, where there is a sense of community and where we enjoy meeting each other, that was the assignment,' Ivanka explains. 'Bringing people together is our core business and in our own office we would like to create a Robert Walters family feeling. An interactive ambience where we help each other, communicate openly, where people feel comfortable and fulfil their own unique potential as well as that of our relations.'

Bold pitch

To find out what people want and what motivates them, you can of course just have a good conversation but what if you could also surface their unconscious response and desires? What does that mean for the choices made and the way work is done? With this question in mind and challenged by Robert Walters' question as to whether they could be innovative in addition to being proven good, Hoogerwerf Project Design pitched for the assignment. Linda: 'Risky and exciting because we were basically just telling our plan. Not supported with mood boards nor a predictive outcome. What the office would look like? No idea! We simply presented the revolutionary idea of designing the new office based on the results of thorough, representative, neuroscientific research.'

Blueprint

'Game on,' said José Bokhorst Managing Director Netherlands, triggered by this unique approach and gave Hoogerwerf budget and carte blanche. A diverse, representative group of 25 people was selected for the process. First profiling through intense, in-depth interviews and then functional MRI (fMRi) - a 3D brain scan that sees where and when brain activity takes place, measuring reaction and emotions and indicating certain images, texts, styles and associations. Ivanka: 'These outcomes form the blueprint for interior design. A striking fact is that people were previously convinced that live interviews with candidates - because of sensitivity - would be best conducted in confined spaces while the test results show that people are more approachable and candid in an open, informal hospitality setting.'

 

"We experience more interaction, employees are at home in the office."

 

Linda Goedhard & Ivanka Bojovic
Linda Goedhard (left) & Ivanka Bojovic

Homebase for the community

The Grand Café - the reception area and meeting place for guests, associates and colleagues - is the focal point and Homebase for the RW community. 'This required a professional, hospitality vision and approach because it is not only about atmosphere, a variety of seating options and a spacious bar, but also about workability for catering, logistics and routing,' says Linda. 'For this concept, we therefore called on the expertise of Horeca Sfeermakers.' Ivanka adds: 'The atmosphere exudes a warm welcome, is friendly, professional and hotel chic. The Grand Café is directly connected to the courtyard garden and roof terrace with phenomenal views over the city.' 

Wolf of Wallstreet vibe

Each zone has its unique atmosphere and décor. For example, the Teamwork zone consists of six meeting rooms named after Amsterdam canals and streets where focus and creativity are encouraged. To de-stress, calm down or have emotionally charged conversations, the Tuscan Garden - with lavender, olive trees, chirping birds and lounge beds - is the place to be. Or plop down in the circle of beanbags for a moment of relaxation and contemplation in the serene yoga room. Of course, there is also performance to be done. For that, the rousing, red Sales Arena is the place to be. In this Wolf-of-Wallstreet vibe, you are encouraged to peak and score. This starts already in the entrance tunnel - like the one you see with athletes entering the field - where images of top performances nudge you and put you on edge. 'Because the opportunities for interaction, flexibility and working differently are now offered, we see that our people actually react and perform differently,' Ivanka concludes. 'We see more social interaction, employees being at home in the office and from the fact that they invite family and friends to the office, it shows that they are proud to be part of the Robert Walters Group.'