Just days away from its move to Malta International Airport’s Sky Parks Business Centre, Vodafone is working for its teams to experience the smoothest move possible.
Employees must place their belongings in just one box
However, the work involved in a head-office-move entails going back to the very first day the company decided on the criteria that the new site had to fulfil. For Vodafone, choosing the right site was the first step in ensuring that both staff and visiting customers have a positive experience when stepping into the new offices.
With Vodafone’s new concept of hot-desking and the ultimate objective of considering all team members one team, a large open-plan office – rather than many small offices – was what the mobile operator was looking for. Not many buildings ticked all the right boxes – the building had to have the right infrastructure, appropriate transport facilities, proper parking, suitable accessibility and abundant natural lighting. The premises also had to be environment friendly – Skyparks was BREEAM-certified.
“Moving our head office was not simply a change in address but a complete overhaul of the way we work, our culture and recruitment mentality,” Vodafone Malta’s property manager Antoinette Camilleri explained. “This is an opportunity to transform the way we work, thanks to the open-plan, hot-desking, paperless culture we will be introducing. We wanted to create a positive working environment that will bring people together, instil trust and the right atmosphere that promotes collaboration under one common brand. Our idea was to have a fluid concept, an open-plan office with no boundaries between different teams.”
Vodafone Malta will strike a group first of sorts with the introduction of hot-desking at its new office – it will be the company with the most employees not having their own desk across the network.
Ms Camilleri added that drastic changes require some time but the heads of department were supportive of the culture change. “Much thought went into the design stage, in the desk layout, where we placed our relaxation areas, and our multi-purpose spaces which can be used for work, meetings or leisure purposes. We made sure never to obstruct our views of the office, terrace or the countryside that surrounds us, so no high cabinets were allowed anywhere in the office.”
The offices on two floors are dotted with colourful meeting areas, some of which have been designed by the employees themselves and others which can be easily personalised on the spot by the team members using them.
A cafeteria has been strategically placed in an area which provides employees with the ideal recreation spot which makes them feel as though they are outside even though they will remain inside.
Customers and stakeholders were also kept in mind with different designs in place for the meeting rooms, including areas for lounge and business meetings and other areas for casual meetings. All meeting rooms are equipped with state-of-the-art multimedia facilities, A+ equipment and light sensors to reduce utility usage to ensure efficiency and sustainability.
As a telecommunications company, introducing the latest technology for Vodafone was of utmost importance. The new offices are a completely wireless environment with no desk phones and Wi-Fi services are available throughout the floors, including the terrace.
All furniture was chose carefully – custom-made furniture was designed for some areas, keeping in mind factors like space, comfort, durability, and maintenance. Vodafone team members were involved in all the phases leading to the move. Design ideas and suggestions were taken on board and progress was communicated through the company’s internal channels to ensure everyone was excited about the project.
The company is currently helping employees with the challenge to put all their belongings in just one box.
“Moving to a paperless office is a challenge, but we are working against a clear plan to create the least disturbance possible while helping people to leave our old head offices one day and work seamlessly in our new head office the next,” Ms Camilleri explained.
“Moving a head office can be a headache but it can also be a wonderful experience. With all its challenges and efforts, so far this has been a satisfying experience.”