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Taking cues from several tech companies, including Microsoft, Google and Sundog, Bobcat opened its $28 million Acceleration Center in Bismarck this week, designed to promote “chance encounters” among its employees, and in the process create a facility unique in the construction equipment business.
“Our aim is to fail early and often, spend less money on bad ideas and in the process accelerate innovation,” says Matt Sagaser, center director. “We’re moving from a glorified garage to a best-in-class testing facility.”
No gopher cube farms here; instead cubicles are waist high. There is no assigned seating, no executive offices sucking up the sunshine. Employees get a stationary locker and a “cart” (a lockable, wheeled file cabinet) which they are encouraged to move from area to area as work demands. Need to spend time with another team? Wheel your cart to a desktop next to them, hook up your laptop to the workspace monitors, and in five minutes you’re off.
“There’s no nesting and no not talking to anyone,” says Sagaser. “We want people to interact who don’t normally work together.”
