The first step in creating a workplace

I'm Fujita, and I'm in charge of concept design management.

The term "work environment" is familiar to working adults. When creating workplaces such as offices, improving this environment is often the primary objective.

The issue of improving the workplace environment is often entrusted to the general affairs department. Since working styles and communication are challenges for the entire organization, it is natural that this role would be concentrated in a position that allows for an overview of the whole picture.

However, when you actually try to implement this, the problem lies in determining "what constitutes a good work environment." The scope of consideration is broad, encompassing facilities, systems, and layout, and it includes both measurable and non-measurable factors. As a result, it's not uncommon for discussions to proceed without a clear direction. This significantly impacts concept design of the space.

So, let's think a little about the "first step" when creating a workplace.

 

The role of "General Affairs" as seen in company regulations

For example, even something as simple as the company rules established by each company is quite profound. Company rules increase as a company grows. They may be simple at the time of founding, but as the organization grows, the number of items increases, and the longer a company lasts, the more detailed rules accumulate. Each and every one of them has a background. They were added as a result of past events or troubles, and the necessity arose through actual operation.

In short, company rules are the history of the company itself. They are a record of the decisions that have been made over time, and they reflect the organization's values and way of thinking.

The general affairs department, which handles the company's rules, is at the heart of its history. This is because they manage the accumulation of past practices while simultaneously shaping the rules for the future.

Those working behind the scenes are often described as supporting figures. They're imagined as supporting the main characters like limbs, but if we were to use a physical analogy, their position is closer to the torso. While limbs are visible for their movement, the torso is at the center of it all. Without a torso, limbs alone are useless. Without an environment and rules, individual strengths cannot be unleashed. All visible results are built upon these fundamental prerequisites.

 

The first step is "thinking."

When considering a renovation, many companies begin by focusing on visible elements. Layouts and facilities are easy to visualize and serve as a convenient starting point for consideration. However, this alone doesn't get to the heart of the matter. Changing a space is meaningless if its usage doesn't change, and as a result, the organization's fundamental state remains largely unchanged.

So, where should we begin?

Our initial focus isn't on the space itself, but rather on "what kind of company it is." We begin by re-examining what the company does and what kind of value it creates.

In many cases, companies possess strengths they are unaware of. Things that are commonplace within a company may appear as valuable features to outsiders. Identifying these strengths and using them as catalysts for further innovation is the starting point for considering the workplace.

 

The first step: "What you should do"

However, the larger an organization becomes, the more likely it is to become fragmented, leading to situations where people don't know what other departments are doing or where their own work connects to. In this state, there are no opportunities to be exposed to other methods, and knowledge is not shared, making it difficult for new ideas to emerge. To resolve this, it is necessary to make visible what is invisible within the company.

The starting point here is "visualization." This involves making what is happening within the company visible and creating a situation where each role and difference can be recognized. The foundation for understanding the organization is then laid.

The workplace can be a means to support this understanding. Space is not merely a container, but functions as a medium for conveying information. It facilitates the daily sharing of internal activities and naturally communicates things that cannot be fully conveyed through words alone. It also plays a role in making relationships themselves visible by making it easier to feel the connections between departments and the presence of others.

The result is a change in communication, and new ideas that stem from it. Space doesn't change things on its own; it only begins to function when it's connected to the way an organization operates.

The starting point for creating a workplace isn't the layout. Space is merely a result of that. What's needed first is to understand "who your company is." This involves articulating your strengths and values and sharing them as an organization.

Only with that understanding does space acquire meaning. The space itself takes on a message and transforms into an entity that supports the very structure of the organization.

The first step in creating a workplace is already within the company.

Finding that, putting it into words, and sharing it—I believe that's the starting point for connecting an idea to the real world.