Keen to break away from traditional office spaces of the past, Colgate-Palmolive focused on the social aspects and opportunities that a workspace could offer their people in hybrid working. The homely environment office design was created to encourage people to come into the office, providing a wide variety of spaces, from focus work to collaboration spaces, more social spaces, and informal and formal meeting spaces to bring people together.
Technology was a key investment for Colgate-Palmolive, to support how they wanted to work and collaborate in the new office. Athena Blue Global worked with Colgate-Palmolive to develop a technology strategy that maximised the flexibility and useability of spaces within the office. A comprehensive approach was taken to enhance and extend the existing systems (procured internally by Colgate-Palmolive), to ensure seamless integration of new technologies with their current systems.
From initial technology briefing and strategy development through to design and documentation, tender and implementation, Athena Blue Global worked with Colgate-Palmolive to provide solutions for a range of systems to suit the various spaces in the office. These ranged from small discussion rooms and offices through to larger collaboration spaces, meeting rooms of various sizes and flexible spaces. Room booking systems were installed to help increase the efficiency and utilisation of these spaces, while desk booking provision was designed for scheduling and managing desks.
Having a clear understanding of Colgate-Palmolive’s technology strategy allowed Athena Blue Global to help mitigate the risks posed by the tight project time frame. Procurement assistance was provided to co-ordinate the pre-ordering equipment, prior to a contractor being engaged, to ensure a smooth and well-coordinated process.
Re-designing a new office space also presented Colgate-Palmolive an opportunity to explore how the new workspace could better support their local hybrid working approach, while also incorporating Colgate-Palmolive’s global direction on hybrid working. Colgate-Palmolive partnered with Athena Blue Global to develop their change management framework and support their change to a new hybrid working office.
Athena Blue Global’s workplace change survey was used to quickly understand current employee sentiment to the workplace experience and change readiness, across all brands. Using these insights, combined with other user engagement activities, Athena Blue Global defined a practical change management approach and communication plan for Colgate-Palmolive, tailored to the condensed project timeframe. This covered recommended activities and communications to keep their people informed across all aspects from change in office location through to changes in Colgate-Palmolive’s hybrid working approach when working from the new office.
Colgate-Palmolive were also able to draw on Athena Blue Global’s experience to develop and plan recommended activities, culminating in an engaging experience, welcoming Colgate-Palmolive’s people to the new office and new way of working.
