BDO Stoy Hayward's new home paves the way in innovation
Published on Wed 22 Jul 2009
Accountancy firms do not tend to conjure up images of hubs of creativity and innovation, but leading Manchester-based accountants and business advisors BDO Stoy Hayward is challenging this traditional perception with the opening of new offices in Spinningfields.
BDO Stoy Hayward’s new home at 3 Hardman Street is reforming the concept of the traditional office working space and will change the standard way of working that employees may have become accustomed to. Viewpoint was appointed to design and deliver an audio-visual solution which complements the innovative workplace and provides a variety of flexible multi-media solutions to the meeting and client suite.
Jeff Jones, lead partner at BDO Stoy Hayward in Manchester, said: “Spinningfields is a fantastic new office space which has enabled us to really look closely at our business and how we operate. Our objective was to create a layout which supports our values and visualises our ‘one firm’ message.
“We recognised that there were areas of the business that we needed to look at for us to be an improved client-focused organisation. We wanted to explore and challenge the way people in the accountancy industry are working in order to, ultimately, provide an improved service to our clients.
The heart of the open plan office features the ‘Village Green’. This is where everyone can come together to collaborate, communicate and converse, and does not feature a single desk. Within the Village green and the open plan spaces, flat screen digital signage systems display corporate and brand messages around the building. This is integrated with a satellite TV system so that the screens can be used to display news services and sporting fixtures if required. The system is updated daily with the internal marketing team scheduling the content, depending on the day’s requirements.
Within the client suite, a fully integrated AMX control system in the two main conference rooms has been installed, the movable wall allowing the rooms to be used together for seminars or separately for more formal meetings. In all other meeting rooms the infrastructure was installed to allow mobile plasma screens to be used wherever required. Viewpoint also installed a twin screen video conferencing system to improve communication with clients and other BDO offices
Jeff concluded: “Our new home at Spinningfields has allowed us to visualise our ‘one firm’ vision and positions the concept of leadership, knowledge and empowerment. When developing the design of the office we put client service at the heart of our concept, and our investment in the working environment and our people means that we can deliver and be the best.”
