Seeking the Best

One of the world’s largest, most renowned financial institutions had  high standards when they decided in 2010 to overhaul nearly 750,000 square feet of their headquarters, floor by floor. To properly outfit their space, they required products that would encourage collaboration and productivity among employees, while contributing to environmental sustainability.

In their process of selecting these solutions, ergonomics played an important role. “We wanted to give our employees more control and adjustability over their workspaces with ergonomic products that were high-quality, green and in tune with the architects’ design aesthetics,” says the company’s Program Manager, Corporate Services. After all, as he notes, “Happy employees are productive employees.”

Within the larger goal of fostering an engaging workspace with green ergonomic products, the company also had the more specific aim of achieving LEED Gold Existing Buildings: Operations and Maintenance (EBOM) Certification. To attain this, they needed ergonomic solutions that would help in acquiring valuable LEED credits. And thanks to their long, symbiotic history with Humanscale, they already had the ergonomics leader on their radar as an authority on sustainable innovations.

Years of Partnership and Customer Service

The strong relationship established between Humanscale and this particular financial institution goes back a long way. In 2002, seeking an alternative to their corporate seating standard, they purchased nearly 2,000 of Humanscale’s Freedom Headrest task chairs for their headquarters. Since then, they have outfitted their offices across the globe with a vast array of Humanscale’s best-in-class products.

The choice to work with Humanscale was about more than just the award-winning products, however. “Humanscale has been a proven team player and partner with the company,” says the Program Manager. “Consistent customer service excellence had built a strong trust between the two companies; the business partnership has been invaluable over the years.”

For Humanscale, an important part of delivering outstanding customer service has been cultivating further understanding of the complete ergonomic workstation. Through the years, Humanscale, led by its Global Account Management team, has worked with the client, discussing the importance of monitor arms, task lights, seating and keyboard trays, as well as the potential for Humanscale products to contribute toward LEED certification.
 

 

Returning to a Trusted Resource

Having come to regard Humanscale as a valuable resource on green ergonomics, the company was quick to standardize on Humanscale products when they were ready to renovate their headquarters in 2010. Though they also considered other competitive products, their design team affirmed the selection of Humanscale solutions based on the consideration of quality, aesthetic design, customer service and warranties. Ultimately, to outfit the headquarters’ interior, the financial institution standardized on thousands of Liberty task chairs (both for employee workstations and for conference rooms), Element Classic task lights, M8 monitor arms and 5G keyboard trays. “The beauty and function of the Humanscale seating, lighting and monitor arms were a natural fit for our new aesthetic,” says the Program Manager.

Gold Certification, Comfortable Employees: Hallmarks of a Job Well Done

In the end, the headquarters renovation was a categorical triumph. In the realm of sustainability, the financial institution succeeded in achieving LEED Gold EBOM Certification. “We used Humanscale products to get LEED points for purchasing green, durable goods in accordance with our procurement policy, which states that at least 60% of purchased products must meet sustainable criteria,” explains the Program Manager. Yet the benefits gained in renovating the headquarters went well beyond this much-coveted certification. Through the implementation of Humanscale products, the client now also has a thoroughly positive working environment for their employees. As the Program Manager explains, “The products we purchased meet our users’ ergonomic needs. They make our employees comfortable, allow them to adjust the workspace, require little maintenance and are beautifully designed.” Furthermore, the new space conveys a meaningful message to their staff—as the Program Manager affirms, “Our employees can tell the company cares about them based on the quality of products we’ve provided them.”