The Challenge
Since their merger, the municipal services of the municipalities of Puurs and Sint-Amands were spread across multiple locations in different, sometimes very outdated, buildings. The unified municipality decided to build a new administrative center to house most of the civil servants. The new building was also designed to allow for flexible work based on the principles of activity-based working. The building was given an innovative, challenging, and very accessible architectural design. The municipality wanted extensive guidance in the transition to a new way of working in this new location. This project involved high complexity, as different teams with diverse activities, backgrounds, and cultures needed to be brought together into a new, shared way of working. Not only the various municipal services but also the social house were housed in the building. During the process, specific attention was required for optimizing citizen services and managing the intersection between politics and administration.
Our Approach
The process began by defining a shared vision for the new way of working together. Using insights gathered from a series of strategic interviews with key individuals, several strategic workshops were organized with the MAT (Management Advisory Team). This exercise led to a collectively supported vision for the project. Aspects such as the desired services, strengthening knowledge sharing, and the need for an attractive working environment were discussed. The involved services have very specific activities, which were mapped through a profile determination. This quantitative data was further enriched with qualitative aspects through various workshops with employees. brainmove not only examined the team processes but also delved into the services and necessary proximities. The entire needs analysis was ultimately translated into a comprehensive specification document, which was then used to brief the architects. As the move approached, the teams were intensively supported to better understand and adapt to the new way of working. brainmove developed a change plan as well as a communication plan tailored to the client. A shared framework of agreements was created to discuss and frame the desired behaviors in the new working environment. Additionally, brainmove developed an extensive coaching trajectory to elevate hybrid collaboration and remote working. Special attention was also given to coaching leadership regarding their important role in this new context. Extra focus was placed on the impact of hybrid working on collaboration and the changing role of managers.
Result
Through our in-depth analysis of the team processes, a customized concept for the new administrative center was developed. Safe participation allowed teams to be involved so that they could embrace a new way of working together. This project is a great example of how a new work environment can strengthen the organization’s strategy. In particular, the increased informal interactions facilitate knowledge exchange between teams, giving a significant boost to the common organizational culture of the merged municipality.