UBM

UBM create vibrant and dynamic events, enriched with digital and print media. Their events allow customers to make connections and do business effciently and effectively.

THE SITUATION

When moving to their new premises, UBM wanted to make the switch to the agile working concept – and so the 240 project was born.

Mobility at UBM doesn’t simply mean hot-desking; it’s a complete agile working solution. Employees don’t have individually assigned workspaces; in fact, most of the floors in 240 are designed to accommodate 140 people but have only 100 desks.

Each department has its own ‘neighbourhood’ where it is generally based, but everyone has the option to take any desk, on any floor, every day. Sometimes you might decide you don’t even want a desk, and instead take your laptop to one of the many break-out areas for the day. They also need flexible storage solutions to match this dynamic working ethic, which is why Simplicity became involved.

THE PROCESS

“
pushing the boundaries in terms
of smart building technology, we needed to understand their vision – which is now reality

“

UBM decided to use the Simplicity Locker system with their own ‘240 passport’. An RFID card that allows allocated access to storage around the building at the swipe of an RFID.

The Simplicity Storage units were bespoke detailed and decalled beautifully to allow them to blend in seamlessly to their environment. The hot lockers, which are supplied by Your Workspace, have an LED light which is green when a locker is vacant and red when occupied. Users tap the light on the locker to open and simply close the door to lock.

However, what the user can’t see is technology behind the LED sensor, which checks users’ credentials against a database to make sure they should have access to a locker and haven’t already got a locker elsewhere in the building.

THE OUTCOME

“When people saw the tech and saw benefits they felt they were ready to move. We generated a buzz”, the Head of PMO says.

The successful implantation of the lockers at UBM has certainly contributed towards reduction in storage space usage, time and of course money. As well as being easy to use for employees, the hot lockers can also be used to gather information about how storage space is used. In an agile working programme this allows facilities teams to see how much people use their lockers, and if they don’t use them they can ask the question, ‘do they need them?’. It has also given UBM the ability to contingency plan whilst an area might be out of use. Simply by disabling the storage and other agile facets teams naturally gravitated towards other areas.