Computer sciences group is gaining cultural as well as economic benefits by centralising its operations. From CFO April 2003.
The decision to move to North Ryde wasn’t a difficult one for the IT group Computer Sciences Group (CSG). In Sydney, the company’s operations were spread across seven sites. As Matthew Day, vice-president finance and administration at the company says: “Very simply, it costs less to lease and run one big building than seven smaller ones – a 10-year plan showed significant savings.”
While these calculations were comprehensive, they didn’t put a price on the cultural and financial benefits of having all Sydney staff at one well-designed location.
CSG property director Neil Watson says that consolidation typically gives an opportunity to increase efficiency and cut the space used by each person. The company’s objective is to operate at a comparatively generous 15.5 square metres (gross) per person.
Watson says: “Now we will work with open plan where it is light and it is airy and there’s open communication available to staff, and creating a more effective and efficient working environment.”
This is in line with trends among other companies where formal meetings rooms are being abandoned for “break out” space. CSG’s two buildings, designed by Woods Bagot, are linked by a “breezeway” and a 15-metre wide bridge. The bridge is designed to be an informal meeting space, build the community and shake out the stuffiness of formal meeting rooms. Shell’s new L-shaped building in Hawthorn East, Victoria, has a similar device in a courtyard. MLC was one of the first organisations to use such a device to stimulate staff interaction and communication – in the shape of a staircase.
Day says that the company also is dumping Dilbert-style cubicles because they put barriers between staff and cut light out for all but the fortunate few. It is part of a culture designed to increase worker friendliness.
Across the country, 4000 staff are spread across 40 sites. By August, 1500 Sydney staff will have moved to one at Talavera Road in North Ryde. In total, CSG has taken 20,000 square metres of space. It consists of two offset buildings connected by a “breezeway” and bridge.
Watson describes the bridge: “It’s an area where people can go and make coffee, sit down – it’s a casual break area – have their lunch, have meetings. The whole intention is that you may have differing business units between the floors that are able to socialise and mingle and socialise in the space.”
The building is designed to allow the maximum natural light in, helped by floor to ceiling glazing. It is also energy-efficient.
One of the main attractions of the space, in addition to its access to transport and the Macquarie Shopping centre in North Ryde, was the comparatively large floor plates of 2000 square metres. CSG is fortunate enough to have been given approval for one parking space for 30 square metres of the building – one place for each two members of staff. Now the regulations have changed with just one for 45 square metres available.
Day says that because the business is always changing, the company needs flexibility. All property in Australia and 80 per cent of its property around the world is leased for this reason.
The company also used the opportunity to consolidate offices and to standardise
fit outs and reduce costs. “Our experience is that open plan layouts significantly reduce day one cost and the cost of change while allowing us to provide better quality work environments,” Day says.
In terms of managing property risk, the aim is to keep everything flexible. Physically this is resulting in a standardised layout, which can be changed back and forth quickly and cheaply. In terms of its leases, it means that CSG tries to negotiate leases so it can hand back space and take extra space as the need arises.
Part of the design of the new building is to allow as much natural light as possible through to staff. Those facing the bridge can even open their windows thanks to a sophisticated building management system.