Office Productivity Network Workshop at GSK Harlow

The Office Productivity Network (OPN) has for the last 7 years organised events to promote exemplar workspaces which are delivering productive environments for their occupants. The 20 th best practice event was held on 26 September at GSK’s Harlow Laboratories to explore and debate the Flexilab concept.

The Workshop had excited an unprecedented amount of interest and from the original target of 30 delegates with considerable effort and flexibility from the on-site staff we were able to receive 48 property professionals from a wide range of prominent UK companies: corporate occupiers and designers, engineers and facilities management specialists. Organisations represented included Accord, Arup, AstraZeneca, BT, Davis Langdon, DEGW, DTZ, Eli Lilly, Herman Miller, HSBC, Johnson Controls, Land Securities Trillium, MEPC, Nokia, Pfizer, Pringle Brandon, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Reuters, Taylor Woodrow, Wates and Unilever. Indeed 15 other prospective delegates were on a waiting list!

The sessions covered presentations on the Flexilab and DRAF concept and strategy, the impressive post occupancy metrics achieved and an occupant view of how the new environment had driven new working methods and delivered sustainable productivity improvement. The enhanced interaction, communication and stimulus to innovation achieved came over strongly. All delegates then had an extensive tour of the facilities followed by a lively Q&A session which delved into some of the real mechanics of how GSK business and staff had benefited from the new approach.

Feedback from the participants was very positive with 96% judging the event a success and with quotes such as: "Great tour - very knowledgeable guide, explained views with clarity", "Excellent presentations", "Good mix of technical and non-technical items".