Zoom opens ‘London Engagement hub’ to support hybrid working
After hitting the headlines earlier this week for ordering its staff back to the office, Zoom – the tech posterchild of the Covid-19 pandemic – has announced it is opening the London Engagement Hub ‘to support hybrid working’ (and get staff back into the office).
With the demand for hybrid and remote capabilities giving rise to unconventional ways of operating, Zoom claims it has designed its new office to support the changing nature of the employee experience.
Situated in Holborn in the centre of London, the 15,000 square foot space has – it claims – been transformed into a multi-use cohesive hub with built-in Zoom technology. The building will provide a collaborative space where Zoom’s 200+ UK employees can share ideas and strategies, while fostering a sense of community across the global Zoom network, it says.
Split into different zones, Zoom’s London Engagement Hub includes 75 work points, ranging from library-style benches, touchdown spaces, agile tables for collaboration to traditional desks. All these offerings are bookable through Zoom’s workspace reservation tool. Zoom’s all-in-one solution enables its employees to plan and navigate their workday in the office.
Each meeting room is equipped with the latest Zoom Rooms technology along with digital signage to bring collaboration and customisation into any space, making meetings frictionless regardless of what devices employees are working from. Even for traditional in-office roles such as a receptionist, Zoom’s Virtual Kiosk will enable them to manage the office remotely, greeting guests and handling administration tasks, empowering everyone to do their best work from anywhere.
In addition, the Executive Briefing Centre (EBC), set to open early 2024, will provide a state-of-the-art demonstration space, offering a hands-on immersive education experience for employees, prospects, and customers.
Says Phil Perry, Head of UK & Ireland at Zoom:
“The world of modern work has changed. Both employers and employees have experienced the benefits of a more flexible approach to work and want to use technologies like Zoom to maintain them. This means more and more communication will take place across more channels, and collaboration across oceans.”
“The organisations that best adapt to these changes and optimise the benefits of technology and flexible working, while maximising the times that teams spend face to face, will be those that succeed commercially in the race for the best talent. And it’s no different here at Zoom.”
Adds Alana Collins, Head of Real Estate & Workplace at Zoom:
“Our company is centred around people which is why our London Engagement Hub has been intentionally designed with the employee experience at the heart of it all.”
“For in-person days, it’s important to have a structure, rooted at a team level, to build value and purpose. This is why we’ve combined the best of in-person and virtual collaboration to inspire innovation and promote maximum productivity, satisfaction and creativity as we adapt to modern work.”
