2 days ago
Trying To Help Employees Like Mondays Again
Free coffee, breakfast and lunch are among the perks for London staff.
London Tech Week, which began on Monday, may have got off to a mixed start with the news of a series of bids for U.K.-based companies, but there was a perhaps more reassuring message a couple of weeks previously, when a company providing software that aims to improve workflow management, officially opened its London office.
The state-of-the-art building, which is in a prime position in the city's West End and comes with a host of features designed to attract workers back to the office, will serve not just as the base for the company's 300-odd U.K. staff, but as the Tel Aviv-based company's European hub. Pierre Berlin, general manager for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, said he believed London remained 'the best technology hub in Europe,' with an 'incomparable' talent pool. Ben Barnett, newly-appointed regional vice-president of the U.K. and Ireland, added that 'there was no reason to doubt the long-term appeal of the U.K.'
Eran Zinman, co-CEO of the company, said in a release marking the opening at the beginning of this month: 'Our London team plays a vital role in global success – from R&D and product to sales, marketing, and customer success. We are investing significantly in scaling our presence here, and that reflects the deep trust we have in the local ecosystem.' This is despite the fact that the bids for Spectris, Alphawave and Oxford Ionics — worth a combined £6 billion ($8.16 billion) — have renewed concerns about Britain's ability to retain and scale up innovative companies.
The U.K. and Ireland business at is one of the fastest-growing in the EMEA region, with the headcount in London more than doubling in the past year. The new building is designed to not just provide enough space for the growing workforce to expand into but to support the collaborative culture that sees as central to its success. Alongside quiet rooms and flexible team zones, it includes dedicated spaces for hackathons, customer workshops and staff gatherings. Cultural details specific to London were incorporated throughout, so rooting the office in the city's identity. Cafes provide free coffee and other beverages as well as breakfast and lunch in an effort to encourage socialising and team building.
While not taking as tough a stance as many executives in technology and beyond in demanding a return to the office, Barnett clearly sees the benefit in employees working alongside each other. 'Hybrid is perfect,' he said in an interview ahead of the official opening of the building. While acknowledging that some aspects of work, such as administration and planning, were 'better done at home,' he added that there was 'value' to being in the office together. It brought about moments of serendipity that could make a difference — things like being able to help a colleague after overhearing them in a telephone conversation, or bumping into a colleague from another team in the corridor. With sales, for example, there was a rhythm to the work and a camaraderie that came about through sharing successes as they happened.
The company expects staff to be in the office three days a week, although some are there more often. For this reason it was 'intentional' about the design and has gone to great trouble and doubtless no small expense to produce a building that does not just appeal to employees but also to customers and partners.
This approach is in contrast with some other companies that have stuck to the remote model that became widespread as a result of the restrictions imposed in response to the pandemic. For example, at iplicit, another business software company, chief executive Lyndon Stickley believes not requiring staff to be in an office aids in recruitment. 'Where people live is irrelevant now,' he said in an interview, adding that not having an office to commute to is attractive for many professionals. He conceded that for younger employees being with other people so that they can learn from them 'through osmosis' was really important. But he insisted that the key was to motivate people by making them feel they were turning up for a cause rather than just a job. 'Working remotely is an unbelievable advantage for an agile business,' he said. Like monday, iplicit is growing fast, with 200 employees expected to be on board by the end of the year.
Clearly, whatever some well-known leaders of big businesses might have to say, the days of everybody in offices all the time have gone. Indeed, as both and iplicit know all too well from the products and services they offer, where work is done long ceased to be the real issue. It is now all about how it is done.
