Change Management, Workplace Strategy Case Studies

Monumental Makeover: A case study on office transformation in the power and utilities industry

The need for office enhancements and workforce preparedness for change

Indianapolis Power & Light engaged RATIO Architects and Stegmeier Consulting Group (SCG) as their partners in the development and implementation of a plan to transform their space in its historic landmark building, and guide its workforce in the transition to a dramatically different work environment and new ways of working.

As part of economic incentives to bring parent company AES’ U.S. headquarters to Indianapolis, Indiana, the company received $1.2 million in grant dollars to help support the cost of much needed office enhancements to bring 100 new jobs to the Monument Circle location. AES leadership sought to modernize how work was done at the company, placing an emphasis on collaboration and workplace innovation.

In order to make room for an additional 100 employees, plans would necessitate consolidating employees into a smaller footprint. At the time of planning, many employees were located in large, palatial private offices that were assigned to them irrespective of how often they were in the office and of end-users actual space requirements. 

Reducing the average of 624 square feet per employee would involve a cultural shift, and require a comprehensive change management strategy and proven expertise in the implementation of the plan, precisely why SCG was selected as a key member of the project team.

A cross-functional approach to the transformation of the workplace

The objectives for the Monumental Makeover project were to develop a master space plan for optimal use of the building, and design a building space that is supported by a compelling value proposition and business case, productive, fun and flexible, and consistent with the corporate image in the community. In order to achieve this, all parties had to be synced up from the start. The working relationship between IPL’s Operations Steering Committee, RATIO, and SCG was aligned and well orchestrated to ensure that the design and change management areas of expertise were fully leveraged.

Change Management Phase	Design Phase
Change Readiness	Programming
Education & Alignment	Schematic Design
Engagement & Transition	Design Development/Master Plan
Measurement of Results	Design Development/Pilot
Socialize Change	Enterprise-wide Roll-out

To fulfill its role in the implementation of the project, SCG provided Indianapolis Power & Light a broad variety of change management services which began with Change Readiness Assessments. This data gathering exercise was administered to 340 employees to solicit insights on their current workspace and attitudes toward change.

The results of this preliminary step were analyzed and SCG facilitated Manager Round Tables & Employee Focus Groups to further explore areas of resistance revealed in the assessments.

Strengthening the involvement of the workforce was accomplished with the establishment of an Employee Engagement Council. SCG led this council and empowered its members to be change agents. Additionally, the council’s role centered on facilitating effective communication with coworkers and reporting their concerns back to the members of the council for discussion.

To serve as a roadmap for engaging employees and an overall guide on the timeline of communication for the activities related to change, SCG created a comprehensive Change Management + Communications Strategy and Plan. This detailed playbook documented roles and responsibilities, and, separately, sequenced all of the change management activities and required messaging opportunities for the entirety of the project. As a living document, it was updated throughout the engagement based on changes to construction schedules and areas of employee resistance that were discovered, allowing our team to pivot and more effectively shepherd IPL’s people through the workplace change.

These efforts were supported by Communication Content & Materials to keep the workforce in tune with the change process and let them know that their insights were necessary and valued. Emails were sent out to stakeholders containing information on change-related activities such as important announcements, updates, and reminders for scheduled surveys. Our team also released monthly electronic newsletters providing high level information for employees.

An entirely new office environment would necessitate very different ways of working. For successful working conditions in a redesigned work environment, employees need to be guided by Workplace Protocols that define appropriate behaviors expected from them. SCG led IPL’s People Engagement Council through an interactive workshop to develop these protocols with the goal of helping employees adjust in a new workplace and ensuring that new spaces would be utilized as designed.

A shift from line-of-sight management: Training managers for new ways of working

Another important aspect of change is ensuring that trainers and leaders fully understand the impact of their actions and influence in managing change initiatives. To educate executives, managers, and employees about their roles in the transition to a new work environment, SCG designed customized training modules, along with a structured Train-the-Trainer program.

The goal of this program was to equip trainers with a toolkit of materials and the confidence to train leaders on best practices in managing direct reports in a more collaborative environment. Coming from a traditional, hierarchical culture, there was a big mindshift for leaders who were used to a line-of-sight management style and would now need to adapt to managing by results. 

Individuals would no longer be tethered to their desks throughout the day and were being granted authority and autonomy to select from a variety of workspace settings, depending on the task at hand. Planning worksheets, reflection exercises, role play scenarios, and tips for success all contribute to managers becoming more comfortable with new ways of working. These components of the training courses SCG customized for Indianapolis Power and Light were well-received and gave leaders the confidence to take on their new role as a crucial layer of making the organization’s workplace strategy a success.

Change management expertise for a major office makeover

If there is one certain thing in this world, it’s change. Inevitably, organizations will be faced with an endeavor to lead changes in the workplace. You can rely on Stegmeier Consulting Group’s expertise for a strategic transformation aligned with your goals for your organization. 

If you are interested in leading a successful office transformation and providing the workforce the support that they need to face such colossal changes, take the first step by filling out the form below.