Revitalising Mitre 10’s National Support Centre

Mitre 10 faced a unique challenge: how to accommodate growth, address low occupancy and manage variable desk and meeting room usage. By focusing on creating space efficiencies and leveraging data-driven insights, Mitre 10 gained the confidence needed to implement transformative changes.

Over recent years, the Mitre 10 National Support Centre had supported up to 380 team members. However, organic growth and a comprehensive transformation project made it difficult to provide dedicated desks for all staff. The COVID-19 lockdowns further altered dynamics, with many employees opting to embrace hybrid working and utilise digital meeting and coloration tools. This shift necessitated a re-evaluation of Mitre 10’s office landscape to ensure it met the needs of a growing, hybrid workforce and their cultural drivers.

The research, led by TwentyTwo comprised of a Staff Workplace Survey and a Utilisation22 study. These highlighted some key areas for improvement.

Delivering cost savings with minimal disruption

We proposed three key recommendations:

  1. Desk neighbourhoods: Transition from individual desks to team-based desk allocations within designated neighbourhoods. This approach fosters collaboration and cohesion.
  2. Create libraries: Repurpose underutilised large meeting rooms into quiet work areas resembling libraries. Staff members can book these spaces when they need focused, uninterrupted work time.
  3. Collaboration hubs: Establish two consolidated areas featuring comfortable furniture for informal meetings. These spaces will be equipped with AV technology and collaboration tools such as whiteboards, promoting efficient teamwork.

Data and strategic advice enabled Mitre 10 to implement changes that saved them money  by maintaining a single location and preserved their cultural integrity, by fostering a strong, cohesive work culture.

Using data and research to drive change

The research, led by TwentyTwo, had two components:

  • Staff Workplace Survey.
  • Utilisation22 Study.         

The survey provided valuable insights into the preferences and requirements of the Mitre 10 team, while the Utilisation22 study meticulously measured room occupancy across 52 spaces in the office area over a three-week period. 

Our holistic approach focused not only on physical changes but also on technology, workplace systems and processes, and behaviour and cultural shifts. We understand that these elements are instrumental in supporting the success of the project and fostering a productive and harmonious work environment.

The Staff Workplace Survey garnered an impressive 80% response rate, enabling us to identify key areas for improvement. One pressing concern was the need for suitably sized bookable meeting rooms that cater to various types of work, such as Teams or phone calls or independent, private or quiet tasks. The team also indicated the need for separate areas dedicated to collaboration and hybrid working, designed to minimise noise in the main office workspace.

The Utilisation22 Study shed light on occupancy patterns, revealing that the current workspaces on Levels 2 and 3 were utilised at a maximum of 52% across both floors. Specifically, Level 2 witnessed utilisation between 25% and 57% of total workstations, typically hovering at 38%. Meanwhile, Level 3 experienced utilisation ranging from 15% to 47%, averaging around 21%. We also discovered that 90% of meetings involved six people or less, suggesting a mismatch between the existing meeting room sizes and demand.

Author

Duncan Mitchell

Principal

Challenger, strategist and thinker. Duncan is a Principal and senior member of The TwentyTwo Tribe.…
Category
Date
08 April 2024

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