I attended an event in an old warehouse that had been renovated and repurposed into some of the most amazing space in our city. It is contemporary and comfortable and features many elements of the warehouse that were preserved and repurposed for new use.
My two favorite examples:
- A major support beam had to be cut to make room for an internal staircase. They took that wood and end cut it into sections to make the stairwell itself, thus exposing 100+ years of growth rings in a pattern that is more beautiful than anything you could purchase new.
- The base of an old freight elevator was saved from the landfill when it became a stunning new reception desk that sets the tone for the building from the moment you walk in.
Neither one of these examples now functions anything like its original purpose but both seem to be working out quite well.
Many supervisors would be wise to keep this in mind as they deal with employees who may benefit from a “repurposing,” too. Some staff members have fulfilled their potential in their current job and would benefit from being in a new role that exposes their “growth rings.” Others are in the wrong role or in a job that is no longer needed and they, too, would benefit from a different position that allows them to become useful in a new way.
In the era of tight staffing, organizations would be wise to take some lessons from historic preservation. As little as possible is discarded, and great effort goes into matching the existing materials with new needs. Supervisors can do the same thing.
