Office redesigns show you what your culture really is like

OFFICE redesigns can really be a litmus test of the kind of relationship management has with employees.

There are probably a dozen reasons for a workspace revamp: a brand refresh to attract young blood, a mandate from the global headquarters, or a change to achieve certain aspirational outcomes (cue corporate buzzwords "collaboration" and "innovation").

More often than not, the objective is more pragmatic in nature - a result of an organisational restructuring or the need to accommodate more people without actually adding more space. (When offices take away cubicles in favour of hot-desking or a shared open-plan layout, individual space is greatly minimised, which saves costs in the long run.)