The Very Group, which operates the Very and Littlewoods brands, has finished renovations on its Liverpool headquarters in Speke to accommodate a permanent shift to a more hybrid working model.
The £2bn-revenue online retailer has invested significantly in the transformation of Skyways House to create a more ‘optimum team working space’ for the 2,100 staff based there. Enabling them to split their time more flexibly between home and office working when lockdown easing begins later this year.
The revamp of the 2,400 square metre building, completed by Greenmount Projects, has seen the introduction of an open plan layout with bespoke break-out and collaboration spaces suited for interactive group working.
Hot desks have been installed to enable staff to work from anywhere on site, there are also now accessible kitchen spaces and unisex toilet facilities across the campus. While green spaces are said to add an element of calm.
The Hub, the second office on campus and future home to 750 of the group’s customer care colleagues, is now a flexible contact centre, with collaborative zones, hot desks, quiet pods, training rooms and break out spaces of different sizes and specifications.
The remodel, which has been replicated at the firm’s Bolton customer care centre, complements the existing wellbeing area at the Liverpool HQ. This space includes a conference centre, juice bar, relaxation zone and a colleague gym with regular fitness classes.
Sarah Willett, chief people officer at The Very Group, said: “Remote working during Covid-19 has seen our people operate with even greater ingenuity at a time when we’re attracting record numbers of new customers. Our colleagues have told us they like the greater flexibility that comes with working from home and when the UK starts re-opening, we’ll make some permanent changes to the way we work.
“We want our people to be productive at home and super collaborative in the office. That’s why we’ve invested in reconfiguring our workspaces, and we’re absolutely delighted with the results. Our new spaces will be about high energy, high impact creativity and collaboration, all with a focus on improving the experience for our colleagues and our 4.5 million customers. We’ll also continue investing in our technology and systems to make sure our people have the best tools for the job.
“But our plans aren’t just about productivity. They’re about how we can offer our colleagues true value and get value back in return. By offering better balance, increased flexibility, interesting work, and an amazing place to come together, we can attract even more outstanding people – and retain the ones we already have.”
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