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When recruitment giant Totaljobs returned to its office ready to launch hybrid working following the pandemic, it quickly found that time spent apart had created challenges. Organic social connections between colleagues in the workplace had fizzled out, and the sense of community had weakened. After appointing Peldon Rose’s Workplace Strategy team to research and deliver a proposal around a ‘utopian design’, the business was keen to bring the ideas to life across its London, Portsmouth, and Manchester offices. It was only natural then that the design and build team from Peldon Rose would be the one to realise such an ambitious vision. Ultimately, the new workspaces needed to encourage social connection and help teams feel part of the bigger Totaljobs world.
Helping people make connections meant creating organic meeting places where employees actually want to socialise. Previously, a number of small tea points were dotted around the space, limiting interactions as teams kept to their own areas. Breakout spaces were dry, functional, and offered no incentive for people to stay longer than it took to make a hot drink or prepare their lunch.
Peldon Rose consolidated the individual breakout areas into a breathtaking 8,000 sq ft social space that has pride of place in the new office. Previously the boardroom, this wing of the building has stunning views overlooking the Tate Modern to the north, with views of the city to the east. The transformed social space is flooded with natural light and even features its own full-time barista, offering a place to relax and socialise. The morning coffee queue provides an opportunity for casual collisions with colleagues who may not work together.
The breakout was designed as a multi-functional space: a place for staff to connect over coffee or lunch, a fully functioning agile work hub with a huge variety of settings including cafe tables, lounge areas, high tables, bar seating, booths, tiered auditorium seating, and best of all a table tennis area for staff to come together and have fun. The furniture and finishes were carefully selected to enhance the existing furniture that was reused, introducing more colour to complement the existing monochrome pieces, and bring Totaljobs’ fun personality into the space.
People will naturally connect with one another in a space where they feel comfortable. We replaced the satellite kitchens with one larger breakout space to disrupt people’s existing habits and replace them with ones that involve spontaneous social interactions. We wanted to encourage movement throughout the day by creating a destination where people can gather and collaborate away from their desk.
Forming a sense of connection beyond the walls of the London office was a core element of the brief. Totaljobs is part of parent company StepStone Group, which has offices worldwide. Peldon Rose set out to find a way to express this within the workplace design. The aim was to champion the diverse global team while highlighting a sense of commonality between employees worldwide, which would require an innovative and striking statement.
At each of the four entrances to the office, visitors and employees are now greeted by a tree representing one of StepStone’s global bases: an ash tree for the UK, an oak for Europe, a baobab tree from South Africa, and a banana leaf tree for the Caribbean. A distinctive gathering point, these unconventional elements of biophilia reflect the local region and bring people together with a nod to the wider group.
We made decisions that make sense beyond just sourcing sustainably. Utilising the existing ceilings, carpet, and furniture, and even working with existing partitions that didn’t compromise the design, we prevented waste and saved costs. The space has been designed to flex for additional staff without any immediate adjustments required, in a design style considerate of TJG’s warm personality
To draw people back to the office, leaders at Totaljobs knew they had to consider the benefits that remote working environments could offer employees. The new office needed to consider people’s entire lives, not just who they are when they come to work. By creating a wellness zone in the London office, featuring both a multi-faith and parents’ room, Totaljobs is aiming to cater to the needs of every employee, making sure they’re as comfortable as possible. For a chance to escape work for a moment, an adjacent yoga studio blends opportunities for relaxation and socialisation and can be used for group exercise classes. All the wellness facilities are intended to provide opportunities for employees to relax and do something for themselves as conveniently as possible within the office.
A sustainable workplace is also conducive to wellbeing, and this doesn’t just include aesthetic considerations such as biophilia.
Putting the power to choose how they work, meet, and socialise in the hands of the employees was one of Totaljobs’ highest priorities. Regimented meeting spaces that prevented creativity and prohibited collaboration have made way for flexible, diverse, and inviting zones. Low, soft seating introduces elements of a more homely style which blends residential with commercial elements, while high tables offer a choice of sitting or standing throughout the workday. A wide range of meeting rooms in the new office equips employees for future evolutions of their working patterns. For example, phone and focus booths have been created for single, double, or multi-person occupancy. Modern and intuitive AV technology allows people to make themselves heard, while careful acoustic finishes have been applied to ensure privacy and provide spaces free from reverberation.
Working with partners who understand this vision is key. Peldon Rose took our brand values and transformed it into a physical space with a deep understanding of what our employees needed, turning it into a reality. It’s truly fantastic to see our teams can come together and deliver amazing results in this amazing space they have created
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