Case study: Office relocations and workplace change with a world-renowned financial institution

Seven years ago, through a third party, we embarked on a project for one of the largest financial institutions in the UK. The relationship between BMG and the third party is so strong that our national account manager is part of its senior management board for that client. They are based in the clients London headquarters, together with three other BMG staff providing consistency on a nationwide basis.

They have responsibility for operations working closely with the occupancy management and delivery management teams. This enables the team to schedule moves and changes around other works, and benefits a seamless relationship between BMG and the client.

A history of successful relocations 

In the last seven years we have moved about 20,000 employees around the country every year. This ranges from major programmes such as a 1,300-person move at its London HQ to smaller projects in regional offices. We cover relocation from the north of Scotland to the south coast of England, including the client’s technology campus and its second biggest base outside of London, the Birmingham HQ.

In 2018 we cleared six floors at the London HQ, removing 1,800 pieces of furniture from each floor in the process. This involved working closely with the client’s FM partner and other contractors involved in the project in order to minimise disruption to the business. Our team broke furniture down during the day and then removed it off site in the evenings, working double shifts to ensure quick turnarounds.

Rachel Houghton, managing director at BMG, commented: “Over the past seven years, we have been the lynchpin to 90% of the client’s facilities projects. We liaise closely with all the other contractors on site, operating both smoothly and with care. We have a strong relationship with all involved, and that’s reflected through our continuous efforts within this ongoing project.”

As well as the relocation between offices and buildings, we manage helpdesk requests from employees. This can range from new chairs, desks, and any other office equipment needed for the business. The partnership also involves storage of legacy furniture from floor clearances which we then reuse. Additional stock of new furniture is also stored to allow the client to benefit from on-demand furniture delivery.

Continuing through Covid

We have continued to support the client during the pandemic. The shutdown of offices saw a sharp halt to the relocation of personnel, but we have still worked to ensure other business needs are met. The focus has seen a shift to other specialist services we have to offer, including expert estate audits, furniture management programmes, and having a big role in the introduction of new CSR standards. The teams have also taken part in charitable work, providing donations to schools and benefiting communities.

Although the relationship is focused on the client’s corporate offices, we have also supported high street locations in the event of emergencies. Although lockdown restrictions forced the closure of many smaller offices, we still monitor and provide assistance in case of emergencies or urgent requests.

During the lockdown, we have worked on many IT based projects, expanding services to make sure the implementation of new technologies kept everyone together during the various lockdowns. The usage of new tech has managed to keep client employees engaged and productivity high, whilst also maintaining communication between the different teams. Even as the lockdown restrictions begin to lift and businesses introduce a new hybrid way of working, we have assisted the client in the planning and development of a return to an office environment, offering solutions and coming up with next steps going forward.

We support businesses across the country with workplace change and office relocation services. Get in touch to discuss how we can support your business.