A project to support the introduction of the new, much more flexible ways of working required by a business relocation. There were demanding business drivers to improve recruitment and retention of staff as part of a strategy to enhance customer service and business productivity.
FROM VISION INTO PRACTICE
Changing office and culture at Pitney Bowes
The Challenge
Pitney Bowes’ European operation, based in Harlow, Essex had a strategic requirement to close the existing site and move most people to a new facility in Hatfield. They had already decided that they would implement an agile workingscheme to encourage employees to stay with the firm. They also recognised that the move was an opportunity to develop the organisational culture as part of the office move rather than just allow it to change organically. The in-house OD and HR teams had already developed many strategies for making progress and wanted expert help to ensure the success of the initiative.
The Solution to:
- understand the current organisational culture, management practices and HR policies relevant to agile working
- provide information about other organisations which have been through a similar process
- review existing plans for implementing agile working
- advise on amendments and additions to the existing plans based on Wisework’s experience
- recommend practices and policies to be introduced as part of the move
- advise on the timing involved in introducing new working practices
- identify the training and development needs to support the plan
- advise senior management on the culture change process
- provide advice on tools, techniques and methodologies appropriate to this programme
- interview senior managers and gather their views on the agile working project
- design and run a pan European senior managers workshop
- provide ongoing support to the project team during the implementation phase
Identified benefits and outcomes from this work included:
- Setting up a team charged with taking a lead on culture change
- Changed ways of working for some senior managers
- Higher levels of commitment to the way forward
- Our support for the culture team lead to the establishment of a new set of expected behaviours closely linked to business drivers.
- More effective use of collaborative space
The move was achieved successfully, operational practices were improved and employee satisfaction was much higher than previously.