Changing Places? Coping With Current Business Uncertainty

If there\'s one thing businesses don\'t like, it\'s uncertainty. Even those that are undergoing profound changes themselves like to do their growing and changing in a relatively predictable environment. Their planning depends on it.

Which is why the current uncertainty over whether we are entering a recession or not is inherently a bad thing, regardless of the real basis for any fears of a downturn. Some have even argued that the economists and writers who habitually raise the spectre of economic cycles may actually be causing them. A perfect self-fulfilling prophecy.

Whatever its causes, the current level of uncertainty means that firms are understandably cautious, if not exactly jittery. The important thing is to never let this caution turn into paralysis. The potentially fatal consequences of treading water should always outweigh anxieties about what is yet to pass. Business decisions about growth, new product development and change should never be obstructed by fear of an uncertain future.

As a business we are used to managing change with clients. As a result, one of the things we know for certain is that when it comes to growing or changing their businesses, there is a tendency for organisations to see a move to purpose-built new offices as being a better option than improving their current workplace or refurbishing other existing space. All too often this is because they assume that they can\'t deal with change in an old building, be it a need to implement new technology or accommodate business growth. But they are often asking the wrong question. Instead of \'where do we go from here?\' they should really ask \'should we stay or should we go?\'

In most cases, both the stay option or go option can be backed up by a strong business case. This is invariably based on a wide range of factors - from the economic to the personal - each of which may have a considerable impact on the organisation. Only after careful consideration of these factors does it then become possible to make the right decision.

We need to challenge the notion that modern buildings must be better able than older buildings to meet the needs of a modern organisation. Often they are, but in many cases, older buildings can prove to be a better option.

For example, buildings that predate the widespread use of electric lighting and airconditioning may have better lighting and ventilation. They may also be more flexible in use. Modern buildings often have large floorplates, embedded services and low floor to ceiling heights which can limit their use. Older buildings are unlikely to have the same limitations so may actually be better suited to the needs of contemporary organisations.

In his book How Buildings Learn, author Stewart Brand outlines the process whereby buildings evolve over time to meet the changing needs of their occupants. He shows that intelligent renovation is just as effective and important as new design. Brand looks at the building as consisting of six layers, each of which functions on a different timescale. These range from the site itself which has a life cycle measured in centuries, through to the building (decades), interior fit out (years), technology (months), to stuff (days). An effective refurbishment or fit-out will depend on how well it resolves the tensions that exist between these different elements.

With careful planning, a focus on the organisation\'s strategic objectives and a multi-disciplinary approach even century-old buildings can become outstanding contemporary workplaces that can meet current needs and be flexible enough to respond to future demands. More importantly, they can even offer advantages over purpose-built new buildings in terms of cost, culture, adaptability and company image. Regardless of any ephemeral shifts in the economy, be they good or bad, firms must always build flexibility into their operations and their buildings to help them to develop on their own terms.

Ann Clarke is Design Director of Claremont Group Interiors, the UK office design company.

Claremont Group Interiors website

Stress Management Training
Stress management training has taken a big step forward in the last few years. The previous focus was on compiling a list of how many stress factors ...

Divorce and Child Depression - Are They Related
Divorce and child depression may very well go hand in hand as parental separation and divorce can be totally devastating for children and teenagers.Ma...

Changing Organisational Culture Requires a Change in Leadership
Changing culture or the way we do things around here need not be as difficult as it first seems. We often make it more difficult for ourselves because...

An Organizational Change Pattern
The following companies have very little in common at first sight: DSM, ING, Wolters. They are all multinational corporations but operating in a diver...

Various Aspects of a Business Loan
For the proper functioning of a business, it requires skills and substantial capital investment. However, most of the people dont posses enough funds ...

Competitive Advantage Is What Your People Want to Do, Not What They Know
Does your company do a great job of delivering knowledge and skills, the technical skills that your people need to do their jobs? Yet, you still see ...

Jetlag Does Not Have To Be A Big Problem
Jetlag is a common occurrence for people who travel alot. Poor performance is attributed to jetlag, especially by athletes who travel to different co...

Drug Addiction Recovery - Believe You Can!
Does anyone say as a child they would like to grow up to be an addict one day? No one wants that type of life but millions of people find themselves s...

Coping With Change in Your Workplace - Be Proactive, Not Reactive
Admit it, you like things to be constant. When things are constant you are in control. Being in control feels good. But sometimes there are external f...

Embrace Change: Business & Personal Renewal Cycles c 2006
Have you noticed that just about everyone you talk to is going through a change, challenge or growth cycle? There are many ideas about why we are acc...

Resilience: The Key to a Successful Today and Tomorrow
Success in business and in life comes to those who can sustain energy, creativity and passion in the midst of continual change, stress and competition...

Change From Science - Focus on the Stakeholders
There are two main directions of change. The first is about resistance, the energy that is spend to keep a change from influencing you, of your organi...

Options With Weider Max Home Gym
If you have tried out a variety of measures like cult foods, weights or supplements which haven't done anything great in terms of increasing your fitn...

Change Management - New Risks And Challenges
Change management in organizations is about to be faced by a new critical challenge.Over and above the fact that on average 18% of staff are actually ...

Should You Fly or Drive to your Destination?
If you are like me and you tend to do a lot of long distance traveling then you will often come up against the decision to either fly or to drive to g...