Merrill Lynch is a leading financial management and advisory company with a global network of offices and client assets of nearly $2 trillion. Achieving pre-eminence is the corporate mission, and Merrill Lynch are committed to maintaining a reputation as ‘the best place to work’.
When Merrill Lynch announced the relocation of its IPCG group from the West End of London to the heart of Croydon, staff were initially unenthusiastic about the move. As well as the change of site, they would also be adjusting to a change in office layout and culture, with small enclosed offices being replaced by open plan workstations. Creating an exceptional working environment in the new building was therefore considered essential to overcoming misgivings and communicating the move as a positive step.
Project Manager Steve Pheasant worked closely with designers Austin Lord Smith to come up with a high quality furniture solution, in keeping with corporate culture worldwide and at the same time appealing to IPCG’s 400 employees, who are mostly in their late twenties and early thirties.
An Employee Advisory Group was set up to consult staff on all aspects of the refurbishment, and Herman Miller’s proposed furniture solution was judged to achieve the ‘professional but contemporary’ feel required. To gather wider feedback from all employees, a sample workstation was set up in the London offices, comprising an Abak desk, return screen, pedestal and Aeron chair. Staff were invited to try it for size and cast their vote on the company intranet, giving everyone a voice in the selection. Herman Miller also provided computer generated images of multiple workstations, to indicate how the whole building would look.
Steve Pheasant, who gathered employee feedback from the focus groups and product display sessions, notes that the Aeron chair was a instant hit: ‘The employee reaction was outstanding – everyone fell in love with it.’ Providing the best chair on the market ensured that support staff in the suburbs did not feel like second-class citizens, but still closely connected to their colleagues in the City.
Some staff with back problems who had previously been using special orthopaedic chairs opted for Aerons instead, appreciating the level of comfort and ergonomic support they provide. Anne Charles, Building Services Manager, was initially dubious, admitting she found the Aeron’s unusual appearance disconcerting. However, just sitting in one and experimenting with the controls was enough to convince her: ‘The Aeron chairs are absolutely brilliant. I want to take one home with me!’
Abak desking with a maple finish was selected for its light airy aesthetic, efficient cable management and adjustability for the long term. Three sizes of desking were needed to cater for the different monitor requirements of each employee. Steve Pheasant describes Herman Miller and dealers MJF City as ‘incredibly responsive’ to staff input, as the initial desking offering was tailored to meet specific requirements.
Storage was also a concern to staff, as overhead storage was to be replaced with centralised archives to open up the office landscape. Storage consultants assessed and challenged filing habits and Herman Miller’s Meridian storage was selected as the best solution.
Having moved in to the Business Innovation Centre in March 2001, staff are appreciating the new surroundings which they helped to create – as well as choosing Herman Miller furniture, they also have the free gym they requested! ‘Communication is the key’ reflects Anne Charles, who believes that ‘involving people’ in the choices made has proved key to the smooth running of this project. ‘Croydon has been a real success’ concludes Steve Pheasant, ‘and Herman Miller was a big part of that.’
