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Yorkshire Building Society - Workplace Consultancy

Our ongoing partnership with Yorkshire Building Society has transformed their Bradford office into a people-centred, hybrid-ready workplace. Building on our previous work in Peterborough, they turned to our Workplace Consultancy team to help reimagine the space for new ways of working in a post-pandemic world.
Sector Finance
Size 29,455
Location Bradford
Design and Build Workplace Furniture Workplace Consultancy Technology

The workplace consultancy section of our project was crucial to the success of this project, colleague consultation ensured we could provide in house presentation and collaboration spaces of suitable capacity for our teams based in this office. The whole process ran seamlessly ensuring all our colleagues felt they had input and understanding of what changes were being made. Without this consultation process it would have been difficult to achieve the positive feedback and cost savings from previously having to hire external spaces for team events.

Daniel Moore - Property Development Manager, Yorkshire Building Society

Working collaboratively with Claremont has really helped us to create an inclusive, vibrant working space for all colleagues to enjoy and bring their best selves to work.

Samantha Hodgson - Operations and Commercial Manager, Yorkshire Building Society

Increase in face-to-face and virtual meetings happening daily by

87%

A rise in colleagues feeling supported in informal collaboration of

118%

Teamwork, problem-solving, and creative collaboration has grown

117%

Our partnership through Workplace Consultancy

Our work with Yorkshire Building Society has been a journey of change and collaboration, creating a workplace designed with their people at the heart. The shift to hybrid working, accelerated by the pandemic, led Yorkshire Building Society to take a fresh look at their workplaces. Having previously worked with Claremont for their Peterborough office, they asked our Workplace Consultancy team to help them rethink how their headquarters at Yorkshire Drive in Bradford could better support new ways of working.

Understanding their colleagues’ needs

To get a real sense of how the office was currently working for Yorkshire Building Society colleagues, we carried out workshops, interviews, and a company-wide survey. This gave us valuable insights into the everyday challenges of hybrid working, including:

  • Workplace technology challenges
  • Lack of suitable spaces for virtual meetings
  • Noise distractions
  • Lack of quiet areas for focused work
  • Limited social and collaborative spaces
  • Accessibility considerations

Ensuring the design brief was robust

After initial test fits and design planning, the brief expanded when the decision was made to incorporate their existing training facility into the main building, so we undertook further consultancy. This helped us ensure that the brief was being met and allowed us to incorporate our findings into the final design  and make sure their office was fit for the future.

 

Workplace Consultancy for YBS
Yorkshire Building Society, Bradford

Creating an inclusive workplace

A big part of our work with Yorkshire Building Society was making sure their office was inclusive and accessible for everyone. Working alongside their accessibility network team, we ran workshops and surveys to support (and achieve!) their goal of becoming a Disability Confident Level 2 employer. Our Workplace Consultancy team, including our in-house Workplace Psychologist, helped ensure the new workspace would be welcoming and functional for all colleagues.

Helping people adapt to change

Once the designs were in place, we knew the transition needed to be smooth and stress-free. We rolled out a change management programme to keep Yorkshire Building Society colleagues in the loop and excited about their new environment, using internal communications, 3D visuals, and interactive workshops to get everyone engaged. When the new workspace was ready, every colleague received a detailed workplace guide. Our team provided guided tours to help people settle in, address concerns, and build confidence in their new office environment.

The Results? A More Engaged and productive Workforce

Six months after the refurbishment, we went back to Yorkshire Drive to see how things were going. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with workplace satisfaction scores increasing from -178 to +57, a 235-point improvement!

Here’s what changed:

Better meeting spaces: Through introducing a variety of meeting rooms, better equipped with hybrid meeting technology, alongside private pods for 1-1 conversations, our post occupancy study showed a 236% increase in colleagues saying their workplace now supports external meetings and confidential conversations.

Improved focus areas: A 159% boost in people feeling their individual work needs are well-supported.

More collaboration and social interaction: Through the addition of a variety of work settings, including booths, touchdown benches, pods, and informal collaboration zones, Yorkshire Building Society have seen significant improvements in the frequency of meetings and collaboration taking place.

 

 

Accessibility improvements

Yorkshire Building Society has been accredited as a Level 2 Disability Confident Employer, demonstrating their commitment to attracting, recruiting, and retaining disabled talent. This recognition reflects the progress we’ve helped them to make a more inclusive and accessible workplace for all, ensuring that everyone has the support and opportunities they need to thrive

 

When it comes to office attendance, attitudes have shifted

In 2021*, only 2% of colleagues wanted to work from the office five days a week. Now that number’s up to 16%.

Meanwhile, those wanting to work fully remotely dropped from 24% in 2021 to just 4% post refurbishment.

These figures show that by creating a Destination Office, it will in turn attract your people to come in more frequently. Through providing a variety of workspaces for colleagues to effectively carry out their tasks, the workplace becomes more attractive, as it offers the connection and collaboration that home working can’t.

*behaviours may have been influenced by Covid-19 pandemic

The importance of Workplace Consultancy

Our partnership with Yorkshire Building Society shows just how impactful workplace consultancy can be. By listening to colleagues, implementing meaningful changes, and supporting the transition, we’ve helped create a workspace that’s not just functional, but one that actively enhances productivity, inclusivity, and collaboration. It’s been a fantastic journey, and we’re proud to have played a part in shaping a workplace that truly works for them and their people.

Destination Office

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