Games bring people together – just like good offices

Vitra: What was the vision for the new office and its role in changing the culture of collaboration?

Clemens Maier: The office is an opportunity to shape the face of a company. Among other aspects, we wanted to convey that even after 140 years, Ravensburger remains a relevant, contemporary company with a modern working environment. How we want to work together is certainly a pertinent question. Or to put it differently: How can the working atmosphere become more creative?

We strive to create a sense of togetherness – after all, Ravensburger stands for connection and community. Games bring people together! Making this possible in our day-to-day work through the redesign of our offices was a key goal. Perhaps we literally had too many walls between the departments and functions. The way people now work here at Ravensburger is a great advertisement for the company. We have also shared the project publicly and received several New Work awards.

What role did Vitra play in developing the new working environment for Ravensburger?

We partnered with Vitra on both the overall concept and the interior design. During the planning process, we wanted to take enough time to create something that truly suited our needs. Vitra supported us with a very high level of professionalism and expertise. The concept focused on understanding how office work functions today and what our employees specifically require.

Was it helpful for you to experience office work 'live' in Vitra's workspaces?

Yes, it was definitely very helpful – not just to visit Vitra and admire the beautiful architecture, but to actually use the space to work and hold meetings. The Vitra Campus is a great resource in this respect. It was important for us to experience how there are dedicated areas for the different work phases and needs throughout the day.

To what extent were employees involved in the process of creating the new office?

People get used to the status quo and there’s always a certain resistance to change – whether the changes are positive or more challenging. We experienced this within our own company. That’s why it was important to actively involve the teams. It's part of our culture to conceptualise such projects together and include the employees. We conducted surveys to find out what people need at work. It was a lengthy process and not always easy, but projects like this can be expected to have their share of challenges.

Many people associate multi-space offices and open-plan designs with constant noise and disruption. How did you deal with this?

It’s true that open spaces are often instantly equated with noise levels. Fortunately, this concern proved to be completely unfounded. Interestingly, even during the construction phase, the panels and materials used were effective in absorbing sound. We also had to define new rules for the space. Everyone has moments when they need peace and quiet, so we created a library and alcoves where people can retreat for some quiet time without being interrupted. On the other end of the spectrum, there’s the Working Café where employees from all areas can come together, including the office-based departments as well as production and logistics.

How do you make the new open culture appealing to employees who were used to working in private offices?

Employees had to adapt to the idea of no longer having a fixed desk and instead packing up their things each evening and placing them in a locker. The open space offers a more flexible way of working because people can move around freely based on their needs. It’s like a public park: you enjoy the entire park, but no part of it belongs to you individually – unlike a private garden plot where you have your own little patch, but can’t access the neighbouring gardens.

What initial feedback have you received?

There was excitement and enthusiasm about the investment in a new working environment, but also initially some scepticism, especially about potential noise issues. Our employees now say that the environment is not loud, but inspiring. They also report that they have a much better understanding of what others are doing and engage in conversations more frequently with colleagues outside their immediate teams. This has significantly improved thanks to the redesign – it has fostered a greater sense of community.