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such they embrace collaborative technologies such as portable         distractions for self-study, ‘huddle rooms’ for group collaboration,

displays with device connectivity, Unified Communication and          and ‘hotelled’ stand-up/sit-down desks or offices caters to these

Collaboration (UCC) platforms, and cloud-based document               new behaviors. Adjustable and customizable lighting, ubiquitous

productivity software. The modern workplace allows for                high-bandwidth Wi-Fi, ample power in walls and floors, and micro-

millennials who have been learning everywhere to make the             customizable HVAC allow customer engagement, research and

transition to working anywhere. The workplace reflects the            projects to be done anywhere. UCC platforms such as Microsoft

flattening of hierarchies and bureaucracies with a combination of     Lync and Cisco Jabber are enabling the technology to follow the

layout, furniture, and technology.                                    individual, assuming that everyone can be engaged wherever they

Higher Ed architecture to meet these new approaches to                are as long as they have IT connectivity.

collaboration is very deliberate. Active

learning spaces are designed with

flat, open areas to allow furniture to

be moved into clusters as required by

group size and purpose. Technology

support includes more reconfigurable

media devices, such as large displays,

videoconference units, and wired

tables. Floor boxes accommodate

the need for power and audiovisual

connectivity at these diverse locations.

Maker spaces build on these ideas with

concepts from workshops and labo-

ratories included, to allow hands-on

collaboration in building, experiment-

ing, prototyping, etc. These spaces       UMKC Henry W. Bloch School of Management Executive Hall for Entrepreneurship and Innovation
may require specialized resources such    Image courtesy of The Sextant Group
as water, gas, pressurized air, fume

hoods, dust collection, etc. Students are in and out of their seats,  Environmental diversity from a cultural perspective extends to

learning by collaborating on what they have studied beforehand        aspects of décor and arrangement that may seem counterintu-

in the course materials in the ‘flipped’ classroom model.             itive or odd to some facility managers. Companies are learning

The tangible output of collaborative study in Higher Ed is            to accommodate design challenges such as Feng Shui, prayer

also going in new directions that can be accommodated in the          rooms, smoking rooms, unisex restrooms, and preconceived no-

corporate environment. Access to output devices such as 3-D           tions of the relation of office size/location to hierarchical status.

printers, large-format color printers, digital cameras, and video     According to Henrik Bresman, in summarizing his landmark study

and audio production equipment is a part of the Millennials’          of Millennials, “To attract, retain, and develop Millennial leaders,

multi-media world. Millennials are comfortable producing their        companies and managers need to take these regional differences

work not just as print, but as infographics, 3-D models, and          into consideration. What matters to a Brazilian Millennial might

photographs, sometimes as all of these media connected in             differ from what matters to a Singaporean Millennial, which

innovative ways. Millennials allow themselves to be ’nerdy’, and      differs from what matters to an American Millennial. While it’s

recent popular culture has empowered this attitude through            important to understand what’s valued in a particular culture,

such television shows as The Big Bang Theory, and Mad Men.            it’s also necessary to remember that people vary greatly within

Companies such as Google that foster this attitude have gone          cultures. If there is one thing we know about Millennials globally,

as far as allowing employees to work on their own projects for a      it is that they want to be seen as individuals.”1 Universities learn

certain amount of time each week, in designated areas, and the        best how to understand these regional differences by seeking

work environment must allow for this flexibility!                     advice from student groups and faculty. Corporate facility man-

                                                                      agers may wish to create similar groups of employees and heed

Environmental Diversity                                               their advice.

Environmental diversity is important to Millennials, who              The ability for Millennials to personalize their spaces is import-

periodically refresh their creativity throughout the day by moving    ant to them, even if they do not have their own personal office or

to a different space in the workplace. Technology enables the         cubicle. Higher Ed facilities offer many examples of how this can

freedom to work in unexpected places, and Millennials are not         be achieved. It is common now to find shared spaces brimming

comfortable or accustomed to being tied to sitting at a desk.         with a blend of individuality and group-think. Write-on glass

Modern higher education facilities such as libraries are now being    walls, expansive push-pin surfaces, post-it-note spaces, knick-

designed with a variety of spaces. Comfortable, relaxed seating       knack shelves and other horizontal surfaces, and varying colored

in open areas, access to outdoor spaces, ‘nooks’ with minimal         walls give a lived-in, vibrant look to many spaces. In the corporate

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