That Was The Week That Was - Three More Reports

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• That Was The Week That Was - Three More Reports

08 November 2013 | Updated 01 January 1970

This collection of article from Workplace Week have been contributed by Guest Reporters and our based on their notes taken at the events. Our thanks go to them and the Advanced Workplace Associates team that organised the events in support of Children in Need

 

Innocent Drinks (pictured)

Host – Charlie Heavey. Tour Guide – Andrew. Visitors – 20

Innocent drinks operate a very relaxed & informal working environment, they are very staff & customer focused, and the workplace environment is very cool & has many features….Stairwell hall of history, Lord  & Lady awards, the big ‘Knit’ campaign, ‘Wall of Love’.

They are also very Eco friendly, having solar panels on the roof, sensors which indicate temperature control & indicate to open windows & turn off the air con facilities.

They run a 10 tips system for an inspiring workplace.

They also operate a buddy system & do not sit in silo department teams, each cluster of desks is made up with different members of teams, to maximise interaction, help build very strong communities & assist changing the energy for staff & their environment.

Independent & random seating allows for more shared information & collaboration. There are many ‘chill out’ & informal areas for the staff to collaborate, …. A red London phone box, wooden shed, together with a large staff dining area.

Staff are very well catered for inside working hours & also in their personal time, they support clubs for staff, run Innovations for staff appreciation & staff recognition & have open house policy to customers & consumers.

The original office design was created with a champion system & carrying out staff surveys, staff opinions were encouraged to have input into their work environment for space & design.

Visitor Quotes - ‘Bit jealous really’. ’It’s great they have no hierarchy’. ’Would love to work in an environment like this’

 

Kinnarps - Fringe event

Host - Mark Bird Ssupported by Katie Smith. Attendees -  Approx. 50

Showroom visit and presentation by Prof Jeremy Myerson entitled the ‘The Agile Workplace’.

Brief history of three main streams of thinking about the workplace:  Efficient office, Social democratic office and Networked office.

Neat definition of knowledge work “ no two days in the office the same.

Studies of studies of topology of knowledge workers suggested 4 types: anchors, connectors, gatherers and navigators.

JM gave summary of research on older knowledge worker needs and work-settings.

Discussion on Concentration spaces, Collaboration spaces and Contemplation spaces. Kinnarps new showroom (designed in collaboration with Myerson) had good examples of each setting.

 

KPMG 15 Canada Square Canary Wharf

Host - Matt Dunk supported by Kelly McDonagh and Andrew Brown. Attendees - Approx. 17

KPMG moved to building about 3½ years ago, originally planned for 4000 staff, now 5,200 occupiers with approx. 2,600 allocated desks and the rest flexible.

Quote MD: “If we hadn’t changed the way we were working we would have needed another 8 floors of the building.”

Allocated desk for people who are in 3 days/week or more.

Reason for move -  consolidation of various offices.

Building now works very hard with virtually all meeting rooms in constant use.

Very impressive high quality fit out with an outstanding range of flexible facilities for both clients and staff, e.g. private client dining suite and Health & Wellbeing suite for staff.

Keen to stress green credentials and engineering innovations in building.

FMs need to get involved early in planning building and move.

Have break out areas nearer to desking areas.

Beef up spec. of finishes to walls & furniture as they work hard.

Currently building more internal meeting spaces at expense of underused filing areas.

Meeting booths in restaurant not used outside lunch period.

Requests from business for more division of space and some place for departmental branding and information.

Article written by Guest Reporters | Published 08 November 2013

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