Mentoring has long been a workplace tradition, with senior leaders working alongside emerging professionals, mutually exchanging ideas. Yet the nature of mentoring has changed over the past several years.
Before the pandemic, collaboration happened almost exclusively in person. As the office market suddenly became fully remote, companies had to navigate a new terrain. In-person mentoring took a hit as staff turnover accelerated and new employees were onboarded over Zoom. Now, as companies move back to the office, we need to ask: How do we reimagine mentoring in a work environment that is continuously evolving?
Calculating the Numbers
The latest statistics on employee retention are bleak. Turnover has cost U.S. businesses nearly $1 trillion, with recruiting and onboarding costing approximately twice an employee’s salary, according to Gallup, a global analytics firm. Additionally, employees hired during the pandemic are twice as likely to leave than those hired before the pandemic.
What this means is diminished employee loyalty, in part because of the lack of one-on-one relationship building—the core of corporate culture.
Organizations are seeing the impending cliff and the need to be proactive. In fact, there has been a 30 percent increase in structured mentoring initiatives recently, according to LHH, a talent advisory company. Yet the most effective mentoring still arises organically—and thrives through in-person interaction. Those who had a positive experience early in their careers are likely to engage as mentors with the next generation.
Over the past several years, we have helped clients plan workspaces that facilitate both structured and organic mentoring. As illustrated in the following examples, many have already determined their return-to-office policy, falling into three basic categories: Remote, In Person, Hybrid.
Remote
In Person
Hybrid
Remote: Confidential Client
When HGA completed the headquarters for a national pharmacy benefits firm in 2018, the growing company envisioned increasing efficiency and collaboration by consolidating four offices into a single location. The headquarters included formal and informal work settings, food services, fitness center, and conferencing facilities with access to a rooftop terrace overlooking wetlands—all reflecting the company’s brand and emphasis on employee wellbeing.
No sooner did staff settle in when the pandemic sent everyone home and they found themselves with 400,000 square feet of unused space. Instead of developing a return-to-office strategy, the company stayed fully remote, subleased 300,000 square feet of space, and turned their attention to converting the rest to a hospitality focused conference and training center for staff retreats. HGA is once again working with them to support teamwork, creating large presentation spaces, dining options, a variety of small meeting and touch-down spaces, a game room, and even luggage storage.
So even fully remote, employees will have a place designed for team building and knowledge sharing.
In Person: IDC Spring
What does it mean to be an in-person organization these days? While tangibly like before, there is an underlying urgency to reverse recent setbacks, reconnect relationships—not the least mentorship. IDC Spring, a family-owned spring manufacturer, understands that employee satisfaction could be enhanced through the brick-and-mortar workplace.
When renovating their headquarters, IDC set two goals. The first was to reinforce their brand identity as a product manufacturer. The second was to build equity between office and factory employees in a single building that dismantles division between the two functions so all can learn what the other does.
HGA drew design inspiration from the garage springs and hands-on manufacturing process, celebrating the product and people. Graphic elements, colors, and finishes reflect IDC’s brand quite literally using spring icons, metal rods, metal barrels, and perforated metal in playful ways throughout workspaces, conference rooms, outdoor spaces, and shared common areas.
Since completion in September 2022, the headquarters has experienced sustained market growth, reinforcing a sense of cultural identity and shared goals between all employees.
Hybrid: General Mills World Headquarters
General Mills, a global food company, recognized that a hybrid workplace might serve them best moving forward. But they also knew they had to rewire common spaces and workspaces to encourage people to reactivate the campus and rebuild collaboration across departments and professional levels.
They started with the heart of the corporate campus, the Main Street Champions Center. As long-time partners with General Mills, we approach this latest project with a strong understanding of their cultural commitment to a positive employee experience.
The Champions Center welcomes employees and guests with inviting seating arrangements and cozy nooks, suggesting a well-appointed resort hotel rather than an office building. Improvements include a work lounge with seating for individual or collaborative work, a coffee shop, grab-and-go café, hair salon, fitness center, and updated company store. These improvements are the first phase of an ongoing process that will include other floors as General Mills continues to assess the best processes to encourage collaboration, team building, and mentoring.
Looking Onward
The past few years have provided companies opportunities to rebuild cultural synergy for a changing workforce—and explore new design concepts. The full return to office may be a long time coming. But by working closely with our clients, we can design solutions for professional growth and organizational success. Mentor onward! ∎
Learn more about how HGA designs interior workplaces to support mentoring and shared experiences.
About the Authors
Lisa Macaluso
Lisa is a principal and interior designer with experience directing programming and strategic planning for technology, start-ups and professional services companies. She leads the design team throu...
Tamar Ribnick
Tamar has focused her career as a leader in workplace and public/corporate design projects and exploring unique strategies and solutions to best serve her clients present and future needs.