P&G Office Design: How Renovated Workspaces Are Fueling the Business and Supporting Employee Wellbeing

Today’s best workspaces offer unique environments with a variety of choices that draw people in. They are places people want to be.

Characteristics like these are guiding P&G’s Workplace Design team, part of the company’s Global Business Services (GBS) organization, as they redesign spaces to fuel a new way of work that fosters collaboration and agility. From quiet corners to café booths to community tables, renovated workspaces with integrated technology are enabling employees and teams to do their best work.

“We are designing P&G workspaces and R&D campuses for one primary purpose, which is people, ideas and creativity coming together,” said Frederik Spittael, P&G Design Architect.

How GBS is Driving Business with Strategic Design

Work is changing at P&G as teams break down traditional functional silos and work in a more agile, integrated way. The P&G Workplace Design team is designing workspaces to match.

Today’s spaces offer a variety of options beyond traditional desks and meeting rooms. Café-style booths, outdoor terraces, soft seating, coffee bars and community spaces support different work styles and multi-functional team collaboration.

The Workplace Design team intentionally creates uniquely designed areas on each floor that encourage employees to explore and move throughout their workday. This enables chance encounters with colleagues that wouldn’t otherwise happen if people simply entered the building and sat in one designated spot. These moments of connection not only promote wellbeing — they spark creativity and collaboration and unleash business potential. “It’s those serendipitous creative connections that drive new innovation and fuel the business for years to come,” said Spittael.

Blending Bricks and Mortar, Culture and Technology

According to Spittael, innovative workplace design requires three things working together: bricks and mortar architecture, culture change and technology.

Spittael and his team design spaces to meet the needs of a changing workplace culture, with embedded technology. From hospitality-like town hall spaces to café booths, simple plug-and-play AV makes digital collaboration easy. AI tools ensure design and content on digital signage remain fresh and dynamic.

P&G’s renovated offices are also tailored to local teams and cultures – through regional art or shared community spaces to reflect its people and its place. “We’re continuing on this journey to build richer, more vibrant, more localized design spaces that embrace the business and the teams that work there,” said Spittael.

Inclusive, Accessible and Designed for Wellbeing

Some people prefer quiet, dim spaces. Others thrive on bright light and background buzz. At P&G, employees can choose from environments that are warmer or cooler, louder or quieter, standing or seated, public or private.

Amenities such as fitness centers, game rooms and coffee bars build community and offer employees the opportunity to balance the demands of work and wellbeing.

P&G’s commitment to accessibility goes beyond physical space. From creating sensory-sensitive areas to piloting a digital accessibility hub where people can choose their accommodations, the goal is to create environments where everyone can thrive. “Beyond just physical accessibility, we are continuing to learn day by day about accessibility needs or accommodation needs that employees have, which often are not visible,” said Spittael. “What I really hope is with new designs, people feel proud to be here and that this reflects the company we work for and the talent that we have here.”

As part of P&G’s Global Business Services, the Workplace Design team brings together workplace strategy, architecture, technology and employee experience to create environments that help P&G people and businesses thrive.

Are you interested in starting your career journey with P&G and exploring these spaces in person? Discover our career opportunities and find helpful tips for applying.

Step into any P&G facility worldwide and you might find something new, like creative innovation suites, outdoor workspaces, modular upcycled furniture or calm spaces to recharge and connect with nature.

With the rapid rise of hybrid work, the role of the workplace is changing. And so are the needs of employees. At P&G, the Digital Workplace Services team is making sure P&G offices are engaging workspaces that support the way people work today and are ready for the future.

“There has been an industry-wide shift in the primary type of work happening at the office from individual focus work to more group collaboration, although there will always be a mix,” says Nick Dewald, an architect and design manager in Digital Workplace Services.

In response to that shift, the team is creating functional, sustainable spaces that foster collaboration, productivity and wellness.

“The technology, types of spaces and furnishings are evolving to accommodate and encourage the collaboration and innovation that can’t take place remotely,” Nick explains.

The result is a better employee experience that is vital to attracting and retaining top talent around the world. These employees, in turn, deliver a superior product experience for consumers.

Enabling Flexibility through Top Tech

Nick and his colleague Ervin Perviz joined P&G’s Digital Workplace Services group in Cincinnati four years ago. Even before the pandemic, they were focused on tying technology into each workspace in a way that fostered reliable remote communication, flexibility and engaging in-person collaboration.

“This includes seamlessly integrating technology so the employee connecting remotely can engage and contribute just as much as the person in a meeting room with their team,” Ervin says.

For example, at our office in Guangzhou, China, screens and cameras are present in a wide variety of spaces above and beyond enclosed meeting rooms. This ensures that no matter where collaborative activity is taking place in the office, remote participants can engage. This strategy also maximizes the flexibility and utilization of all spaces.

As hybrid working becomes integral to optimizing the employee experience, P&G’s workplace design teams are improving their understanding of how to create workspace for on-site populations that ebb and flow. The goal is to operate the buildings effectively, provide service amenities such as dining/catering, cleaning or even facilities/concierge support, and ensure that the appropriate quantities and types of workspaces exist for employees to perform at their peak.

“Really, it’s about making the space more dynamic, and a place where you can really get things done,” adds Ervin.

Nurturing by Nature

It’s no secret that our surroundings can influence how we feel and affect how well we work. That’s why the P&G team carefully designs to maximize daylight and incorporate natural materials into furnishings.

“Health and well-being must be in the DNA of any workplace project,” Nick said. “Physical and mental health are closely linked, and we are incorporating design strategies that can impact both.”

At the Madrid GO, natural daylight illuminates a variety of seat types that provide employees with ergonomic choices for how to work throughout the day. Greenery, uplifting artwork, and natural colors and materials create a comfortable and energizing environment.

Supporting employee well-being is closely linked to P&G’s outward commitments to improving everyday lives, as well as preserving the planet.

“Sustainability at our sites is critical to achieving the broad environmental ambitions that P&G is striving for,” said Fred Spittael, P&G’s Global Architect. “We consider the environmental impact of every decision that gets made on our projects, and we’re working with our facility managers to ensure that every space operates effectively.”

Sustainable design was at the forefront of the Singapore Innovation Center’s S*Park project, which utilized carpets made out of upcycled fishing nets, walls constructed of 100% bio-based “Ecor” board, and wall finishes consisting of both cork (up to 80% biodegradable) and live plants that help filter the air within the space.

Designing for One and All

P&G’s Workplace Design group works with architects all over the world to ensure continuity in its spaces while allowing for creativity.

“All P&G sites should function and feel like a P&G place in diverse locations,” says Fred. “We bring in diversity through unique elements that showcase the local culture and P&G history for each office.”

At the Lima General Office in Peru, city geography and its various local forms (urban, natural, oceanic) influenced the look and feel of different zones of the office, complete with native plants and a Peruvian cultural mural by a local artist.

Throughout P&G, designers are addressing accessibility gaps in workspaces, so that offices not only reflect their unique identity but are inclusive for all. Thoughtful attention is paid to universal design – designing for everyone, which goes beyond traditional accessibility to address impairments both visible and invisible.

“Our Universal Design vision is to create workplace environments that are usable by all, to the greatest extent possible, driving connectedness and collaboration among P&G teams and prioritizing employee well-being.” Says Fred.

Across the globe, workplaces at P&G are becoming magnets for talent and platforms for innovation. They’re supporting the company’s focus on delivering a superior employee experience – and bringing teams together to serve consumers in this new era of work.

Like what you're hearing? Visit Who We Are to learn more about P&G Careers.