BE Meaningful – Design for Corporate Culture

A Branded Environment makes the workplace an intentional and positive expression of corporate culture. It prompts feelings like “We are in this together. We are all part of something special and each of us is contributing to the team’s success.” When this happens, work becomes more meaningful for employees and the workforce is in a better place for organizational success.

BE’s design approach is experience-centered and tailored specifically to your mission and vision so that it complements your workplace and has a positive impact on your office life.

Culture is Multidiscipline

A corporate culture is complex because it combines values, beliefs and norms that, at different degrees, influence the thoughts and actions of people in the organization.*

• Values are what an organization deems as most important. They are goals that are often written in the mission/vision statement.
• Beliefs are views on how to treat customers and employees, and how business processes operate.
• Norms are the unspoken rules such as dress code or the attitudes regarding hierarchy.

Each of these manifestations is expressed in different forms: values may require creative forms of messaging, while norms may need alternative design concepts for common areas. No matter the case, our design tools are diverse and multi-faceted, allowing us to address these various expressions of corporate culture with creative solutions.

Enhancing Corporate Culture

Branded Environments has designed numerous installations across the country with a specific focus on corporate culture. Our designs educate, celebrate, or reposition corporate values, beliefs, and norms. The following case studies show how we applied our design and content skills, resulting in engaging experiences that are aligned with corporate culture.

A global payment corporation placed partnerships as a key value in their business model. Working off of this, we created Partner Briefing Centers under the motto Building World-Class Relationships. The spaces are designated meeting and learning centers with displays about the power of the network and accolades for successful product launches. The new environment gives banking partners a space to establish themselves as part of the firm. Read more »

In an advertising agency we capitalized on the informal norm of creativity and camaraderie of the workforce. For them we produced chalkboard office name plates to celebrate individual talent. » Read more »

In another case, a financial corporation desired to commemorate and teach its strong belief on the importance of inclusion in the workforce. We produced the following displays to highlight the strong diversity of their workforce: Veterans/Military Appreciation, Black History Month, Women’s History Month, and Asian Pacific American Heritage. Each environment included interactive elements that encouraged participation from employees. Read more »

Décor vs. Experience Design:

Décor points outward. Experience Design points to YOU.

Experience Design produces environments that define the identity of your company, speaking volumes of your firm because it’s clearly understood to be a result of your culture. Common décor features like beautiful marble floors and gleaming finish are based on values that not necessarily about YOU. Our designs are centered on the culture and personality of your firm and its people. We give a voice to your company by making branded environments that speak in first person, resulting in more effective and authentic branding.

Décor is nice and will always be needed, but it is not a voice that originates from the culture of your organization.