Valleys to Coast tasked Ministry of Furniture to give their office and reception area a revamp to create a workplace that offers encouragement, development and fun. The first phase of this big project provided our own Industries re-manufactured furniture and contemporary office desking. We also included colourful privacy pods with tables and soft seating areas and meeting room furniture. Our space saving solutions combine manufactured lockable storage with high poseur table and high chairs.
Our sister company Ministry Graphics designed, printed and installed graphic wall murals, window manifestations and signage throughout the office space.
The Challenge
To continue to provide business as usual and excellent customer service while the refurbishment work was being carried out which means that logistics were a little tricky. As with most projects, budgets are tight which means that we needed to think creatively and invest in assets to create a modern look without breaking the bank.
The Solution
In order to minimise the impact the work will have, we have phased the project so customer service could continue as normal rather than in one go. We have four phases, tackling each quadrant located in different areas of the building. Installing our own industries furniture which is modern and hard wearing to ensure value for money, we were also installing some beautiful soft seating to create flexible working spaces that colleagues could work in different environments. To allow better room flow, some walls were taken down and some built to create smaller spaces. This has opened up the room greatly while also creating personal space to make colleagues feel more comfortable. Engaging actively together; piloting different approaches and combine our efforts and resources has been key to achieving this vision.
The Benefits
A contemporary, spacious working environment that encourages colleagues to think different and work more efficiently is definitely the main benefits of this project. The floor plan change has resulted in better flow between all areas making it feel larger and minimalistic. The breakout spaces provide comfortable areas for quick meetings or even to get away from the desk for a little while. Valleys to Coast truly recognise that their greatest strengths lie in the people that are employed. Colleagues are the face of Valleys to Coast and they set the tone and focus for customer experience. We hope the changes we have made to this quadrant will help them to continue to do this. In order to achieve all of this, we have worked closely to implement ideas with Darren Hackett, Valleys to Coast’s workspace consultant.