Establishing a new business headquarters is a pivotal—and daunting—moment for any business. It often marks a company’s growth, change, and ambition. Whether moving to a single floor in a Manhattan skyscraper or a sprawling campus in Silicon Valley, a corporate headquarters relocation reflects not only needs but also goals—which can and should include instilling a sense of community and pride in employees. Leveraging heritage during a transition can accomplish that while also providing context and depth, reminding your team members of the foundations upon which future success is built. Together, these elements ensure that your new headquarters will be not just a physical space but also a vibrant embodiment of your company’s enduring legacy and forward-looking vision.
Leveraging Your Company’s Archives and Storytelling While Upgrading Your Headquarters
When your company decides to upgrade or move its headquarters, the process is more than just a logistical challenge. It presents a unique opportunity to reaffirm your organization’s identity and values. Heritage storytelling in environmental branding can strengthen culture, establish, or fortify existing company archives, and enhance the experience of the new physical space.
A splendid example of this is our work with the 200-year-old publisher HarperCollins. The company sought a world-class exhibit for its new global headquarters in lower Manhattan to help build and solidify relationships with authors and build pride among employees. It initially turned to History Factory for design help but soon realized we could design world-class exhibits and provide vital research, curation, and execution.
By delving into HarperCollins’ rich history, we unearthed meaningful artifacts and stories that showcased its prestigious literary heritage and celebrated its commitment to authors, inspiring the next generation of authors and employees to carry on this great publishing legacy. Together, we created exhibits throughout the headquarters filled with quotes, stories, and artifacts from famous writers, including an “author bookcase” celebrating the journey from initial idea to published manuscript. This, among other heritage storytelling integrations, transformed the new headquarters by honoring HarperCollins’ past and inspiring its future.
Strategies for Successfully Launching Your New Headquarters
To create a business headquarters that embodies your company’s identity and values, follow these key steps:
- Conduct a comprehensive archival review: Establish your company’s archives before your headquarters relocation to uncover and preserve significant artifacts, documents, and stories to highlight your history and achievements.
- Develop a compelling storytelling strategy: Craft a cohesive storytelling plan that weaves together archival materials and stories with your company’s mission and values.
- Integrate heritage and history: Incorporate elements of your company’s heritage and historical milestones into your new headquarters’ design and layout.
- Craft environmental branding and exhibits: Include heritage storytelling and exhibits to help employees feel continuity with the past and future in the new space rather than an abrupt restart.
Check out our clients who have updated their headquarters or moved to new locations.
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Conclusion:
Revamping your company’s headquarters offers a unique opportunity to incorporate storytelling and heritage into your new space. By doing so, you can create environments that foster a sense of unity and pride among employees and visitors. This thoughtful integration ensures that your new headquarters is more than a mere workspace and becomes a vibrant embodiment of your company’s identity and values.