Switzerland: SPIE embraces the "new way of working”

Bern, 4 May 2022 - With the emergence of a hybrid working environment combining teleworking and face-to-face work, SPIE Switzerland, the Swiss subsidiary of SPIE, the independent European leader in multi-technical services in the areas of energy and communications, has completely redeveloped its Bodenweid site in Bern. SPIE Switzerland employees will benefit from spacious open-plan offices, a modern communications infrastructure and flexible working areas.

According to a recently published study by the OECD and the job site Indeed, teleworking is expected to continue beyond the Covid-19 pandemic. Of the 20 OECD countries surveyed, the results show that overall teleworking has more than tripled since the start of the pandemic.

This trend is also affecting SPIE Switzerland: the Berne offices have been adapted to meet these new working conditions, in particular through the use of new information and communication technologies (ICT). 

Following on from the offices in Geneva, Zurich, Berne and recently Lausanne, SPIE Switzerland is adopting its "New Way of Working" approach and breaking with traditional working habits. SPIE is giving the Bern office a new mission: to become a place where employees can meet, learn, motivate, exchange and share knowledge. The hybrid concept makes it easy for employees to work alternately in the office, at the client's premises and at home. The fixed workstations have been replaced by workstations that can be accessed using the shared office principle. 

The transformation of the Bodenweid site was carried out by a team of internal and external specialists, ensuring the optimal design of a modern environment, not only in terms of furnishings, but also in terms of space allocation and communication technologies. The focus was on ergonomics to ensure the best possible working conditions for employees.  

For this project, SPIE Switzerland teamed up with furniture manufacturer Kinnarps AG and Breitblick AG, a specialist in office design. Together, the teams focused on five important aspects: 

• Architecture. The organisation of the spaces was designed to give the employees as much space as possible, even in the open spaces. "The aim is to emphasise the role of the premises as learning, thinking and working spaces that contribute to the well-being of the employees who will be in these new environments and enable them to reach their full potential," explains Daniel Rindlisbacher, owner of Breitblick AG.
• The furnishings. The ergonomic and varied work areas are designed to suit the tasks to be performed. This has a positive effect on the morale and well-being of employees. By encouraging movement and working in both sitting and standing positions, they prevent postural problems and stimulate the metabolism, while improving cooperation. "For this project, we used furniture to create a sustainable working environment for modern, networked communication," explains Tiziano Cammarata of Kinnarps Switzerland Ltd.  "Now it is easy for employees to find the right space for their activities and needs, whether it is creative work, teamwork or individual concentration.
• Collaboration. All offices are equipped for mobile working, which allows maximum flexibility for employees. Fixed connections are only present for the conference systems in the meeting rooms. With Cisco Webex and video solutions from Logitec/Microsoft, Digital Meeting Spaces are easily integrated into the laptop environment, ensuring efficient and effortless working. 
• Health. Every effort is made to ensure employee well-being in all circumstances, with CO2 sensors in the meeting rooms, ventilation in the soundproof booths, daylight-adapted lighting systems or anti-viral air circulation in the company restaurant.
• The environment. The reduction in the number of workstations from 130 to 84 means a reduction in the overall surface area, an optimisation of the various operating costs by 30% and a reduction in the environmental impact. 

The SPIE Group has set itself the target of reducing its carbon dioxide emissions by 25% by 2025. This involves reducing the energy consumption of its buildings and electrifying its vehicle fleet year after year. Electric vehicle charging stations have therefore been installed at all sites to complete the offer for employees and to further the SPIE Group's environmental strategy.