With a strong belief in the mantra that “One size misfits all,” Goodmans recently commissioned a third-party research company to conduct one-on-one interviews with their employees to discover compelling reasons they would choose to return to the office in person.
Employees have worked from home since 2020 yet Goodmans enjoyed record revenue during and after the pandemic. Goodmans had its highest revenue in the company’s 70-year history in 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023.
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Goodmans’ top priority each year is to be recognized as a top place to work in the Valley, followed by a rigorous customer satisfaction goal and finally a financial goal. While Goodmans enjoyed customer satisfaction and financial success, they did not achieve Best Places to Work after 12 consecutive wins. They decided to prove their theory that an expertly designed workspace can enhance culture, as well as provide comfort and efficiency.
“It seemed like a no-brainer to conduct extensive research into what would compel our employees to return to the office without a mandate. We discovered they wanted a robust variety of work settings, flexible enough to suit how they work on any given day. Employees determine what their day will look like and the space provides the support they need to do their best work,” said Adam Goodman, CEO of the furniture company. “Our people have returned to the office of their own volition, not because we required it.”
The company designed a new showroom (at the same Phoenix location, 1400 E. Indian School Rd.) based on the survey results. Happy hours and free lunches are less important. Separate and distinct areas for socializing and undisturbed focus work are now the priority.
Goodmans employees are returning to the office in droves, without a mandate, and offering each other warm welcomes and hugs.
Josie Kohlan, who has worked at Goodmans for five years, participated in a research interview.
“I love that we are not required to come back to the office. The fact that Goodmans is investing in ways to invite us back to the office is heartening to employees,” said Kohlan, Goodmans’ director of sustainability. “I really love flexibility and working the way I feel each day. It’s convenient and empowering to be allowed to work remotely or work in an office that you actually want to be in.”
Each employee had the opportunity to speak with the researchers. The survey found employees want a workplace design that enables them to socialize but also offers separate spaces to complete their work in uninterrupted privacy. A new patio isimportant to employees as well as the ability to comfortably work outdoors, according to the research.
Continuing their tradition of innovating with a flexible approach, Goodmans actively listened to their employees and created unique solutions, applicable to other companies grappling with the return-to-work discussion. Their process is available to customers looking for the right path back to the office.
Employees’ top priorities:
“Keep it Separated” – Zones for quiet and loud activities
• Goodmans designated different zones for silence and collaborative activities with noise.
“Midday at the Oasis” – Comfortable environments
• Goodmans created a new lounge/café that serves as the heart of the office (like a kitchen at home) with a cappuccino machine and cold brew on tap. Goodmans built a patio to enable employees to work outside in nice weather. Goodmans also constructed a wellness room for employees to nap, enjoy infrared light therapy, sound therapy, and exercise on a treadmill desk. In addition, employees will enjoy music, plants and comfortable furniture throughout the showroom.
“Right Tools, Right Place” – Every workspace has functional technology and equipment
• Goodmans created a virtual reality lab to show customers what their designs will look like. Goodmans also added technology carts that enable employees to charge devices. Any surface that someone might use for work, whether a desk, project table or kitchen counter, will have access to power.
“Can You Hear Me Now?” – Conference rooms optimized for hybrid in-person and online meetings
• The connectivity will be increased to avoid frozen calls, multiple microphones will be added to conference rooms so everyone can hear, and the conference rooms will feature multiple displays. In addition, the large conference room can separate into two smaller conference rooms based on meeting size.
“Not Your Average Librarian” – A new team member to oversee a comprehensive design library
• Goodmans has hired a full-time librarian to manage the new spectacular design library, freeing designers to focus on customers.
Kohlan loves the new showroom design, especially the “biophilic” approach of seeing a plant or a window from most seating areas. She is excited to work on the patio in the cool months and believes the wellness room is aligned with the next generation of workers.
“The design is holistic and integrated and feels true for this unique set of people,” she said.
Barb Skrzecz has worked at Goodmans for 33 years, starting as a design intern and working her way up to an account executive. She has seen updates to the showroom over the years but now she thinks customers will be “wowed.”
“The renovation is stunning. It is a beautiful space. It has been crafted with such a different feel from previous versions of the showroom. It has a dramatic statement,” Skrzecz said. “I’m happy to say this is where I work. It is a place to be proud of.”
Goodmans created a “Welcome Back” event for employees at the end of March to celebrate their return to the office and provide an orientation about the amenities. Employees spent time in each area of the showroom learning about the new features: how to use the sound bath in the wellness room, make cold brew in the café, store design materials in the library, use new the virtual reality goggles, and interact with the sustainability initiative of a honeybee hive, etc.
“I want the employees to feel like the office is their home and they belong here,” said Danica DesLauriers, director of Goodmans customer experience, who organized the Welcome Back.
In addition to the experience of traditional customers considering office furniture purchases, DesLauriers oversees the experience of employees, who Goodmans also views as a type of “customer.”
DesLauriers believes the new showroom space is important for their efforts to celebrate employees throughout the year through kudos luncheons, root beer float gatherings, and stretch club meetings, for example.
“Goodmans cultivates a culture of employees being their authentic selves while doing their most meaningful work. That starts with a space that supports that,” DesLauriers said.
Goodmans’ multi-million-dollar renovation is now complete. SmithGroup of Phoenix was the architect and Jokake of Phoenix was the general contractor. Gensler of Phoenix stylized the showroom with thoughtfully curated accessories.
