HomeLet, Lincoln
We helped ‘HomeLet Insurance’ (part of the Barbon Group.) relocate from their 40,000 sq. HQ in Lincoln into new purpose built premises of 25,000 sq.ft.
Their new home is 30% smaller than their former premises, yet it’s design facilitated their planned expansion of an additional 100 staff taking their Lincoln based team to 330. Significantly cutting overheads and facilitating business growth.
1st floor referencing teams
HomeLet, are part of the Barbon Insurance Group. They are the market-leader in providing reference and rent guarantee solutions to the lettings industry.
Ian, Sian & Veronika worked with Michael Robinson, Head of the Building Consultancy team at Gerald Eve LLP. Together with Paul Gibson, MPS (Quantity surveyors,) and Dave Baker, DBD solutions, (M&E consultants), they assisted the HomeLet team, to relocate form their former 40,000 sq,ft HQ building, into new purpose built 25,000 sq.ft offices, close to their existing site.
Workplace evaluation study / project brief report
Organogram & adjacencies diagram
Working closely with the HomeLet change management team we undertook a detailed study of their workplace, and devised a new strategy which facilitated more ‘task based working and flexibility’ within the various sales and customer services teams.
Team briefing area
Light weight timber ‘micro-architecture’ structures, (pergolas and booths), define separate zones for the various operational areas and create a ‘sense of place’ for each of the different sales, or customer services teams.
Chat booth
Micro-Architecture ‘tea-house’ concept
Sales team ‘drop-in’ benches
Sales team area
Chat booth
Our clients are extremely happy with the results and we have subsequently worked with other parts of the Barbon Insurance Group considering their accommodation options.
“Ian & Veronika. Just to say thank you both very much for all your patience, support, advice, kindness and professionalism. We love it here. It is so beautiful for us all. Thanks.”
Chat bar
Their new workplace was designed to encourage openness and create a ‘lively, friendly, homely’ working environment.
Break out area
There are various types of setting for informal meetings either close to or away from the team benches. Some of these central areas are partially enclosed with translucent screens, whilst these offer no acoustic privacy, the areas ‘feel’ distinctly ‘calm’.
And there are bookable meeting booths, adjacent to each department. These are also used as drop in stations for visiting staff, or for more concentrated work that needs to be done away from the open benches.
1st floor tea point
Espresso bar
Board room
The interior was designed to feel informal and domestic. To make it as ‘homely’ as a call centre could be.
The Homelet corporate colour pallet was used alongside softer, natural tones, textures and materials to soften the feel.
Breakfast bar
There is a small kitchenette and espresso bar adjacent to the reception area and meeting room suite.
And a full staff restaurant and ‘play room’ with pool table, table football and large screen for on-line games
For presentations, or meetings that require quiet or privacy, there is a formal ‘board room’, a suite of flexible meeting rooms and there are five cellular executive offices.
Sales team areas
Staff café
““Ian & Veronika, I just thought I’d drop you a line with some feedback I had from a new agent prospect I showed around Hestia yesterday…
…They were so impressed with the set up and the lay out. They particularly enjoyed the concept of the drop-in booths and break away areas and said there was a real buzz about the place, but it was clear that everyone was working hard and there was a focus too. Lots of really happy smiley faces and a fantastic place to bring customers which have both gone a long, long way to getting a large, local business on board with us.”
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