Workplace change case study: Allianz

Many businesses have responded to the pandemic by reinventing their office spaces to make them more effective working environments. This might mean more collaboration spaces, rearranging furniture or a whole new workplace design.

Allianz has offices around the UK and employed BMG’s help for multiple workplace change projects. We have worked with Allianz since 2013 and have an excellent partnership.

National support

So far, we have completed workplace change projects at Allianz offices in Birmingham (two offices), Bristol (two offices), London, Southampton, Maidstone, Chelmsford, and at the head office in Guildford.

One of the benefits of working in multiple locations is that we have been able to move furniture and equipment between Allianz offices. We have a digital inventory to manage all items. Having an up-to-date stock means the client does not needlessly purchase new equipment. It also means we avoid discarding equipment that might be of use in another location.

Flexible work

The scope has been fluid, so our work has been flexible. We have been able to achieve this thanks in part to our national network of storage locations and transportation links.

We have supported Allianz by:

• Helping with desktop set-up, including employee surveys to determine preferred set-up
• Creating flexible working areas
• Rearranging desks to create more space between each desk as part of an office redesign
• Removal of surplus furniture and equipment; items that were not relocated have been sold, donated or put in storage
• Restacking and redesigning spaces
• Delivering and installing new furniture; many purchased items were refurbished, providing cost savings to Allianz and a positive environmental impact by not buying new items
• IT reconfiguration and set up

Working in multiple locations involves a lot of moving parts, so in addition to a central move manager, we had leads on-site at each location to provide feedback and support.

A workplace shift

Allianz is not alone in its response to the pandemic. Numerous surveys of UK workers suggest that they want some form of flexible working to stay, and that they want the workplace to offer something that home-working cannot provide.

Mike Coventry, workspace projects controller at Allianz, said: “We had to act quickly to ensure that our offices offer value to our employees. BMG’s support has been critical and has ensured minimum disruption to our employees while we have implemented changes. We expect to continue adapting as needed and are delighted we can count on BMG’s support.”

Do you need support with an office relocation or workplace change project? Find your nearest BMG location and contact your local office to discuss how we can help.