Pilot Freight Services, Glen Mills, Pa., opened a new global headquarters located in a Class A property in Glen Mills, Pa. The new 45,000-square-foot space consists of 1.5 floors, thus consolidating three separate divisions previously compartmentalized across three buildings, including a former schoolhouse.
Designed in partnership with Formcraft, Philadelphia, Pa., the open floor plan eliminates barriers and encourages cross-functional collaboration and decision-making where team members can share experiences and insights in a variety of gathering spaces. Pilot’s new office is outfitted with more than 10 conference rooms, huddle rooms and alternative meeting spaces, including acoustical booths in open areas enabling teams to gather, communicate and discover client-focused solutions. Pilot integrated the latest technology to connect corporate team members to staff in the field through large scale audio and video conferencing capabilities.
Upon entering the new office space, customers and employees are greeted by Pilot-branded messaging on a 98-inch monitor. Modern graphic references to the logistics industry, including barcodes and modes of transportation are present throughout the space. Focal walls covered in pallets and another in corrugated metal are reminiscent of shipping containers and warehouse materials prevalent in the industry. The third and fourth-floor cafés feature Pilot orange offset by vibrant blues and subtle metallic grays while monitors display company-wide messages and serve a dual role for employees to watch programming during breaks or social events. The cafés also serve as informal gathering or work areas for team members to interact.
The conversation areas enable Pilot employees to be mobile and productive working in a modern and efficient manner. As employees move through the space, the national customer service center on the third floor is an opportunity to experience first-hand messages, call-related statistics and operation-centric content.
The light-filled space energizes the staff and park-like setting provides a respite from traffic and bustle surrounding the campus. Glass-fronted meeting rooms and offices usher in natural light. Touch pads outside each conference and meeting room are an example of the technology integrated into everyday activities.
“The reactions of our employees have been fantastic. Many people feel like they are starting a new job because the environment is such a dramatic shift and really represents Pilot’s culture of collaboration, technology-forward solutions within a dynamic industry. Since the heart of Pilot’s success has always been the expertise, relationships and comradery of our team members, we finally have a space that fosters greater communication and sharing of ideas among long-time staff and new employees,” says Lisa Coyle, chief administrative officer.
