Martela
Martela used Futures Platform as a tool to help navigate the trends that are shaping the future of workplaces. Being able to discuss the future of work helped position Martela as an expert in modern workplaces, rather than merely a manufacturer of office furniture.
With the help of Futures Platform and Alternative Futures, a consulting company that originally developed the foresight tool, Martela ran several workshops to identify and prioritise the trends that were deemed as most relevant for Martela’s business. Based on the groundwork of forming a shared and structured view of the company’s future among the leadership, Martela formulated its vision: It would first transform from the manufacturer of high quality office furniture (2013) into a ‘partner for developing workplaces’ (2017), then gradually into a ‘thought leader of workplaces’.
Panu Muhonen, Martela’s Offering Director, describes how the journey of transformation has brought future and strategic positioning into the center of Martela’s everyday work:
“I no longer present our company to customers as an ‘office furniture manufacturer’ but rather as an expert in modern workplaces. The discussion these days focuses on facilitating fruitful collaboration, enabling flexibility in the office space and so forth”, Muhonen says.
Also, future foresight for Martela is no longer a one-off exercise but an integral part of continuously staying on top of how the concept of ‘work’ is evolving.