Knoll and HOK Conduct Research Review with Defense Contractors

Knoll and HOK presented their joint findings on the workplace in the Defense Sector to contractors and real-estate managers on November 14. Compiled in a whitepaper titled Flexibility for Volatility: Building a High-Performance Defense Workplace, the two firms' research demonstrated that the Defense Sector is ripe for change. With an uptick in annual budget, a growing concern for attraction and retention, and an impending younger workforce, the report not only argues of a workplace overhaul, but also determines it crucial in order to keep up with competing sectors. The event, hosted at the Knoll Showroom in Washington D.C., consisted of a review of Flexibility for Volatility led by Kay Sargent, director of workplace, HOK, and Kimberly Smith, senior workplace strategist, Knoll. Sargent ended her remarks concluding, "the Defense Industry now has to think like a tech company, they have to consider activity spaces, they have to consider open plan and collaborative space." Following the research review, Vincent Ng, director of interiors, HOK, led a panel discussion with Charlie Spencer, director, Real Estate & Facilities, Engility; Carole Horne, director of corporate real estate, The MITRE Corporation; and Dave Funaro, real estate manager, SAIC.

When asked about the current split of open to closed plan offices, all three panelists responded anecdotally, noting that a completely open-plan office does not ultimately work for the Defense Industry. Funaro shared a story where he had convinced his executives to have a 90/10 split of open-plan to closed-plan, and while the solution seemed conceptually appealing, after a few months in the new space, management noticed that a great deal of space was not being used. The result was a return to a higher percentage of closed office spaces, a move prompted by the need for security and privacy. That being said, all three panelists agreed that creating a workplace for the workforce three to five years down the road is critical, and that includes a predominantly open-plan office. Corporate campuses need to accommodate a workforce that increasingly brings its own device everywhere and works remotely. While security, given the nature of the business, remains a big concern when entertaining remote working, the three panelists see it as an obstacle that must be overcome.

Both the research and the panelists laid out some of the biggest challenges for the Defense Sector: speed to market, attraction and retention, and precise office utilization metrics. These challenges appear as rather large obstacles, especially for an industry that hesitates from big change because of the volume of sensitive information. However, as furniture manufacturers like Knoll start to perceive the workplace as a blank canvas rather than a prescriptive space, some of these issues like attraction and retention become easier to tackle.

The company's latest furniture collection, Rockwell Unscripted, is founded on the basis of blurring the lines between every prior office solution - proposing a new kind of office, one where the functionality and purpose of individual objects is entirely determined by the user. This provides maximum flexibility without ruling out the possibility of a space being "closed" or more private. Rockwell Unscripted features a comprehensive, eclectic array of freestanding, architecturally grounded and movable elements that can be used to create a variety of experiences, from gathering spaces to quiet retreats. Creative Walls and Steps evoke the energy of performance, while the lounge elements conjure the atmosphere of a hotel lobby. Tables become a stage for work, conversation and celebration. Modular and mobile storage elements evoke the causal feeling of a workshop.

To read the latest whitepaper from Knoll click here.