The Very Group’s headquarters have been refurbished to “create the optimum team working space” for the group’s 2,100-strong head-office workforce when they return later this year. 

The online retail group drafted in design firm Greenmount Projects for the refurbishment, which is split across two divisions of the business’ head-office campus.

The group’s 12,400 sq m head office Skyways House, which is a former aircraft hangar where the majority of head-office staff work, has been redesigned to an open-plan environment with breakout and collaboration spaces intended to lend themselves to interactive group working.

Hot desks have been installed to allow workers to set up anywhere on site.

The retailer’s customer care centre, called The Hub, will feature collaborative zones, hot desks, quiet pods, breakout spaces and training rooms of varying sizes and specifications.

This office, which will be the base for The Very Group’s 750 customer care colleagues, has been described as a “leading-edge flexible contact centre” for staff.

The head office will feature gender-neutral bathrooms and accessible kitchen spaces, and all existing furniture in place before the renovation has been recycled, keeping the project in line with “the highest environmental standards”.

The Very Group’s chief people officer Sarah Willett said: “Remote working during Covid-19 has seen our people operate with even greater ingenuity at a time when we’re attracting record numbers of new customers.

“Our colleagues have told us they like the greater flexibility that comes with working from home and when the UK starts reopening we’ll make some permanent changes to the way we work.

“We want our people to be productive at home and super-collaborative in the office. That’s why we’ve invested in reconfiguring our workspaces and we’re absolutely delighted with the results.

“Our new spaces will be about high-energy, high-impact creativity and collaboration, all with a focus on improving the experience for our colleagues and our 4.5 million customers.

“But our plans aren’t just about productivity. They’re about how we can offer our colleagues true value and get value back in return.

“By offering better balance, increased flexibility, interesting work and an amazing place to come together, we can attract even more outstanding people – and retain the ones we already have.”