The Focus for the 2009 DEGW Founders’ Lecture
When thinking about the future of the Workplace, I tend to consider who else is doing interesting stuff. However, one should never overlook what were achieving ourselves and what’s going on under our noses.
This was truly brought home to me when I attended the recent DEGW Annual Founders’ Lecture. Usually the August event is held at the Royal College of Physicians. But the 2009 lecture was hosted by BBC Worldwide at the new Media Centre HQ in West London.
Such a break with tradition did not put off DEGW clients and a large crowd came out to White City to see what the BBC gets up to.
On a personal note I feel very proud of how the reception/facility team handled everything in a smooth and unruffled manner.
Despina Katsikakis, Chair of DEGW, delivered a thought-provoking discourse on the future direction of work and the buildings that will best support this activity.
John Smith, CEO of BBC Worldwide, provided the responses to Despina’s lecture and used this platform to outline how he had used this move to a new building as an enabler of significant business transformation.
John in his speech captured, in my view, the essence of what BBC Workplace is trying to achieve through ‘Flex’ our version of an alternative Workplace strategy – by stating: “The new space has re-energised us to maximise the future of our business.”
This is all about understanding the vital role space plays in helping a workforce to engage with one another and in doing so collaboration and thereby creativity flourishes. As John put it: “Space needs to encourage people to talk, to listen, to think, to walk about and to be engaged with their organisation.”
Are there any other examples of where using different spaces has had an affect on your business or creativity?