Successfully transforming a workplace is nowhere near as simple as it used to be. In the past, you could relatively easily focus on creating an attractive physical design, make sure the number of settings were right, make it look good and it’d be fine.
Now, businesses must contend with massive levels of ambiguity in how and when individuals will use the space. And we know that simply providing rooms and spaces will be insufficient for success. Contemporary workplaces require an intelligent approach that defines a purpose up front, and then weaves the physical, technology and culture together.
M&C Saatchi faced exactly this issue in mid 2020, which was arguably the time of maximum uncertainty with COVID. How could they maximise the opportunity of a lease expiry? Additionally, how could they ensure all aspects of the workplace transformation were considered from the outset.
For almost 10 years Amicus has juggled multiple services for our clients including design, construction, technology, strategy and consulting – and more recently – finance and project management. Over time, to help deliver these separate streams we’ve utilised a process we call Keychain. Keychain is partly about getting the basics of timing, costs and quality right, but it’s way more than that. It sequences and harmonises the major workstreams so that they all work towards what really matters: the effect that organisations want to create for their people and their clients.
Keychain in Action Amicus was engaged in May 2020 to support M&C Saatchi throughout the entire journey of workplace transformation. Our unique Keychain technique was designed for exactly this type of challenge.
The Amicus Strategy and Consulting teams worked with M&C Saatchi to understand their property requirements. After several workshops and extensive interviews, a solution was found which greatly reduced their floorspace, saving 20 million dollars over the next 10 years. With this information Amicus was able to create a Workplace strategy brief, a set of guidelines for the design and build to address these needs. Working with design partner Woods Bagot, we were able to address the physical workspace needs every step along the way.
This meant that, for example, technology wasn’t relegated to its normal bolt-on or afterthought status; in fact, it was an influencer on the physical design itself. The Keychain approach meant that we defined the aspiration for open collaboration up-front. Embedding it in the early concept design phases for the physical space, the technology and the change process, showing teams how to work in their new hybrid environment.
Now, we’re not going to suggest that this was all smooth sailing. Despite the high levels of coordination and planning that Keychain provides us, it doesn’t magic up a solution for the volatility of supply chains during a pandemic! There was plenty of head-scratching about how to still achieve the ‘moments that matter’ when prices are sky-rocketing and materials are scarce.
Since that time, we’ve further evolved our Keychain method and taken it online. This gives us better connectivity with clients and provides better visibility to everyone on the status of the project and the next steps.
To learn more about Amicus and our Keychain integrated services approach to workplace transformation, talk with one of our consultants.
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