October 2023
78.3
The organisation’s recent work with clients, creating exciting spaces around the world, includes a dazzling waterfall centrepiece in Singapore’s Jewel Changi Airport and a new subway line for Copenhagen’s world-leading metro system.
When the time came to move one of its own teams to a new building in Melbourne, Australia, Arup was presented with an opportunity to practice what it preaches.
When the results from its Pre-Occupancy survey back in 2017 highlighted the significant impact of the design on employees, the business realised it was time to put their organisational principles into action. The perfect opportunity arose when they relocated one of their teams to a new building in Melbourne, Australia.
By utilising Leesman’s insight Arup’s was able to create a workplace that fully supported employees across all work activities and stood the test of time, even in a global pandemic.
Arup’s decision to move into One Melbourne Quarter in 2018 stemmed from a clear reason: the company’s growth and evolution warranted a workplace that aligned with its organisational development. By choosing a mixed-use development close to Southern Cross Station, Arup not only facilitated commuting but also promoted engagement within a wider community.
By conducting a Pre-occupancy Leesman Office survey in 2017, Arup gained valuable insights into what aspects within its workplace were effective and what aspects needed improvement in the eyes of the employee.
The approach paid off when Arup gained its results, with a Leesman Index score (Lmi) increase from 64.3 to 73.8. Notably, One Melbourne Quarter achieved a remarkable score of 78.3, making it one of only 140 workplaces at the time globally to receive the award.
In recognition of its significant accomplishments, Arup was awarded a Leesman+ certification, a Platinum WELL Certificate and a WELL Health and Safety rating for the office.
“It was fantastic to get those results,” says Cameron McIntosh, Workplace Leader. “It really confirmed that it wasn’t just a honeymoon period in the new environment.”
But a year on, what did the team learn from the process?
The data from Leesman’s primary question set and its Environmental Wellbeing Module demonstrated the extent to which experience, wellness and sustainability now converge.
Arup’s new space is designed with over 600 plants for improved air quality and a customisable lighting system that follows natural circadian rhythms. It boasts a wellness centre and bike storage for cyclists. Rigorous air and water quality monitoring ensure high standards, while strategically placed refreshment points encourage regular hydration.
These efforts have not gone unnoticed by those that use the space, with 85.3% of employees developing a positive view of the company’s environment sustainability in the Post-occupancy survey, compared to 49.8% in the Pre-occupancy survey.
Senior Principal, Joseph Correnza believes that this huge improvement is down to the company being extremely open about its goals and values. He points to Arup’s commitment to moving to 100% green power, its recycling strategy, and the introduction of a ‘green’ committee that constantly appraises areas such as energy consumption.
“Our people actually see those things. It’s about being genuine. We really do try to live it as part of the everyday experience in the office,” he explains.
A fundamental success of the business has been Arup’s transparency to nurture a collaborative culture, with a focus on innovation and problem-solving. Creating a space that would allow not only employees but also clients and partners to experience Arup in its most genuine form and encourage them to work in the space more often.
The disconnected layout of the previous office hindered collaboration, but Arup’s experiments with activity-based working (ABW) paved the way for change.
The shift to One Melbourne Quarter enabled Arup to implement ABW effectively, leveraging insights from previous trials. The company created adaptable, community-focused neighbourhoods instead of individual desks. These neighbourhoods are linked via mezzanine structures, encouraging informal and collaborative interactions.
Post-occupancy results verified its success with significant improvements: 82.3% of employees reported a positive sense of community within the workplace, 90.2% felt ideas were shared better, and 84.4% felt supported during focused work.
Correnza attributed these successes to the ABW system. The new office offers diverse spaces like quiet rooms, meeting rooms, and cafeterias. Even video conferencing facilities were expanded ahead of the pandemic, underlining their growing significance.
Arup’s success stems from data-informed decision-making, using multiple sources to understand performance metrics thoroughly.
This informed approach has been key to Arup’s accomplishments.
This is just the start for Arup. The new space has given the organisation the room it needs to continue growing. As Correnza argues, the workplace, as COVID-19 has shown, should never be fixed; it needs to be “dynamic” and “hackable” in many ways so that it is able to adapt to the changing needs of the business and its employees.
McIntosh knows that in the immediate future, he will be experimenting with an abundance of workplace settings. “Our workstations, for example, occupy about 40% of our footprint. Pre-pandemic, that was extremely low, but now it’s more in line with our current expectations.”
Ultimately, McIntosh knows that the workplace has been designed so that it can evolve over the medium and long-term. “It’s got to work on day 1,000, not just day one.”
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