Flexible space for
more innovation

Meetings and workshops at memox are special - especially productive and especially creative. Teams from a wide variety of companies and industries regularly leave the locations with the feeling that they have achieved their goals and optimally used and strengthened their own innovative power.

This experience has led many of the companies we work with to consider our Corporate Solution. From individual meeting rooms to entire conference floors in flexible use with contingents in our memox locations.

Almost three years ago, the first memox rooms were set up in various companies and educational institutions, and we asked ourselves the following questions as the year drew to a close:

• What impact did the space have on team collaboration in the long term?
• What impact(s) does memox have on the results achieved in meetings and workshops?
• And - would the decision for a memox room be made the same way again?

Our first stop: the Centre Löwenberg of the SBB

On a tour through Switzerland with stops in Zurich, Bern and Basel, we visited innovative companies that have taken the step of using memox to offer their employees a special learning and event environment.

One stop on our trip was the Centre Löwenberg of the SBB in Murten. The seminar and conference center of the Swiss Federal Railways is located on the Löwenberg Castle estate and offers an interesting field of tension with its architecture on the impressive grounds. Two years ago, the first memox room was set up in the Centre, under the leadership of Thomas Aebischer, the head of the SBB education centers.

Man - Technology - Organization

"It all happened very quickly. I was convinced of the concept and I conveyed this conviction. Of course it took energy, but I took the time to present the concept to my employees and the trainers at the kick-offs, and that was time well spent. So for me, it wasn't tedious at all; on the contrary, it was a pleasure. I am convinced of the product and it works. It was the right way to go."

For Thomas, a factor in the room's success is how it fits into the educational center's working philosophy: people - technology - organization:

"The triangle of people, technology and organization simply has to be right. You also have to get people fit. It's no use just putting a technology in the room and leaving people alone with it. The room has to be aligned with the event and the setting of the educational event, or vice versa. We have the critical size that, fortunately, we have a dedicated culture and leadership area with excellent facilitators to support us internally."

Skepticism at the beginning - then enthusiasm without end

The Centre Löwenberg now has two rooms equipped with memox products that follow the processes of the Collaboration Intelligence & Operating System (CIOS) in their setup and use: they can be quickly converted and adapted, the furniture and room layout support workshop participants in achieving their objectives, and the rooms can be used for different formats. We asked Thomas what the feedback was on the space and whether there were any critical voices. Did people feel comfortable in the room or were they overwhelmed?

"The participants felt comfortable, and in my opinion no one was overwhelmed. But yes, there were definitely critical voices; however, less from the participants than from the moderators. They now have to set up the room themselves together with the participants instead of ordering specific seating. But this criticism only lasted until they did it themselves for the first time, then it was off the table.

The initial skepticism - which there is with everything that is new - was there, but only for a very short time. I can remember the first workshop I did here. People saw from the outside that there was something different, and that alone had a positive influence on the workshop. Encountering something different than expected turned out to be a good tune-up for the sequence. No one wants the classic plenary seating in this room - but would still be feasible, of course."

Pioneer with charisma - further rooms in Zurich, Olten, Bern, Bellinzona and Lausanne

In the meantime, the Corporate Solution has not only been implemented at the Centre Löwenberg; the training centers in Zurich, Olten and Bern have already set up rooms and use them for internal workshops; Lausanne and Bellinzona will follow. How did it come about?

"In Zurich, Olten and Bern, I was on site and was able to explain the concept and the space. Then word got around until Lausanne and Bellinzona also said: we want a space like that, too. It was great to experience this development. I have been following this story for three years now - from the initial skepticism, where I had to "push" people a bit, to today, where I sometimes have to put the brakes on them. But that's how I prefer it: I'd rather brake than push. And it happened the same way with these spaces."

Innovation, yes please! But how?

"I never have to make a profitability calculation to the Executive Committee because they like working in the space themselves and like coming here. But of course, you can't leave people who are coming into the room for the first time completely alone. There are presenters who can handle it, but others are overwhelmed by it. Therefore, if I can arrange it and someone is here for the first time, I do a short intro and that's how it works very well. There is also support in writing if someone wants to read up on it. In the end, though, it's always: I want to be in this room. Because the demand is extremely high, we have now purchased additional furniture, so we can even quickly turn a traditional room into a memox room.

Into the future with memox

Could Thomas observe any changes in terms of collaboration or results from using the memox space?

"The changes show up more in the course events than at the finish line. Someone who has been in here wants to come back again and again because they know: I can work here. And then I did a small survey on a pilot basis, with trainees, facilitators, everyone who used the room: did this setting, this room make a positive contribution to achieving the goal, and 80% said: yes."

The Centre Löwenberg has a total of 30 rooms, including the rooms in the castle. In the meantime, there is also a mobile facility that can be used to set up a third memox room spontaneously when demand is high.

"In 2021, the Centre will be completely refurbished and modernized. I strongly expect that in 2022/2023 the proportion of such rooms, as opposed to traditionally furnished ones, will tend to increase."

That means you would make the same decision again for the memox room?

"Absolutely. It's really different, you come in here and it's...wow. It's creative, it's motivating, it's different. That's the best proof for me. It would be bad if the room was empty all the time. But the opposite is the case.

(laughs) And that, of course, is a satisfaction for me!"