PROJECT CASE STUDY

Creating a People-centric Workspace for
JUST Group – HUB Financial Solutions

JUST Group – HUB Financial Solutions, Belfast

Project Size: 17’500 Sq ft
Location: Belfast
Activity: Office Design & CAT & B Fitout, Furniture
Duration: 17 weeks

Reception chairs with a view of the Belfast City Hall

PROJECT OVERVIEW

Financial retirement solutions firm HUB Group (a subsidiary of JUST Group plc) were struggling to attract and retain talent in a competitive job market. They traded in their ‘old and tired’ office on the outskirts of Belfast for a drawcard destination – The Ewart. Representing their investment in their people and vision for the future.

Like many organisations post-COVID after long periods of working remotely, HUB were struggling to get staff back to the office and accommodate each team’s requirements with new ways of working.

Board room complete with curved crittal glass, a large black table and wood effect acoustic ceiling rafts

They wanted to create a welcoming, inclusive space that fostered employee wellbeing and collaboration among teams.

Sustainability was also a key focus, with sights set on achieving a Gold SKA Rating – the only environmental accreditation solely for commercial fitouts.

The outcome – an inclusive workplace that embodies JUST Group’s people-centric culture and sets HUB apart in a competitive talent market.

Calibro Workspace achieved the first SKA rated office fitout in Northern Ireland

BUILDING SPEC

Conveniently located in the heart of Belfast’s business district, The Ewart comprises of a 17-storey office building, alongside the restored Ewart warehouse, offering high quality, grade A office accommodation and excellent amenities. HUB Group took up 1.5 floors to house their customer support, technology and training teams.

The project brief was to create a ‘home’ for HUB that had ‘heart’. One that improved the employee value proposition for the HUB Group team, with a focus on neurodiversity and sustainability.

SPACE PLANNING

With the footprint spread across 1.5 floors and a number of teams working throughout the space, strategic space planning was critical to fostering team cohesion and create a sense of belonging. Neighbourhoods were developed to house each of the teams together and assist with wayfinding.

Various work settings were created, from collaboration areas and tech-enabled meeting rooms, to brainstorm booths, focus pods and occasional seating spaces.

A multi-purpose wellbeing room was also constructed for team members to take time out during the workday.

A breakout space with cosy lounge and exposed ceiling detail

An enhanced breakout space with expansive views of the city and lots of natural light, created a focal point for all teams to come together. The space is multi-functional, with a dropdown screen and projector to facilitate team townhalls and events.

A dedicated learning and development zone was created to facilitate onboarding and ongoing professional development for the team, serviced with it’s own breakout space.

Space dressing throughout sought to bring a homely, lived in feel to the space and add a touch of locality, with simple, 2D art prints from local artists.

A collaboration space with lounge chairs, fidget stool and whiteboard movable walls

INCLUSIVITY

Catering to neurodiversity is key to creating an inclusive workplace, to enable people to perform at their best.

The design of the space was crafted with sensitivities to sensory stimuli in mind for both hyper-sensitive and hypo-sensitive individuals, with an emphasis on visual guidance, accessibility, acoustics, colours, textures and lighting.

The various work settings provide employees with a choice of where they work. Additional items such as fidget furniture, biophilia and access to natural light were also incorporated.

A meeting room with wooden acoustic wall panels, moss ceiling pendant light and eight person table

SUSTAINABILITY

Sustainability was a key part of the criteria for all the furniture, finishes and upholstery selections. Products were selected based on how they were manufactured, their recycled content and circularity.

This was also applied during the build phase. We sought out sustainable alternatives where possible such as the use of a flexible wood fibre for insulation rather than fibre glass and reducing the use of plasterboard whilst maintaining fire compliance and acoustic properties, for example.

All these components worked towards achieving a Gold SKA rating, the first in Northern Ireland.

Our collaboration with the JUST Group team has resulted in a workplace that truly reflects their focus on employee wellbeing and inclusivity. The new space has significantly improved morale and engagement for the team.

Achieving the Gold SKA Rating echos JUST Group’s commitment to minimising their environmental impact – a fantastic outcome.

Ronnie Crawford, Managing Director
Calibro Workspace