Citrix

Citrix solutions enable business mobility through secure mobile workspaces that provide people with instant access to apps, desktops, date and communications on any device, network and cloud. Globally, Citrix solutions are used by over 100 million people across more than 330,000 companies.

As part of our Global Accounts programme, Citrix has worked with Herman Miller for the last thirty years on office moves and refurbishments worldwide, most recently in Paris, Munich, London and Schaffhausen. The projects range from around 100 to 250 work stations, with furniture tailored to the needs of each office location.

Herman Miller’s Global Accounts program is comprised of around 90 select global customers who, like Citrix operate facilities around the world. Our customer-centric approach is founded upon a genuine desire to improve the performance of our business partners.

Work better. Live better
Citrix believes if you work better then you live better. This thinking informed the planning when Citrix came to refurbish and relocate several offices worldwide, including Paris, Munich and London. Integral to this was the feeling that a Citrix workspace should embody the spirit of the products they sell – flexibility, practical, and supportive of collaborative working.

Detler Kuhrob, Senior Manager Real Estate & Operational Services EMEA, said, “We have to work in the same way our products do.” The approach to virtual working means that the office can now be someone’s living room or a café. It is therefore imperative that whenever an member of staff uses a physical office space, it should be a good place to work, that satisfies the worker’s needs.

Understanding work
Herman Miller has done extensive research into how, why and where people work, and the effect that the office space has on their productivity and wellbeing. From our research, we saw that while the world of work was changing, many offices hadn’t adapted with it.

Today’s offices need to give people the tools to succeed. Offices need to be places where people feel creative, and are able to collaborate and connect with each other. A successful office generates a sense of community, contributing towards higher productivity.

Creating a workplace strategy
Christian Schneider, Senior Director Real Estate & Facility Manager EMEA, explained that Citrix used to have a more traditional way of working, with assigned desks and enclosed offices. The shift to more flexible working drove organisational change, which needed to be reflected in Citrix’s own workplaces as it was in their products.

Schneider indicated that previously there was no worldwide work place strategy, with the office planning done on a regional level. Schneider continued: “Now we have a consolidated function so we follow the same rules and guidance across the globe. It gives the company a stronger identity as a global brand.”

Putting together a solution
To meet the objectives for flexible work spaces that gave employees spaces to meet and collaborate, Citrix and Herman Miller chose a range of multi-functional desking, which included some assigned desks as well as a system which included height adjustable desking to allow sit-to-stand working. It was also crucial that the work spaces needed to incorporate Citrix’s technology solutions such as video conferencing.

Laura de Caso, Real Estate & Facility Manager EMEA, observed how the layout of the offices has changed, “The management used to have their offices on the outside, with the windows, and everyone else was in the middle. By having open spaces, people can communicate better with each other.”

Comfortable spaces were also key to the installation. De Caso saw how this affected her colleagues working in the offices: “We needed to design the work space for the people, so they can be comfortable and work to their maximum capacity.” The casual break spaces across each location has all been equipped with soft seating, which brings comfort but continues to support employees ergonomically, ensuring their high performance work can continue.

For Christian Schneider, the new office landscape goes beyond making current employees happy: “It’s really driven by talent acquisition – the competition for the best talent. It’s not just how much money is being offered, a bad work environment will put talent off.”

The Citrix philosophy of Work Better, Live Better, was perfectly aligned with the adaptability and versatility that Herman Miller offers. De Caso confirms this; “Citrix sells virtual IT products. We needed to portray that in the office design – collaboration, flexibility and functionality. Herman Miller made these environments happen.