HealthcareFirst shifts culture at new HQ

A vacant commercial building in south Springfield is an agent of cultural change for software development firm HealthcareFirst Inc.

The company’s move in December to the Tuscany Court fronting James River Freeway allowed for not only additional space but also a more collaborative work environment, said CEO Bobby Robertson. Inspiration for the new headquarters came from Robertson’s trip last year to Zappos.com’s corporate office in Las Vegas to see an open work environment publicized by Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh’s book, “Delivering Happiness.”

“It was the openness and collaboration across departments that stood out to me, and what I wanted to bring back,” he said.

Zappos Insights, a division of the Zappos Family of Cos., offers headquarters tours, Q&A sessions with company leaders and Zappos culture immersion events to those interested in learning about the methods behind the company’s success.

Robertson said he’s already seen evidence the change was effective. In the transition of some 80 employees, HealthcareFirst consolidated offices in Ozark and Nixa.

“My office furniture arrived later than the rest of the furnishings, so I parked myself in the middle of a large [software] development room with multiple developers,” Robertson said. “Sitting there, it was very cool to see someone working on something for a client and just speaking up to ask colleagues if they had any experience with the same question.”

The feedback, he said, was instant.

“In the past, to do the same thing, they would have to go around the corner, down the hall and maybe talk to the three or four different people to get their answer. The new open environment allows for eye contact and a direct line of sight.”

New school
Robertson purchased the nearly 30,000-square-foot building at 1343 E. Kingsley St. in July, and HealthcareFirst is leasing the property from Robertson Court LLC. Greene County Recorder records show the property sold for $2.8 million after it had been listed by Gregg Stancer Realty for $3.3 million.

Tuscany Court was vacant for about 10 months following the exit of anchor tenant University of Phoenix. Ken Straus and an investment partner, the late Todd Johnson, purchased the building in 2012 as a long-term investment, but the owners, organized as Midwest Property Investment LLC, decided to sell when the school announced plans to shut down its Springfield campus later that year.

Realtor Ken Schwab of Wilhoit Properties negotiated the sale to Robertson, and he said the deal required a lease buyout because the university’s contract was written through 2017.

“The University of Phoenix had a nice design, and Bobby and his designers have done a good job of complementing that while also making it functional for their needs,” said Schwab, who originally sold the ground for the Tuscany Court property to developer Bill Jester.

Robertson said HealthcareFirst worked with H Design Group’s interior designer Natalie Oursbourn to retrofit the space.

“She did a great job at pulling together the type of furniture and design that fit our space,” he said, noting the furnishings came from Grooms Office Environments.

He estimated HealthcareFirst spent nearly $900,000 to relocate.

One of the most noticeable features is the arrangement of employee desks and workspaces, which Robertson said is similar to cubicles but without obstructive high walls between them. He said the desks at Tuscany Court have built-in seats, where colleagues can sit next to each other to work on projects.

“It is just set up for an incredibly open work environment,” said Robertson, noting the use of and a comfortable waiting area. “There are large open spaces and what I think is a fairly unique floor space for the [Springfield] area.”

Tech savvy careers
Other office features added include breakout meeting rooms with whiteboards, showers for staff members who might bike to work or workout during lunch and a maternity room.

“We have some younger employees and new young mothers, so that was an important addition,” he said.

The changes haven’t been without some reluctance among staff members.

“People don’t like change. But we’re past that stage now and I believe that people are starting to see the advantages,” Robertson said. “It fosters the spirit of collaboration that appeals to the younger, tech-savvy crowd who want to start a career here.”

The company is gearing up to hire a few more employees.

Robertson said HealthcareFirst – which Springfield Business Journal last reported in 2011 generated $22.5 million in annual revenue – has client contracts in place that will require additional software engineers and developers, as well as software support, coding and billing representatives. The company counts Coryell Memorial Hospital Home Health Care, Hospice of the Rock River Valley and Bluebonnet Health Services among its clients nationwide.

Robertson said 82 employees work at the Springfield headquarters, with an additional 40 in Baton Rouge, La., and approximately 40 remote staff members.

“Our goal was to get all of our Springfield-area employees under one roof,” said Robertson. “That’s not always possible, but it is definitely preferred.[[In-content Ad]]