Collaborative Work Center

About the Program

Category: Personnel Management, Employment and Training (Best in Category)

Year: 2023

In 2022, Hennepin County opened the doors to a new type of workspace: the Collaborative Work Center (CWC). Designed specifically to meet employee needs, the Collaborative Work Centers provide two locations within the county where employees from any department can gather, collaborate, or work individually. The idea for the Collaborative Work Center originated in the fall of 2020, when early in the COVID pandemic, a team of Facility Services architectural and design subject matter experts asked themselves “what should our post-pandemic office environment look like?”. To answer the question, the team followed a structured process that began with an environmental scan of data and publications related to real estate, architecture, interior design, employee wellness, technology, and work styles. Next, they applied what they learned to Hennepin County’s culture and core values. Collaborative Work Centers successfully align Facility Services activity based work environment principles with the county vision for Future of Work. The CWC’s are purposefully designed to: • support a workforce that includes remote, hybrid and onsite employees, • provide the tools, technologies and equipment needed to deliver work, • inspire employees to represent the culture and values of Hennepin County, and • create an inviting sense of place where employees can collaborate, connect and engage with one another.