A message from Lucy Taylor to staff – FAQs about office plans

Published: Monday February 3, 2025

Lucy Taylor, Deputy Diocesan Secretary addresses staff questions about the move to the new office buildings.

Now that all teams have seen the new office plans, we’ve been able to collect and respond to the questions, comments and feedback you’ve brought. It’s been great to hear from so many different voices as we plan this move together.

We hope through seeing the plans you have been able to get more of a feel for the benefits that come with shared desk spaces and more open plan layouts. Our vision is that this new office will enable better interaction between teams; enhanced collaboration; and more flexibility to accommodate changing needs around our work and staffing dynamics. On a personal level I’m looking forward to being a bit warmer in the office!

However, we do also recognise the challenges that this new way of working could bring. We know that for some that this change is daunting. We understand that different personalities and tasks require different environments and incorporating a variety of spaces will be essential. For example, ensuring we have quiet office spaces, designated meeting rooms of different sizes, and better social areas such as the Refectory and outside space.

We have collated the questions that have come in and below are the answers that we can provide right now. We are still in the building project management stage, so more detailed information around the finer details that mean so much in our day to day working, such as IT equipment, furniture, moving timetable etc. will come over the next few weeks. As always, we promise to keep you updated in our staff gatherings and through Inside Story.

In addition to the practical side of the move we will be working with all staff on how we develop shared values and principles for working together and for serving our worshipping communities. More on this to come.

Any finally before we head into the FAQs, it’s important to add that all of this will be kept under review. As lovely as it would be for everything to run perfectly, we know that probably won’t be the case. Constant attention to what works and what doesn’t will be needed. We will all need to have honest and open conversations, flexibility and a willingness to listen and learn. In all of this, it’s about how we respect each other and work together to create an environment that’s both effective and a lovely place to be.


FAQs

 

Booking working and meeting space

Firstly, we are pleased to share that we will have many more meeting spaces of different sizes than we currently do. Both shared desks and meeting rooms will be booked using an online system. This system will also cover the signing in and out of staff and guests, booking of parking, plus much more. Reece and Kerry are leading this piece of work and in the next few weeks will be visiting offices, including the Diocese of Birmingham’s DBF offices which use a system we are interested to see ‘in action’.

The hope is that we can test run this new system before we move to get a feel for how it works.

A few people have asked about how far in advance desks and rooms will be available for booking. That is currently being discussed. We already have the 2025 key committees booked in, so we will be doing some pre-planning around those and cross checking between DGAT and the DBE.

We want to enable enough time for people to plan and book ahead, but also not so far ahead that one space is booked out for a whole year.  When we are visiting other places (see above) we are also seeking their learning and wisdom.

The Bishops and their teams will also be moving to the new offices with us, but we have decided to keep leasing number 2, which will provide extra meeting spaces for those who may be doing work around the cathedral.

Confidentiality

The question of confidentiality has come up, both in terms of computer screens, shared office space and access to meeting rooms.

For private meetings that have been planned in advance, staff will need to book a meeting space, in the same way that most of us already do.

For urgent private conversations, space in meeting rooms can be booked on the day. There are also sound proof pods across the building which can be used.

Staff can be provided with privacy filter screens, which are sheets of plastic that keep anyone who’s not looking at your device’s display head-on from seeing what’s on the screen.

The position of desk spaces is being looked at. We hear the concerns around people seeing confidential information on screens and not wanting to face walls.

We do have some teams such as Safeguarding, who consistently have conversations about private matters while in the office. Booking rooms for teams will be an option.

Storage and paperwork

There is a huge amount of storage space available, much more than we have now. We have also recently recruited someone to organise and digitise our hard copy paperwork as we work towards becoming a paperless office.

Parking – will there be enough spaces?

We will have 30 car parking spaces, including 4 electrical charging points. Currently we have 6. No one will be provided with a permit, and spaces can be booked on a weekly basis. We are in the process of compiling information around extra parking near to our office, with information on costs (which can be claimed back on expenses) and location.

There will be work done with Directors to ensure that whole team in person meetings for different departments fall on different days of the week/month.

We will also have bike racks.

Security locking up/lone working

There will be days when lots of staff will be in. But we also know from our current working pattern that on some days very few staff work in the office and there have been concerns around lone working and practical issues like wasted heating. We will continue to have a lone working policy and zone heating is being explored.

In regards to security and locking up the building, we will have CCTV and other security measures and plans will be put in place for opening up and locking the building, which will include weekends. More to come.

Clear desk policy

We will have a clear desk policy, but lockers of different sizes are being provided so you can leave your personal items, work documentation and equipment in the office. Each member of staff will have their own allocated locker. In addition to this HR will continue to provide guidance around desk space assessments.

Monitors

Monitors will be on desks, with the option of either one or two monitors. A review of what staff currently use and what they would like will be done.

A timetable of what’s happening and when

The project planning group are working to a detailed project time plan managed by our external Project Manager Ian Lynch. Over the next few weeks, a timetable regarding the actual move, with information relevant to staff will be developed.

Socialising

Our hope is that being in one building will mean we can do more together and build better relationships between teams. Ideas are being developed for times to eat together, (I like the jacket potato day idea), lunchtime walks etc, but these ideas will come from you and form part of the staff refence group, see below.

Staff reference group

This will be chaired by Lucy and form the second part of the project planning group. A member from every team will form the group. This is where we will discuss office furniture, IT equipment, socialising and many more things which will then be reported back to each department. The aim to have the first of these meetings in March.

Prayer and worship

The new office space will have a Chapel. This will provide space for prayer and worship and ideas for a regular prayer and worship pattern will be developed, supported by the staff refence group. This will also include involvement from the Dean and others in the Cathedral.

The word Leadership spelt out, with Committed to Transformation written underneath.

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