Pathfinders
Workplace 2010 is a radical change for the NICS. Two exciting pathfinder projects are testing and evaluating the new proposals and demonstrating the new environment to the wider civil service.
About 120 staff in Central Personnel Group and the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency moved to new accommodation in Royston House in Central Belfast in July 2005.
For more information about the Central Personnel Group Pathfinder download the CPG Pathfinder Project powerpoint presentation (5 MB).
An evaluation of the new arrangements show that the open working environment has been accepted by the majority of staff. The most positive aspects of the evaluation were:
- quality of the working environment;
- furniture;
- technology;
- image;
- team working;
- communications;
- access to senior management;
- reduction in paper holdings; and
- efficiency of printing and copying facilities.
Areas for improvement included a range of environmental issues and the constraints created by the layout of the building. There remained scope to further exploit the alternative work settings.
Overall the move to Royston House has been a beneficial and positive move for Central Personnel Group and a valuable pathfinder for Workplace 2010.
A total of 435 staff from the Central Procurement Directorate (CPD), Strategic Investment Board Limited (SIB) and Delivery and Innovation Division (DID) moved into the second pathfinder, Clare House in Autumn 2006.
This pathfinder provides a greater opportunity to test wider Workplace 2010 principles including new advancements in technology and new working styles and practices.
An evaluation of Clare House conducted in late 2007 provides a number of important lessons on successes as well as challenges for the future.
The evaluation included a staff, visitor and customer questionnaire, interviews, focus groups, and a space utilisation study. Some 270 staff, 130 customers and 150 visitors participated in the evaluation and the highlights include:
Successes
- Contemporary working environment
- Better team working and interaction with colleagues
- Improved communication
- Availability and variety of meeting areas
- Major reduction in office space (40%), printers (80%) and storage (80%)
- Improved canteen and catering facilities
Challenges
- Noise and distractions
- Environmental issues – mainly temperature
- Privacy / confidentiality
- Adjusting to a change in location of office accommodation
- Implementation of advanced IT facilities
The Clare House experience continues to be a very beneficial pathfinder for Workplace 2010. Lessons learned from the evaluation are being incorporated into an action plan which will ensure that the issues relating to the wider Workplace 2010 roll out will be addressed.
Clare House also hosts future@work which is an interactive exhibition and display area which helps staff to understand the impact of the wider reform agenda and the ways in which they can expect to work in the future.
