WTW Auckland: A Recent Move
Interview with Michael Brown, DIRECTOR, WTW Auckland
How long did you stay at your previous premises?
WTW was previously located at Jarden House and we were there for around 13 years.
How far out did you start looking for a new office premises? Was it long enough?
Our Jarden House lease was set to expire in January 2024, so we started the search for a new WTW Auckland office in October 2022 which gave us plenty of time to select an optimum location.
What were the key drivers for your move?
It was important that we found a new home that met WTW’s long-term commitment to Auckland colleagues and clients. Proximity to our customer base was key, as was access to amenities for colleagues. The design had to support WTW’s unique way of hybrid working, which we call ‘WTW Work Styles’.
Did the move enable you to change the way you are working?
The move to Fanshawe Street has made it easier for us to embrace WTW’s global hybrid work model. We’ve moved away from the traditional office towards more activity-based working; as such, our workspaces are specifically designed to support an increased focus on innovation, collaboration, and client meetings.
Do you provide all team members with a fixed desk? Why or why not?
Our work environment is optimised and dynamic - we see fixed desks as a barrier to the interaction that we want to flourish among our colleagues. With the introduction of WTW Work Styles, our people benefit from greater agility and the ability to collaborate across teams, so we are able to achieve more and continue to meet the needs of our clients.
Activity-Based Working (ABW) - fad or fabulous? Why?
ABW allows people to use different workplace settings for their individual work. This is definitely the best way to support WTW’s hybrid model. Our colleagues can work with their managers to determine the most effective way of working for them and their clients. ABW marries flexibility and productivity; we lease the right amount of space, and our office feels lively and engaged.
What happened to your on-site storage needs? Have they changed? Are you using less paper?
As part of our commitment towards sustainability, we are mindful of our environmental impact and constantly examine how we conduct business. We have gone paperless for most of our activities at WTW and we’ve designated electronic records as the official record of the company. We do need to store some paper records for legal reasons, but our new Fanshawe Street office has substantially less space devoted to storage.
What are some of the things you did right with the fitout?
Selecting an office that was already fitted out to a high standard and that met the majority of our requirements meant we were able to spend less time and money redesigning a bare shell – useful, considering the rising costs of construction, and a big plus in terms of sustainability.
What is the one piece of advice you would give another company looking to move premises?
Start your search for a new home early, and rather than building up stock of possible compromise offices, try and focus on a couple of options that meet all your business requirements up front.
