
Improving Workflow Efficiency: A Case Study on Target Corporation - justborn
https://financialwolves.com/improving-workflow-efficiency/
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Noumenon72
They waste even more than that -- almost $7,541,244 and 33 cents -- by having
their bathrooms 20 meters down the hall instead of installing urinals in their
cubicles.

Seriously, though, my work has a 15-minute sidewalk loop that doesn't even go
anywhere, and employees who go on a daily walk are more productive because of
that. Besides the cardio, vitamin D, and sleep cycle benefits, people make
friendship bonds and solve bugs while walking together. This office setup
probably reduces turnover and health insurance costs by more than the stated
amount.

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goohex
The buildings are 4 blocks apart but there aren't many buildings the same
height as those two between them (maybe the Radisson and Marriot). Obviously
some of the more significant buildings on the Minneapolis skyline. The answer
is obvious.

Gondola.

[https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/a3ye7g/boston-toronto-
edm...](https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/a3ye7g/boston-toronto-edmonton-new-
york-are-building-an-urban-gondola-cable-car)

[https://www.curbed.com/2017/9/21/16340394/urban-gondolas-
cab...](https://www.curbed.com/2017/9/21/16340394/urban-gondolas-cable-cars-
cities)

[http://www.bbc.com/future/gallery/20190103-the-rise-of-
the-u...](http://www.bbc.com/future/gallery/20190103-the-rise-of-the-urban-
cable-car)

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loukrazy
At work we joke about zip lines between buildings

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vikramkr
Way way too many significant figures in that final number. Where is the 20%
number coming from? You're sure there arent any virtual meetings? Or that
there arent efficiencies that come from a split headquarters that could be
worth more than 5 million bucks? What about the cost of fixing the issue -
building a new office headquarters is gonna cost way more than 5 million. And
why would a company with billions in income even care about a 5k inefficiency?

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justborn
Yeah I suppose that's true. The cost to build or consolidate is definitely
there, but Target is always gong to need a corporate office. Having separate
offices is an annual thing. Seems like they should bite the bullet and just
consolidate.

~~~
vikramkr
There isn't any way that its going to be worth the return on investment
though. Especially considering the 5 million dollar figure is calculated based
on the amount of time "wasted" by commuting to meeting. People in corporate
headquarters are not producing a quantifiable output per second like someone
on an assembly line, so it doesn't even make sense to calculate a cost by
counting the time it takes to walk. Basically, this whole thing sounds like
it's trying to solve a problem that doesn't exist.

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asdfadsfgfdda
I wouldn't consider Apple, Facebook, or Google to have a "consolidated work
campus". All three are spread across many suburban office buildings, even
spread across multiple cities. Maybe some financial firms in New York are
consolidated in one building?

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RickJWagner
Meh. Waiting for the counter-argument that Target has healthier employees and
pay out less in health insurance because of it. (Though I just made that up. I
wonder if it's true.)

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isoskeles
Many assumptions were made in coming up with this number.

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mcphage
Is this some kind of sick joke?

