The Code of the Cowboy: Wide Open Spaces and Free Range Thinking
Our Co-Founders, Elizbeth Dukes and Don Traweek are releasing a book titled, Wide Open Workspace: Trailblazing Solutions for Tomorrow’s Workforce. The book will chronicle the whirlwind changes that have occurred over the last 10 years in how people work, where they work and the very nature of the office itself. Wide Open Workspace also includes a Cowboy Code of Ethics, which is the philosophy behind our brand and how our company is approaching the future of the workspace.
Wide Open Workspace
Don and Elizabeth and the entire iOffice team are thrilled to share with everyone our approach to the shifting workspace and our unique company culture. Wide Open Workspace is intended to provide 
facilities managers, human resources and anyone involved in the creation of their work environment, a guide to attracting and retaining talent, managing facilities efficiently and creating the best possible workspace for all.
The book also breaks down the iOffice “cowboy code” into its conceptual components and addresses each, like “Cowboys Ride for the Brand,” not only discussing what it means in the office space and worker context, but providing highly engaging parallels to cowboys themselves. The Wide Open Workspace concept is described in more detail on its website where you can download the complete “cowboy code” and learn more about the software behind the brand.
Book Topics
iOffice customers shared their views on the evolution of the work environment. Two of the forces driving change are the expectations of employees and companies looking to improve economics around developing and maintaining space. More specifically:
Generational Shift
Younger workers have changed the way people view a piece of paper. They are accessing and placing documents directly in the cloud, not printing them and filing them in folders and cabinets.
Corporate Citizenship
Employees are interested in being part of an organization that is environmentally responsible, community driven, and that promotes employee wellness.
Collaboration
The emphasis is on collaboration and open spaces, with lots of natural light, color, mobility and amenities.
Smaller Footprint & Smaller Expenditures
Today’s CEOs, CFOs and facilities managers are keenly interested in new concepts and create more efficient workspaces in order to reduce the overall spend on real estate. This includes promoting worker mobility and investing in technology. While the corporation increases productivity and reduces the cost of hosting workers, employees can be more productive and experience better work/life balance.
Looking Forward
Elizabeth Dukes and Don Traweek dedicate Wide Open Workspace (aka W.O.W.) to “all the unsung heroes of the back office – those who make sure the doors are open, the lights are on, the air is pleasant, and the coffee is brewing.” More importantly, it’s dedicated to their changing roles. It’s all about productivity and how it’s achieved in the contemporary business environment. “W.O.W.,” they say, “is not a passing phase, but a transformation that is already touching companies around the globe.”
To access the formal press release on Business Wire, please click here.
