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An interview with...
Wendy Lawrence, Facilities Manager, GSMA
The GSMA are a unique association, with members from around the world coming in on a daily basis to work alongside their internal staff. Wendy Lawrence explains how they managed the huge task of relocating their two existing offices into one central headquarters, with plenty of space for both staff and members.
What prompted the move?
We had outgrown our existing space and needed something to accommodate our growing staff numbers. We only had a 5 year lease on our previous space and the lease expiry gave us the opportunity to move.
What were some of the biggest challenges of the project?
The timescale was probably the main challenge. We had the opportunity to take on additional space at our existing location, which we felt we had to pursue due to the recession. We spent a month negotiating this but it was aborted. This caused a delay and we couldn’t begin designing our new space until we’d agreed heads of terms for our new location. In the end we only had 5 weeks for the design stage.
What advice would you give someone starting an office relocation project?
Getting the right structure in place is invaluable. You want to ensure you are comfortable with the people you are working with, and confident they are the right team for the job.
What things would you have done differently?
The only thing I can think of is that we would have allowed more time for the branding elements, they took slightly longer than we initially thought.
How did you come up with the design ideas?
Initially, a space audit and appraisal was carried out to identify how we needed the space to work for us. After this we spent time consulting with staff to find out what they needed from the new office, and what they wanted the new space to be like. We then took out case studies of existing offices to see what has, and hasn’t, worked elsewhere.
Did you try to change the company culture/way of working through this project?
Yes, we saw the move as an opportunity to champion more environmentally positive behaviour amongst and to encourage more internal networking and communication.
What were some of the design ideas that really worked?
The whole front of house and members area was a top priority for us when designing our new office space and it really works well for us. The staff kitchen and breakout area has been a huge success and has increased motivation and communication between staff. Also the sound proofing for separate meeting rooms and cellular offices is a big step up from our previous offices where the sound proofing didn’t actually work!
What took longer than expected?
Due to problems with the supplier the audio visual works took longer during installation. We also underestimated how long we would need for the branding elements – these took longer and we hadn’t allowed for that.
What went faster than expected?
It was only a 12 week fit out so the whole process was really quick.
How did you go about choosing a design and build company to help you with this project?
We initially sent out an RFP, then from the responses drew up a shortlist and conducted selection interviews. We had a few final companies to choose from and we looked at case studies and visited completed projects of these companies.
Did you involve employees in the design process? If so, how?
We had a consultative forum for staff to keep up to date with the latest developments. We shared information with assigned reps who fed it back to their teams. We also posted regular status updates on the intranet and information boards.
Can you describe your experience when your project moved on site?
After all the planning meetings it was exciting to move to the build phase on site and see the drawings come to life. Unfortunately we had a week’s delay because due to the short timescale we didn’t have formal design approval to proceed in place from our landlord. Once we had approval in place, things moved rapidly and lost time was quickly made up, morale was high. Being local, I was able to pop down to site most days for meetings and discuss the various issues or changes which arose during the construction phase with Morgan Lovell’s Project Manager.
How did you keep senior management informed throughout the project?
The Project Team reported to the Project Steering Board.
All staff were consulted throughout the project face to face and via various communication channels such as Staff Forum, All Staff Calls and the intranet.
Was sustainability important? If so, how was it incorporated?
Yes, the relocation was the perfect opportunity to garner support for small cultural changes. We selected a BREEAM ‘excellent’ rated building. It has an effective waste management strategy in place with 0% to landfill. Our own initiatives included replacing under-desk bins with centralised recycling facilities around the office. We replaced personal printers with centralised print services, and relocated some existing furniture to the new office and recycled the remainder.
How have staff reacted to the new space?
I think staff quickly adapted to their new environment, enjoying the variety of formal and informal collaborative space, and everyone is delighted to be reunited in one larger office in a great location!
And finally, what was the best moment during the project?
For me personally it was just after 10am on Day One after the move weekend when I glimpsed two formal meetings taking place in the new meeting rooms – that demonstrated to me that staff had confidence we would deliver seamless business continuity with a fully operational office on day one – and we did!
Got questions of your own?
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