A CULTURAL SHIFT Co-operative (Co-op), a multi-

faceted financial company offering

banking, insurance and funeral

services, sought to consolidate

its workforce into a new 14

storey, 330,000 square foot open-

plan office in London. Since its

inception, the company worked

in a fragmented way, with staff

and departments separate from

each other and minimal interaction

among teams. Co-op wanted to

bring its main businesses together,

and had specific aims for the new

space. “The journey we had to

make culturally was huge and the

new environment was designed

to increase productivity and

collaboration,” said Steve Dobson,

Co-op’s capital projects manager.

The Co-op team had a number of

check boxes to tick when it came

to planning the space. It was

seeking sustainability excellence

and a BREEAM outstanding rating.

Beyond creating a green space,

Co-op wanted to provide the best

environment for their employees.

Ergonomics and employee wellness

played a huge factor in the design of

the new building. With such a large,

diverse workforce, the team knew

they needed tools that adapted to

the user, rather than the other way

around.

HITTING THE MARK To ensure all their employees

could work comfortably, the team

at Co-op required an intuitive

task chair that would suit a broad

spectrum of users and require no

manual adjustments or training. The

selection process involved an initial

55 chairs, narrowed down by the

internal design team to four options,

CASE STUDY

CO-OP CHANGES FOR THE BETTER

which included Humanscale’s

Liberty. A group of 1,200 Co-op

employees participated in a pilot

program and voted for their favourite

chair. Liberty was the clear winner,

with employees rating it highest on

aesthetics, comfort and ease of use.

The chair’s inherent simplicity and

use of fewer parts also allowed it to

fulfill Co-op’s sustainability aims.

“It was hard to ignore the feedback,”

said Dobson. “Combined with

the fact that we were moving to a

flexible working environment, which

was a huge cultural change where

colleagues would sit on different

chairs each day at the office, we

wanted something that was quick

and easy to adjust. Liberty clearly

held an advantage in this area.”

While the internal team originally

showed little interest in monitor

arms, they agreed to include the

M2 in the trial process following

Humanscale’s informative

presentations and discussions on

how crucial monitor arms are to a

functioning ergonomic workspace.

The M2 was up against CBS Flo

in the trials, but its sturdy design,

sleek aesthetic and effortless

adjustability made it the winning

choice.

Co-op eventually ordered 2,989 M2

monitor arms and 2,809 Liberty

chairs for the new space.

IMPROVING WORKHumanscale’s products helped

revolutionise Co-op’s working

environment as it underwent a

huge transition and cultural shift.

Impressions of Liberty and the

M2 have been incredibly positive,

and the team appreciates how

the products they selected work

together to encourage health and

enhance comfort.

“When using the M2 monitor arm in

conjunction with their new Liberty

chairs, the team members are able

to sit in healthier, more ergonomic

positions,” said Dobson. Elaborating

on the benefits of the monitor arms,

he said, “Over the past few months,

we have found the M2 monitor arm

has allowed staff to share their work

easily, improving collaboration whilst

creating additional workspace on

desks; a really useful addition to the

new office.”

With superior products and

excellent customer service,

Humanscale has thoroughly

impressed the team at Co-op.

“Our colleagues love the chairs

and Humanscale has delivered

and installed, without fault, a huge

number of items,” said Dobson.

In the end, Humanscale helped Co-

op to fulfill its vision for a space that

supports employee wellness and

meets its sustainability needs.

CASE STUDY CO-OP

When using the M2 monitor arm in conjunction with their new Liberty chairs, the team members are able to sit in healthier, more ergonomic positions.

“”Steve Dobson, Co-op’s capital

projects manager

Co-op purchased Liberty task chairs and M2 monitor arms.