With new office design, furnishings, a firm that was out of space has room to grow

May 23, 2022

This paid piece is sponsored by Interstate Office Products.

Some of the team members at Marsh McLennan Agency hadn’t been back to their downtown Sioux Falls office in nearly two years.

And when they returned to the Cherapa Place building in mid-March, “they came back to essentially a brand-new workplace,” human resource director Jamie Baker said. “It created excitement, and it’s been really positive.”

Before and after:

While they worked from home during the pandemic, some leaders at MMA took on a project they knew needed to be tackled even before 2020.

“At the start of the pandemic, we honestly were out of physical space,” office manager Tracy Wheeler said. “Our permanent spaces were maxed out, and in returning, we didn’t really want to do a desk share. We wanted everyone to have their own space and make it their own.”

The firm interviewed multiple commercial design and furnishings providers, “and Interstate Office Products just stood out above the rest,” Wheeler said.

“They came with exactly what we were looking for, timelines we were looking for, and we told them what we were trying to achieve with the remodel. The renderings they brought showed it exactly. They could place furniture in the room and show us how it would look, and it gave us a great visual and ultimately end result.”

IOP interior designers Marcia Young and Abby Tufvesson guided MMA through the renovation.

“We really played around with the floor plan quite a bit to maximize efficiency,” Young said.

“We downsized the workstation slightly and reoriented how those workstations are running, and we changed the walkways so we were able to increase their density.”

Before and after:

It worked so well that during one of several video updates for the remote team, “we would do cartwheels across the back because it was so open,” Wheeler said. “It kept them engaged and created excitement around what was happening.”

Design changes also helped create a more open feel.

“The workstation panels previously were taller, so there wasn’t as much light coming through, and there was a thick film on the walls that didn’t let a lot of light in,” Young said. “So we removed that, and now everything is lighter and open. The carpet is much lighter, which made a drastic difference, and they had a darker, heavier color on the walls, so they lightened all that up, which made a huge difference in the overall feel of the space.”

Lighting also was replaced, and individual offices were reoriented to be more accommodating for video calls.

Before and after:

“All their office furniture was original when the building was built in the early 2000s and had been discontinued,” Young added. “So they were facing those challenges, and really it then became a total refresh. Everything is upgraded to the latest and greatest.”

With many employees out of the office, IOP came in and removed all the previous furnishings.

“It was a major undertaking, but it did work out perfectly with people remote,” Young said. “We removed the old workstations and desks, tore out all the carpet, laid new carpet and installed the new furniture within about two months to keep them in the sequence of events needed for the timeline they wanted.”

Within the workstations, a more efficient use of space allowed for desks that accommodate up to three monitors, plus personal storage and a sliding door for privacy.

Before and after:

“Work has changed a lot in the last 15 years,” Young said. “Their desks were more sprawling, so we went with a slimmer profile that gives them exactly what they need right where they need it.”

The reconfiguration opened up 15 more workspaces “which is great because no one lost much space and they stayed a good size, and everyone has been happy with them,” Wheeler said.

“Everyone in the office still has a height-adjustable desk with a workstation to the side, a storage locker, coat closet and file drawers. But everyone also purged, and we held a huge shred event. If they hadn’t needed it in two years, it was probably time to clean out and get rid of the extra file drawers.”

Working with IOP, “it was nice to go down to their office and actually sit in the furniture we chose,” Baker added. “We got to bring in a few office chair options, and people could come in and sit on them and vote, and that really drove buy-in.”

At IOP’s suggestion, MMA finished off each workspace with a whiteboard, “which has been great with our new hybrid scheduling,” Wheeler said. “People can write when they’re in the office, and it’s been a great communication piece. Our Fargo office now is looking at doing it because everyone has really liked that. It’s the little things that are going a long way.”

The common areas and conference rooms within the office also received a full refresh, drawing on the distinct themes assigned to each space.

“They have names and themes like the Badlands room, Cherapa, The Falls and Prairie,” Tufvesson explained. “Some of them are a little more rustic in their design; others are more traditional looks.”

Before and after:

IOP helped source accessories, from custom pillows to plants, “to finish off those spaces,” Young said. “They’re great spaces with wonderful views and windows, and they wanted each to have a unique look.”

Before and after:

The Rushmore conference area also was redone to create “a fun lounge area for them,” Tufvesson said. “It has a relaxing, collaborative vibe.”

Before and after:

Because of the timing and the need to address supply chain constraints, “we didn’t have time to see everything we needed to order,” Wheeler added. “So, we trusted IOP’s opinions, and in every aspect of every room, they could give an honest opinion of what they would do, and everything turned out great.”

Before and after:

The new furnishings even extend outdoors, where “we took a similar approach with the patio as we did with the break room,” she added. “So we added some lounge seating, standing-height and bar-height tables for when they have fun meetings that go outside, or it’s another place to take a lunch break during the nicer months.”

MMA “did everything well, down to every last detail,” Young added. “They really thought through every aspect of what employees needed. And it was a big deal to refresh the space as they were bringing people back. They really wanted this to be a successful transition that got people excited and energized to come back to work, so I think it’s going to be a whole new experience for them and a good one.”

So far, it definitely has been.

“Our team members can’t believe it,” Wheeler said. “The comments have been about how great it is and how big it looks. Everything is very warm and welcoming now, and it feels good, so it’s been a lot of positive from everybody.”

Are you ready to move your office space into 2022 and beyond? Visit i-o-p.com, or call 605-339-0300.

Next wave: Businesses returning to office this spring report hybrid, largely remote options

Want to stay in the know?

Get our free business news delivered to your inbox.



With new office design, furnishings, a firm that was out of space has room to grow

This team came back from remote work to a whole new office design.

News Tip

Have a business news item to share with us?

Scroll to top