O2 HQ through a key hole

On a 'through the key hole' guided tour of O2's campus, Slough, west of London we set out to answer 3 questions:

One - can a large organisation truly embrace a flexible workspace?
Two - what are their keys to successful agile working?
Three - do they enjoy the space?

We were taken around the O2 campus by one of their team. This was a building of two halves now connected by a umbilical chord that stretches high over a large interior open space between the two buildings.

The first thing that's strikes you is that neither reception desk nor security dominate access to this space, they blend in. This is a great key to it being open, accessible and welcoming.

There is a mini-street under the walkway above, although the street is not as grand as British Airways Waterside, it does make you feel relaxed and comfortable. After registration we were able to collect a coffee from Starbucks with our complimentary voucher.

A tour around the various zones in the building revealed what you might expect, a gym, bright cafe/restaurant area, open plan desking and creative meeting rooms. But there was a serious strategy at work here where teams no longer hibernated in their own area, instead they camped out freely in spaces appropriate to the workflow needed for that day.

We discovered a buzzy atmosphere where groups and teams are working well together, whilst others were popping into the gym or having a meeting over a cuppa. As a large organisation they seemed to have embraced a more flexible and agile working culture.

O2-workplace

What are their keys to a more flexible workspace?

The challenge with O2 was to maximise their space and manage those that were away from a specific desk for a significant amount of time. At home, on the road, out in the field, or roaming the office.

The use of technology provided a key link between the person, desk and their desktop. Technology and social media were also adopted to communicate to everybody throughout the change process and beyond.

Other success criteria for O2 was around the workplace design and creating an inspiring environment to help people connect.

Do they enjoy agile working?

Yes, was the response from our guide and people certainly looked at ease in the building. The program has been continually monitored with regular education to staff. What struck us most was for a telecommunications HQ, it is a really creative place to work. O2-walkway

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