Work Space and the Gate 3 WorkClub Experiment

Feb 3, 05

When I first read about Gate 3 WorkClub, I was drawn to the colourful, well lit work space. I thought the concept was brilliant, thoughtfully designed for the New Age worker!

Heath Row describes Gate 3 eloquently in his post, ? Gate 3 is absolutely wonderful: an open, well-lit, colorful workspace peppered with different work zones — quiet, private, shared — meeting and conference rooms, a brainstorming area sequestered by whiteboards, shared services, support staff, and a wide-ranging creative client base of members. The kind of place I’d want to work if I didn’t work in the Fast Company office — or out of my home.?

I wished we had it here in Singapore!

Yet, this story does not have a happy ending…atleast for now.

Neil Goldberg the founder of Gate 3 has decided to close it. He has brilliantly summarised his learnings from the experience. Thank you Neil for allowing me to share it here:

Before admitting to too many mistakes (which are plentiful) I will first claim that much of the foresight that drove this project was largely correct. To summarize

  • There is a huge need for alternate, flexible work arrangements for people and companies who would like to base their operations, and that of their employees, out of their homes.
  • People would really love to have a place to work in regularly that is very close to home.
  • People prefer to work around other people they aren?t affiliated with than working alone.
  • People are significantly more productive working around other people they aren?t formally affiliated with.
  • People have intial resistance to not having a dedicated, lock up ?office? to hang their shingle on, but get used to it, adapt to it and eventually come to prefer it once they realize that it actually fits the way they work.
  • People really respond positively to well designed, light filled, comfortable spaces to work in ? and are probably more productive working in them.
  • Valuable lessons for organizations who believe design of a workplace and employee contribution are strongly linked.

    Leave a Reply