ABI and Haworth lead office interiors industry with solutions-based approach

Simply providing a space for your employees to do their jobs is no longer sufficient.

Studies show a well-designed and carefully furnished workplace can play a key role in helping companies attract and retain the best staff, as well as increasing both productivity and job satisfaction levels.

As workstyles evolve, it’s more important than ever for organizations of all sizes to thoroughly understand how best to support employees’ needs for both concentration and interaction.

In Ottawa, the experts at effective workplace design are Advanced Business Interiors (ABI) and Haworth Inc.

ABI has been making spaces work for almost 30 years. Excellence in sales, operations and customer satisfaction, among other criteria, have earned ABI the coveted status for multiple years as a “Best in Class” dealer for the exclusive Haworth line of office furniture. ABI is one of only two such dealerships in Canada and among an exclusive group of just 20 worldwide.

ABI’s close partnership with Haworth, a 70-year-old firm and a global leader in the commercial furnishings industry, translates into an unparalleled advantage at developing customized, value-based solutions for offices of every size and shape imaginable.  

The importance of transforming spaces according to specific operational needs cannot be underestimated.

“Employees represent more than 80 per cent of a company’s overall investment. It’s essential they have the tools they need to become more effective,” says Bobbie Jo Walsh, Haworth’s senior manager of new business development. “We work hand-in-hand with ABI to create environments that support whatever combination of workstyles a company wants to support, thereby enhancing both individual and group performance.”

ABI and Haworth have developed a multifaceted formula for developing or refurbishing their clients’ premises in a seamless, integrated way.

“We always look beyond the physical requirements,” says ABI president Bill Toutant. He adds that it’s essential to engage employees at all levels of the organization at the beginning of the process to ensure that a workplace will meet the needs of those who use it.

“This generates better requirements, results in a better finished product, and also encourages greater acceptance of change. We like to remind our clients that while each workplace is unique, with ABI and Haworth they are guaranteed a great outcome. We just can’t get stumped because we’ve seen it all,” Toutant says.

A key consideration for most organizations is creating spaces for effective collaborative work. The rising cost of real estate typically means that individual workstations are being reduced in size, while the number and type of collaborative areas increases in tandem with teamwork.

“We have conducted significant research on the new and emerging workstyles. We regularly produce informative documentation including whitepapers; our customers find these to be very effective educational tools,” says Walsh.

Another key aspect of their joint approach is to keep adaptability and changing business needs in mind.

“The best facilities are those that can be adjusted or reshaped easily as a company’s team structure or organizational culture evolves,” Walsh adds. “This is most easily achieved with elements like moveable walls, flexible collaborative spaces and easily repositioned modular furniture. With Haworth products, style is not sacrificed as we embrace a design aesthetic that is well suited to today’s condensed offices.”

The close partnership between ABI and Haworth enables both companies to maintain their leadership positions in a very competitive marketplace, thanks to a constant focus on quality, service and keeping pace with changing times.

“Simply put, we are the experts,” Toutant says. “Our experienced teams provide good advice and unparalleled service, coupled with integrated solutions that will perform well and last for a long time.”