Central administration moves to a new office

Challenge

The Flemish Water Supply Company (De Watergroep) relocated its central administration to a new office building with landscape offices and flexible workplaces. A world away from the old buildings. ARCH guided the entire transition process.

Project approach

• Analysis of needs – When elaborating the technical specs for the landscape offices, ARCH decided, in consultation with the De Watergroep, to apply the principle of flexible workplaces as extensive as possible: no fixed workplaces, but each employee could work with a laptop, programmable landlines and follow-me printing.
• Realisation – ARCH managed the tendering processes from specifications until implementation, and was the spider in the communication web between De Watergroep staff and the suppliers selected.
• Buy-in –De Watergroep staff's involvement was crucial for also making the project succeed in practice. This is why a workgroup was created very early on in the process, with representatives from every department to act as a sounding board. This workgroup also acted as an internal project ambassador towards other parties involved.

Result

De Watergroep moved to its new offices in October 2010. This switch went smoothly, thanks to intensive guidance and close monitoring supported by ARCH. Nowadays, everyone at De Watergroep works in a flexible office landscape.

De Watergroep is the largest drinking water supplier in Flanders, and provides drinking water to 2.9 million Flemish families in 175 communes and cities. The company is also partner in municipal sewerage networks and realises customised projects for businesses as an integral water company