project details
Client: Infineum
Location: Singapore
Size: 17,244 sft.
Project Completed: 2018
Type: Workplace Transformation
Industry: Chemicals
Collective Members: Paperspace Asia, Kemp & Associates
project summary
Infineum is a world leader in the formulation, manufacturing and marketing of petroleum additives for lubricants and fuels. In Singapore, it was located at Jurong East for the past 15 years. Infineum was looking for a new location to house its 140 staff with a real estate savings of about 40 per cent. The company was also looking to initiate a larger transformation which increasing collaboration and knowledge sharing were key parts. A workplace strategy was therefore required to ensure a new effective space design, which would enable new behaviours, combined with change management to support staff embracing the new environment and guidelines for operating the new workplace successfully.
With the help of Paperspace and Kemp & Associates, a Paperspace Collective member, the company has:
- Created a more open, connected and shared workplace where their employees and business can thrive, the result of an in-depth change management program that helped them to identify six new areas of organizational focus and eight corresponding design principles.
- Secured buy-in from leaders and staff to embrace change, and defined a transformative solution that aligned with their key motivations and desires.
- Significantly enhanced individual productivity, a result of increased collaboration and knowledge sharing attributed to their workplace strategy.
the challenge
With a highly enclosed, disconnected workspace, and silo-led working culture, there would be a need for a culture change. The workspace would also have to change towards a more open, connected and shared workspace, with choice spaces to support different work styles, enhancing individual productivity and nurturing new key behaviours. It was therefore essential that Infineum’s leaders were convinced of the need for a cultural shift first so their buy-in could be attained, thereby leading by example and empowering staff to embrace new behaviours.
the solution
The strategy was split into three phases – Workplace Transformation, Design Collaboration, and Change Management – with an emphasis on leadership engagement and strategy development. By taking a proactive role in engaging with the organisation, Paperspace and Kemp & Associates were able to present data from senior leaders, staff focus groups and surveys, to inform senior leaders about their opportunities and solutions. Strategy findings highlighted a desire from both leaders and staff to embrace change, and there was enough common ground to define a transformative solution based on six new areas of organisational focus and eight new space principles.
the results
A post move survey, conducted six months after the move showed staff had settled in well, behaviour changes had taken place and leadership were confident in continuing their organisational transformation, now supported by the workplace. The Workplace Transformation and Change process had successfully empowered the organisation and its leadership to focus on the organisational transformation.
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