What we do

We know how precious time is to senior leadership. Yet what we hear from clients is how valuable it is for senior leadership to take the time to develop a clear vision that functions as a north star throughout the strategy and change journey. We can help you make the most of your team’s time investment.

We focus on ‘What are you trying to achieve?’ This is the underlying question to help you create clarity around your vision for how your organisation will work in the future and how your workplaces will support that vision.

Throughout this process, we work with you to understand your organisation’s business drivers, pressures, opportunities, management processes, power structures, culture and behaviours, brand and personality, and governance arrangements.

We then work with you to develop a future-proof vision with a shared view of:

  • Your business goals
  • Strategic challenges, opportunities and changes
  • Desired culture and behaviours
  • Business/ organisational priorities and the links to work and workplace
  • Future working and workspace concepts
  • Vision clarity

Why AWA

Our clients come back to us time and time again because we are curious, friendly and we take the time to understand your organisation, your teams and the people within them. We like to dive deep and we leave no stone unturned when it comes to understanding people and the future world of work.

Our work is rooted in academic research, with a special emphasis on neuroscience. We are passionate about understanding how the workplace and working practices can best support human cognition, performance and wellbeing. Our research supports your Future Visioning by helping leaders consider how new ways of working can help people bring their best self to work, foster happy and cohesive teams, and deliver greater value for the organisation.

Some examples of our research include:

Hybrid working strategy

Curious about new ways of working to support your organisation? We can help. Learn how our approach maximises the benefits of hybrid working for the organisation, team and the individual

Testimonials

“Mintel has worked successfully with AWA for over a decade on several major projects. We chose them for their expertise and experience at the cutting edge of understanding workplaces. They lead the industry with well-crafted research to understand the dynamic workplace landscape and help solve the real-world issues of operating successfully in a changing world. Along with data and insights they bring practical processes that involve everyone from grass root team members to the most senior executives, developing effective change to meet all parties’ goals. They have become trusted advisers around not only workplace matters but in behavioural change.”

Peter Haigh Chairman, Mintel

“We have worked with AWA for more than five years and value the collaborative partnership we have with them. They have supported the ongoing evolution of our workplace, providing deep insights and extensive expertise. With their help, we’ve been able to create a transformational space which supports our hybrid working approach and transforms our culture and ways of working to become more agile and innovative. This helps us recruit and retain the best talent, which supports our core purpose of funding research to save lives. None of this would have been possible without the help of AWA.”

Kerry Smith Chief People Officer, British Heart Foundation

“Leading a major change management project in complex international organisation is challenging undertaking. I knew it would involve multiple stakeholders, take wide-ranging collaboration and that we would need some expert, confident experience to help steer and deliver it. AWA has provided that, not by steaming in and dictating how things should be based on their ideals, but by listening to us, learning, understanding and advising. I have enjoyed working closely with them on this project. I have felt supported, they have always been available to discuss challenges and options and have always responded promptly, constructively and positively with solutions and alternative ideas for consideration.”

Tom Crame Head of Global Workplace, Amnesty International

“We were really keen to understand how the learnings and behaviours of Covid enforced home working would affect the post-pandemic return of staff and in particular to our Sheffield campus as we have plans to restack and refurbish the office space. AWA’s detailed and in-depth engagement process allowed us to reach out to all levels of occupants and really understand staff perception on what will be needed to create a new working environment that would align with business requirements and where changes in behaviour, management style and space might be appropriate. Their insights also allowed us to create a blueprint of alternative space types that we’ve used to inform the repurposing of space across our nationwide estate.”

Steve Chapman Interim Head of Estates ICF Security, Estates and Information Directorate, Home Office

“AWA has been a great resource of global data and research for us regarding agile, hybrid and the world of working. They are responsive, willing to question assumptions, and work as a partner to help us make good decisions.”

Neil Austin VP Real Estate Portfolio Management and Transaction Services, Omnicom Group