Australia's financial sector has been captivated by the workplace design trend of ABW (Activity Based Working), with major firms such as PWC adopting the model almost a decade ago and other similar firms following suit. 

When BRM Projects began working with knp Solutions, a Melbourne-based accounting firm, it was settled into its 22 year old traditional office space with a location and building that was suited to both clients and staff.

It was an unexpected eviction notice mid-lease and additional partners that triggered the need for a change of location and company direction.....

According to the Superfriend's "Thriving Workplace Survey 2017", a report on the current state of mental health in the Australian workplace, 2 out of every 5 workers reported that they had left a job because of a poor workplace mental health environment. 

October is Mental Health Month across Victoria,  and given that BRM Projects sees wellbeing as a central element in every one of our projects, today's blog will provide workplace leaders with some helpful tips on implementing and maintaining a mentally healthy workplace. 

In A Nutshell…
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Activity based working is rapidly taking over traditional ways of working. The flexibility and freedom to move throughout different spaces in the workplace is a highly valued and very necessary part of modern work. These spaces are tailored to different types of work activities and are used by employees for different purposes, making the workspace more dynamic and ultimately more productive. 

Leesman defines activity based working as more of a “business strategy” than a “workplace strategy”, providing multiple work settings to meet the individual’s working needs and helping them implement certain tasks. 

​BRM’s extensive experience collaborating with not-for-profit and child-centric organisations has been reflected in a fantastic outcome for the accommodation strategy of OzChild, whose South-East operations were facing significant growth. Just this week, OzChild, under the guidance of BRM Real Estate, signed a long term lease at the former ATO building in Mason St Dandenong for what will become its first major office hub, in Victoria’s south east and the blueprint for future national offices. This is the first step in executing an accommodation strategy that BRM Projects has been involved in from late 2016. We are excited to move forward in implementing the next stages of the strategy, together with OzChild, in establishing the most effective workplace solutions for its expansion. 

​The current global economic climate calls for organisations to be agile and responsive when it comes to change management. In the face of 24/7 media scrutiny, greater transparency and a rapidly evolving technological environment, companies are realising that how they approach change is key in their ability to remain competitive. 

So how do we encourage staff to embrace change and to be as flexible as the change itself?