After a period of consolidation following the acquisition of two businesses, the client was developing plans to expand, but wished to do so without having to commit to extensive amounts of additional accommodation. AWA were appointed to conduct a Strategic Accommodation Review of the head office operations, the principal objectives of which were:
- To review the way in which the client works and to make appropriate recommendations as to the future accommodation strategy for the organisation, taking into account any proposed changes in working practices
- To investigate opportunities for a more flexible working environment with a view to improving functionality, boosting productivity and staff morale.
The Review, which was conducted over an 8 week period, comprised the following main elements:
- An assessment of the capabilities of the 3 buildings comprising 12,500 sqm
- Examination of the operating policies that are in use, and the way they impact upon how the premises were being used
- Utilisation surveys to identify the patterns of use of each element of the HQ
- Workplace effectiveness appraisal surveys, completed by approximately 400 staff, to ascertain how well the work environment, its facilities and services, supports the needs of its users
- A technology review to determine the capabilities of the existing IT systems
- A flexible working review to assess each of the principal jobs undertaken to determine its appropriateness for flexible and/or remote styles of working.
After a period of analysis, AWA lead a development workshop attended by 40 representative staff, at which the initial proposals for the strategy were discussed in a highly interactive session, which contributed to its final development. The key components of the proposed strategy were:
- Recommendations for how the accommodation strategy should be aligned with the strategy for the business
- Improvements in the allocation of workspace area, the infrastructure required for effective working and the facilities provided in support of each worker
- Recommendations for flexible styles of working practices and for the use of space and services
- Proposals for the introduction of remote working practices, including home working
- A migration plan, for how the client should set about implementing the proposed new initiatives.
