Inspirational workplace creating positive change for British Gas
Call Centres are intensely competitive environments and employers are constantly looking for ways to create an edge. British Gas briefed us to transform its Trafford Call Centre into a modern workplace with space for its employees to feel engaged and stimulated to deliver valuable customer service, but also provide space for staff to feel relaxed and refreshed.
Box collaborated closely with British Gas in the design of a new business environment that would create a ‘sense of place’ as well as enhance employee engagement and customer service.
Previously the layout was congested with rows of workstations and unpleasant institutional staff break out areas. We redesigned the interior, previously dominated by large L-shaped workstation by creating modern small call centre spaces. This simple innovation created significant amounts of collaborative space away from the phones for team motivating sessions, breakout space and a traditional library environment. Working zones were defined in ‘neighbourhoods’ buffered from collaborative working areas.
We involved the call centre staff in the refurbishment process. They came up with the names for the space such as the Lowry room, Buzzcocks breakout and Piccadilly meeting room.
Although it’s a newly refurbished 55,000 square foot office space, team needs were carefully considered. This includes seclusion zones for individual work, small pod-sized meeting areas for one-to-one meeting, Buzz zones for presentations and team motivational chats, and social zones for down time and co-worker interaction.
Box’s creative redesign kept the existing number of work stations but opened-up the call centre for a contemporary working style, open communication and space to escape.