Whitbread
DUNSTABLE

THE DIVERSITY OF WHITBREAD’S SUPPORT CENTRE CAMPUS

Today’s workspaces have moved towards openness and flexibility in design. But a balance should be struck between creating physical collaborative hubs and spaces that offer privacy for people to focus on their work and contemplate when relaxing. Hospitality lies at the core of this business so at the beginning of the week the environment is a frenzy of people, workshops and meetings, sharing information and ideas after a busy weekend. Whitbread wanted a modern workplace design that was intentionally designed to foster collaboration and tacit knowledge exchange. A Tsunami effect that the space needed to support, offering the wide array of spaces that were adaptable and not just a sea of workstations. By the end of the week the building offers more tumbleweed than people in the same net area so the spaces can be relaxed to support alternative activities for the permanently placed staff. 

There is a correlation between how satisfied people are with their physical work environment and how engaged they are in their work. Future workplace should offer a richer variety of spaces that support choices in what people do, how they do it and with whom. Because Whitbread already operates in this incredibly agile way, the new workplace revolves entirely around activity based working and will improve co-operation and good connections across the entire campus. 

The new environment will also reflect the passion and personality that make their brands legendary. Part of a two year programme to refurbish the existing building’s, the first phase of Whitbread’s revitalised campus support centre is demonstrated at Samuel Court after 14 months of intense development.  The visual reference to Premier Inn, Beefeater restaurants and Costa Coffee brands is echoing the physical experience that will be enjoyed by the employees in this dynamic new world. And, because the work environment can play a key part in the strategy to help people feel a greater sense of belonging, purpose and engagement with the organisation it will become a theatre of innovation, creativity, activity and hopefully, enjoyed productivity.

Work position statistics

• Fixed and assigned places – 201
  • This profile assumes attendance in the building is 4 to 5 days per week
• Agile worker profile 1- 146
  • This profile assumes attendance in the building is 1 to 3 days per week
• Agile worker profile 2 – 220
  • This profile assumes attendance in the building is 1 to 5 days per month
• Total number of positions available – 567 in 2,087m²

Floor density could vary between 3.68m2 and 10.38m² depending on how well occupied the building is on any given day.