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An interview with...
David Jolly, Director, Technical Services, IHG
Are you thinking about refurbishing or relocating your offices? Have you just gone through the process yourself and want to know how others overcame their challenges? "An interview with..." gives you the chance to hear what our clients say about their experience, in their own words.
We asked David Jolly how he achieved an inspiring office space for hundreds of workers at the international headquarters of InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) in Buckinghamshire.
David, IHG’s Director of Technical Services, was a key member of the team tasked with leading the relocation of the hotel group’s head office from Windsor to Denham.
Employed by IHG for 12 years, David has worked as a project manager, then a construction auditor on major international refurbishments, before becoming Director of Technical Services, dealing with the IHG estate in the UK and Europe.
David’s long service with IHG, as well as his background as a quantity surveyor and project manager, means he was well placed to ensure the work was completed on time and to budget.
Here David gives his view on the new office.
What prompted the move?
Essentially we had outgrown our offices in Windsor and space there was at a premium. The lease was also due to expire in Summer 2008 so it was an ideal time to consider moving to a new, more spacious facility.
What were some of the biggest challenges of the project?
It would be easy to ramble on about the tight timescales and budgets, but one of the most difficult things to manage was the 'people' piece. Many staff live in Windsor, or to the West of Windsor, and consequently the move to Denham would mean a longer commute. Ultimately, people tend not to like change, and it was important to involve staff as closely as possible in the project, to give them the opportunity to have a say, and to provide support and compelling reasoning for the move. One of the objectives was to provide an office space where people would not only be proud to come to work, but would be stimulated and enthused by the environment.
What advice would you give someone starting an office relocation project?
Give yourself enough time, and an adequate budget! Be realistic and clear about your objectives (i.e. don't expect a 5 star product for a 3 star budget) - and keep very close control on the decision-making processes - changing your mind costs time and money.
Did you try to change the company culture / way of working through this project?
We wanted to provide an office space that would encourage and improve teamworking and communication, and would help to break down departmental 'silos'. The choice of clustered desks facing 'inwards', low screens, and predominantly open plan seating has all helped to achieve this. The large number of break out areas and the flexible seating in the restaurant have also contributed towards a more sociable atmosphere.
How did you come up with the design ideas?
A lot of the detailing came from Morgan Lovell's design team, and was filtered through - and tweaked by our 'steering group' to make sure it fitted with our corporate requirements.
What were some of the design ideas that really worked?
The restaurant and coffee shop have been a real success. The old facility at Windsor was mundane and inflexible (16 or so circular tables in an open room). The area at Denham offers a wide range of seating arrangements, from large refectory-style tables down to individual bar stools which can be used by people dining alone. The result has been a facility which is not only used for dining, but has become an all-day meeting place for teams and visitors, a break out area, and a location for individuals to have a few minutes quiet thinking time away from their desks.
The creation of a 'brand' area on the ground floor has also been very popular. Here we have a space devoted to the individual IHG brands, where new concepts and innovations can be tested and displayed, and where a constantly changing environment can stimulate creativity, and remind our staff and visitors what the company is really all about.
Did you involve employees in the design process? If so, how?
Employees were involved as much as reasonably possible. This was achieved by a number of different initiatives including when the building was first secured - all employees were invited to visit it during an open day. A number of individual stands were set up to cover areas like meeting rooms, gym, restaurant, office space, local infrastructure, IT etc, and questions were answered and suggestions were taken from staff as to what they wanted to see in the new facility. These were published and addressed wherever feasible in the new design.
Also, furniture samples were imported into the Windsor office and these were tested and scored by staff to facilitate selection. Results were published so people knew what they were getting.
A message board was set up on the company intranet to enable people to communicate with the project team and regular 'blogs' were posted to keep staff updated on progress.
How did you keep track of the costs during the project?
From the IHG side there were essentially two 'client reps'. The Project Director Tom Lord, who dealt with the 'people' side of the relocation and was the face of the Denham project, and myself who - with a QS background - tended to look after the construction and cost side of the relocation. With the project being a 'GMP' undertaking, we knew that the only additional costs would come from client changes, so as long as these were kept under control we should be okay on budget. There were inevitably more changes than we would have liked, but regular liaison with Morgan Lovell's QS enabled us to keep a tight rein on the costs. Every month a cost reconciliation was produced - essentially a rolling final account - and consequently we always knew pretty much where we stood.
Was sustainability important to you on this project? If so, how did you incorporate it into the office design?
We incorporated as many sustainable initiatives into the project as we reasonably could. Ideally we would have liked to have gone further, but working within the constraints of an existing building which had relatively new plant and equipment really precluded the inclusion of some of the more innovative developments. Where it made sense, we did go for sustainable options. As we were updating the lighting, it was a no-brainer to go for energy efficient fittings, with movement sensors and automatic dimming. We needed to do something to reduce glare from the full height windows, so again it made sense to install reflective film that would reduce solar gain, and solar-sensitive blinds that respond to amounts of light coming into the building.
What took longer than expected?
Nothing really - we had a pretty good programme and a fair idea of what the issues were likely to be. I suppose getting some of the artwork sorted was a bit problematic, as there seemed to be some issues translating our corporate files into display-quality items.
What went faster than expected?
The last few weeks rocketed by, and anyone looking at the building with three weeks to go would never have thought we would be in occupation by the due date.
How did you go about choosing a design and build company to help you with this project?
Interviews, references, and track records! Four companies were considered, and Morgan Lovell came out top.
What things would you have done differently?
Not a lot really. Some more pre-contract time would have been good, to enable us to nail the specification down more precisely but we were faced with a deadline for getting out of our Windsor offices and had to work with it.
What was the best moment during the project?
Apart from finishing on time (phew), some of the feedback from the staff shortly after moving in. The one that always sticks in my mind is 'this place rocks!' We must have done something right!
Got questions of your own?
If you have more questions about our clients’ offices, or want to be interviewed yourself, our team would love to hear from you – 0800 028 0945.
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