babel projects ltd
strategic restack and agile transformation planning for Network Rail
babel projects (whilst trading as Fileworks) leveraged its long-standing relationship with Network Rail to plan a major workplace transition for approximately 4,000 staff at the head office, 'The Quadrant,' in Milton Keynes. The project's core mandate included a building-wide restack, space and occupancy planning, furniture reconfiguration, and storage auditing. Crucially, the project required a comprehensive refresh of the organisation's agile working practices, encompassing behaviour change strategy, communications, and training development.
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babel projects delivered the complete diagnostic and planning phase of this large-scale project, setting the foundation for the future implementation of the agile workplace strategy.
the challenge
managing behavioural and cultural change at scale
The primary challenge was managing the logistical and cultural complexity of implementing a restack for 4,000 people concurrently with a major overhaul of agile working. Staff engagement and successful behavioural change were critical to the project's success.
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The client needed a partner adept at understanding deep-seated organisational challenges:
Jen worked hard to understand our organisation and the various challenges we faced in terms of the history around agile working and differing levels of engagement.
- Jo Lewington, Head of Workplace, Network Rail
The restack required intricate space and adjacency planning for thousands of employees, while the agile transformation demanded a sensitive, expert approach to ensure buy-in from all 4,000 staff members.
the solution
psychological expertise and data-driven diagnostics
babel projects' approach combined physical space planning with robust psychological and organisational expertise to ensure the new agile environment would be embraced. The planning phase was characterized by a meticulous, data-driven diagnostic approach:
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Stakeholder interviews: Detailed interviews were conducted with key stakeholders to fully map out unique space, equipment, and adjacency requirements for every function.
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Engagement strategy: Four focus groups were organised to inspire cross-departmental discussions regarding the benefits and concerns of agile working, fostering collective problem-solving.
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Baseline measurement: An online survey gathered comprehensive attitude and behavioural insights, establishing a crucial baseline against which the project's long-term success could be measured.
This comprehensive planning was highly valued by the client:
Their planning and attention to detail is excellent, and they manage our wide range of inhouse stakeholders with sensitivity and professionalism. Jen used her psychological expertise and HR experience to develop a comprehensive change management approach...
- Jo Lewington, Head of Workplace, Network Rail
the result
implementation-ready strategy and trusted partnership
babel projects successfully completed the entire diagnostic and planning phase, delivering a robust, fully costed strategy ready for immediate implementation.
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Key deliverables included:
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Detailed restack floor plans and comprehensive costing options.
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A comprehensive report of the findings and strategic recommendations.
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An action plan, communication campaign, etiquette development, and support and training framework for managers.
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The success of the planning phase reinforced the firm's long-term partnership with Network Rail:
The team at Babel Projects (TA Fileworks) have always been a reliable and supportive partner in delivering our various workplace projects... They are adept at overcoming problems and always deliver efficient solutions, adding great value to our FM team.
- Jo Lewington, Head of Workplace, Network Rail
