Ware Malcomb announces new director of workplace strategy

Cynthia Milota has joined Ware Malcomb as director, workplace strategy, based out of the firm’s Oak Brook, Illinois office. In this position, Milota leads Ware Malcomb’s workplace strategy and change management consulting services for clients nationally.

Delivering stellar user experiences and employee engagement in the workplace is achieved by data-driven decision making and people-focused workplace change methods. Ware Malcomb’s workplace strategy and change management practice fully aligns the work environment with business objectives in dynamic organizations. While Ware Malcomb has long incorporated key elements of workplace strategy into its design for commercial real estate and corporate clients, the strategic hire of Milota will provide a comprehensive and consistent approach across its markets and areas of expertise.

“The conversation in workplace design focuses on value creation as more clients look to their work environments to drive business outcomes and provide an exceptional employee experience,” said Ted Heisler, Ware Malcomb’s vice president, interior architecture and design. “Ware Malcomb’s workplace strategy and change management practice takes an evidence-based approach to solving organizational challenges, optimizing employee performance, adopting new work behaviors and creating efficiency to achieve key business goals. The results are dynamic workspaces that maximize our clients’ human capital and reinforce business objectives.”

Ware Malcomb’s strategy and design teams work together with clients to create agile, human-centric, high-performance work environments that are specifically designed to maximize the workplace as a competitive advantage. Utilizing an integrated approach, the team engages key stakeholders, establishes objectives, gathers data and analyzes options based on evidence, technology, organizational culture and project parameters.

Milota brings over 15 years of workplace strategy and change management experience to the Ware Malcomb team. In her new role, she is responsible for leading the firm’s workplace strategy practice across all regions, partnering with a wide range of clients to formulate their unique objectives including employee wellness, social responsibility, talent strategy, the workforce ecosystem and measures for success. Her team’s scope of work spans pre-lease data-driven decision making and robust change communications plans, to multiple workplace performance assessments. The service supports a wide variety of projects from enterprise-wide portfolios to single office locations.

“The creation or renovation of a workplace is a pivotal time for any organization,” said Milota. “It is an opportunity to drive transformation both physically and organizationally, in both how people work and in the environments that support them.”

Milota’s project experience includes corporate office, headquarters and call centers. She is an industry expert who has presented her workplace research at peer reviewed conferences, held adjunct faculty positions and served on juries and editorial review teams. Milota’s most recent position prior to Ware Malcomb was overseeing workplace strategy for an international financial services firm.

With in-depth experience on both the end user and consulting side of strategy, she brings a unique viewpoint to the workplace design dialogue. She holds a master of arts in applied professional studies degree from DePaul University and a bachelor of science in interior design degree from University of Cincinnati. Milota is a Facility Management Professional (FMP), LEED Accredited Professional, National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) Certified and a licensed Interior Designer in the State of Illinois.