National firm Browne Jacobson has replaced desks with open-plan workstations, comfortable seating and soundproofed video conference rooms, in a new blueprint for post-pandemic offices.
The firm is due to move to a new office in Manchester in May, which has been designed as a ‘free-flowing, flexible, working and socialising environment’. The firm has reduced the number of standard desks in favour of open-plan workstations, introduced modern seating such as high stools and armchairs, and built two soundproofed conference rooms with audio visual equipment and specialist lighting.
The new office will act as a blueprint for Browne Jacobson’s four other UK offices in Birmingham, London, Nottingham and Exeter. It said a survey of its 75-strong Manchester team found that over 90% of staff wanted to work more flexibly after the pandemic has passed, splitting their week between home and the office.
Manchester partner Dai Durbridge, said: ‘We’ve created a bright and vibrant space which perfectly re-creates the urban coffee lounge vibe that our people wished to see. For us a bricks and mortar location plays an important role in helping us to maintain a strong sense of community, culture and brand identity and ensure we offer the kind of working environment our people and clients will be proud to be a part of.’
Amanda Callaghan, partner and head of the Manchester office, added: ‘We have listened very carefully to how our people want to work going forwards and this has enabled us to create a modern office environment that has the perfect mix of social, private and collaborative working spaces befitting a national powerhouse law firm in a post pandemic world.’
The firm currently occupies floor 14 of No1 Spinningfields, Manchester, and will be officially relocated to floor three in May.
This article is now closed for comment.
16 Readers' comments