Mace Group

A better way of working

Hertfordshire County Council invited Mace Group to prepare an outline business case (OBC) for an alternative property solution for their office estate. The strategic review considered 51 properties providing c650,000 sq.ft of office space for c4500 staff. The existing estate was considered disparate, inflexible and did not provide an environment that would support an efficient and effective delivery of core service to its customers.

The original drivers behind the review were:

• To make efficient, cost-effective use of office accommodation;
• To provide good value for money;
• To facilitate further improvement in staff performance

The business case objectives were to:

• Consolidate to 3-strategic locations;
• Reduce the overall space footprint;
• Release/dispose of most of the properties;
• Fund the capex through capital receipts;
• Develop the principles of new ways of working through a change programme;
• Recognition that the programme was more than a property solution, it was about people and ‘the way they work'; this subsequently became the project name.

We were subsequently appointed in a multi-disciplinary role to design, procure and deliver the full programme of works.

Mace Group's skilled handling of the programme resulted in the following benefits:

• Consolidation of office estate to 3-strategic campuses in Apsley, Stevenage and Hertford;
• Incorporation of partnership working with the Police, Fire Service and PCT;
• Disposal/release of 35 properties and backlog maintenance liability;
• Capital receipts from property disposals funded entire capital programme of refurbished properties, including new furniture;
• Revenue projected as neutral;
• 30% reduction on office footprint;
• >65% reduction in document storage;
• Office rationalisation provided opportunity for a major change programme;
• An average of 3:2 staff/workstation;
• Represents a brand new day for 2,600 staff;
• Change management programme rolled-out to all 4500 office staff;
• Introduction of a brand new infrastructure providing the latest IT and telephony technology, including disaster recovery centres at each new campus;
• Provides the tools and technology to promote flexible working, affording opportunities for improved business efficiencies;
• Feedback following staff surveys indicated 85% of staff very happy;
• Delivered in 3-years 

News: Workplace design Hertfordshire County Council's new offices [13.02.07]

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Links

Client: Hertfordshire County Council
http://www.hertsdirect.org/

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