This article is taken from our new publication – The Workplace [R]Evolution

Arrow Global is a leading European investor and alternative asset manager specialising in no-performing and non-core assets. Arrow identifies, acquires and manages secured and unsecured loan and real estate portfolios.

The unique nature of their business, employing over 2,500 people spread across five countries in Europe, has necessitated a holistic approach to the return to the workplace, one informed by local conditions and governed by a central vision for the group’s workspaces.

Understanding the diverse portfolio of offices in detail was key to then planning a strategy which not only accommodated the specifics of each site, but which brought a new, more flexible way of working and a consistent workplace look and feel.

Flexibility for the masses

We spend a significant proportion of our lives at work. It’s fair to say that for the majority, working in the office 9-5, Monday through Friday was the norm. However, over the last few years there has been a steady shift to a more flexible approach – especially as tech and connectivity enabled work to happen almost anywhere – and this is having an impact on the demands placed upon our offices.

“We’re seeing a new focus on work-life balance, empowering ever greater numbers of people to work in a much more flexible way – this is a real game changer. The term ‘flexible working’ primarily related to altering working hours or location to suit personal circumstance, often utilised by exception and formal arrangements. The events of 2020 have seen a complete reversal of this trend – flexible working enabled for all – meaning a whole new supply/demand equation for the office environment.” Dan Pilling, Workplace Consultant at TSK.

This has brought the importance of a well-designed and relevant physical workplace in sharp focus, against the backdrop of a workforce now enabled  and empowered to work from multiple locations – not just the primary workplace of old. Now, following the events of 2020, these demands, in tandem with a fresh perspective on our work-life balance, have further reinforced the need for a fundamental reappraisal of the role of the office.

A new way of calculating office demand

In our experience, typical office utilisation means a minimum of 40% of desks are empty every day. In effect, the traditional office model with rows of desks as the primary work-setting doesn’t work for everyone – and represents cost inefficiency. At TSK we see our role as translating the needs of the individual, the team and the business into an understandable and compelling strategy –  a supply/demand equation that considers all moving parts of a business.

For Arrow Global, we helped them understand that the roles for everyone were now more fluid, and that the need to acknowledge their blend of colleagues and business requirements that make up each office location was vital.

Some teams are more focused on customer operations, where individuals principally have direct telephony and digital contact with customers,  complemented with spaces to meet, train and mentor. Other teams are commercial, investor, corporate client and support functions needing a different blend of accessible spaces which portray the brand. This diversity is also combined with the need to reflect local and country-specific cultural and behavioural aspects. One size never fits all, but the key has been understanding, measuring and planning consistently.

We worked with Arrow to understand the requirements for the footprint of the 13 offices by creating ‘Workplace Personas’ based on levels of external mobility.

Roles included:

The Day-Tripper: employees who come into the office one day at a time

The Explorer: employees who work from home and the office.

The Anchor: employees who base themselves at the office

However, it was important to acknowledge that role requirements and therefore ‘Personas’ could change over time or even week-to-week, so an office that could adapt quickly was needed.

“We created a flexible measurement approach – not a fixed 10-year strategy. This provided Arrow with a set of tools to help them optimise their offices in real-time. It gave them an understanding of the core needs of an agile workplace. They can then continuously work out their internal space requirements, bringing order to ambiguity.” Dan Pilling.

Together with Arrow, we defined a new approach to provide consistent workplace environments across the organisation. One which brings their visions and values to life, while setting a benchmark for functionality, quality and sense of place that represents the organisation.

Getting the recipe right

Workplace change programmes start with people. We’re working with clients to leverage a people-centric culture based around choice, positively impacting the workplace experience. Enabling teams to consider the office as just one of a variety of locations to work from (both physical and digital) is part of a mindset that we’re seeing progressive organisations like Arrow employ. This provides opportunities to drive cost effective solutions when it comes to the physical workplace and reframe the space available where colleagues can feel comfortable and productive.

In turn, this provides opportunities to drive cost-effective solutions when it comes to the physical workplace, reframing the space as an energy-centre for the business where colleagues can feel comfortable and productive.

 “Owners and operators of working spaces now need a much more flexible mindset when it comes to their strategy. 2020 has certainly shown that change is constant. Encouraging an empathetic approach, whether those are business concerns or personal considerations, has to be the order of the day. It’s remarkable what valuable insight can be gained from openly discussing the needs and expectations across your organisation. Only then do we create a workplace strategy which builds on data and experience. We have the opportunity to create a new recipe with a defined set of ingredients – but with the consideration that we’ll tweak the recipe as conditions change.

Organisations should not be afraid to experiment with their workplace mix, as this year’s mass homeworking experiment has demonstrated. With regular spatial and utilisation reviews (empowered by scheduling software tools), productivity measures, and employee feedback, we can curate a workspace that suits the needs of its occupants. My advice is to have fun with your own recipe, but most importantly, sense check this with colleagues to ensure you have the right blend of flavours.”  Dan Pilling

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