COVID-19 has left many businesses and their employees wondering what the post-coronavirus workplace will look like. Will open offices remain feasible? Will shared workstations still be relevant? Will employees opt just to stay at home, either because they think they can be more productive there or because they’re simply afraid to go back into the office environment?

Steven Lang, President and CEO of interior solutions firm dancker, discusses what businesses need to do to keep employees safe, while transforming workspaces into destinations designed to optimize employee performance.

Interview Questions:

Q1: What kinds of challenges has the coronavirus pandemic presented to dancker,which is focused on interior solutions, at a time when employees are largely working from home?

Q2: What kinds of changes can companies make to their physical spaces to convince employees it is safe to come back to work?

Q3: What role will technology play in adapting office space to fit a post-pandemic world?

Q4: Will amenities, such as on-site healthcare facilities or more outdoor spaces, be incorporated into office buildings going forward?

Q5: dancker has been a pioneer in modular construction. What is modular construction and why has it become so important in the wake of the pandemic?

Q6: Beyond physical changes, how has the pandemic changed the relationship between organizations and their employees and do you think those changes will be permanent? 

Steven Lang Bio:

Steve Lang joined dancker in 1997 and in the spring of 2012 was named President and CEO.Steve was well prepared to lead this dynamic organization, having held a variety of leadership positions at the firm before taking the helm. In addition, earlier in his career Steve successfully served as a regional Dealer Business Consultant for Steelcase, Inc., and as Manager of Company Operations at Exxon/Mobil Corporation.

Steve has a customer-centric philosophy. He has developed a clear, strategic blueprint aimed at building a strong and sustainable market leadership position for the nearly 200-year old commercial interiors organization that provides architectural, furniture, technology and logistical solutions for the spaces where people work, learn or heal. Under his leadership, the company has nearly doubled in size by completing a total of four acquisitions, launching two new business units and expanding its physical presence beyond the New York/New Jersey metropolitan area to include offices in both Washington DC and Baltimore.Located in several business hubs in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, the firm manages its commercial interiors business nationally for an impressive list of Fortune 500 clients.

dancker has won various awards and recognition from industry-peer groups, business organizations and publications – including being named among the 50 Fastest Growing Companies in New Jersey,holding the distinction of Premier Partner for its major supplier for seven consecutive years, and being honored as one of the Top 100 Privately-Held companies by NJBiz Magazine. In May of 2016, Steve was named EY Entrepreneur of the Year in New Jersey. The award is regarded as the most prestigious recognition of its kind and acknowledges entrepreneurs whose ingenuity, spirit of innovation, and discipline have propelled their companies’ success, invigorated their industries, and benefited their communities.

Steve serves on several industry and professional development organizations, including the Board of CoreNet Global, International Facilities Management Association (IFMA), Steelcase North American Dealer Council, Rutgers Business School Center For Real Estate Advisory Board, the President’s Forum, Junior Achievement of New Jersey, Friar’s Honorary Society and Vistage International, where he received their Leadership Insights Award 2011 – 2014. Steve holds a B.S. in Marketing from West Chester University and an M.B.A. in Finance from St. John’s University.

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