Re-thinking the space within a space

When you think about your home and its functionality, you recognise how each room is laid out to encompass a certain activity; whether that be sleep, eat or socialise. And since this targeted compartmentalisation works so well, why wouldn’t you capture this philosophy and implement it in other spaces outside the home – such as the workplace?

Gijs Nooteboom is the Managing Partner of Veldhoen + Company, the global market leader in Activity-Based Working (ABW). The philosophy of ABW is to work with organisations to redefine their workspace to build better team collaboration, attract and retain talent and drive innovation to remain competitive in today’s business world.

The basic concept of ABW is quite straightforward; building tailored spaces within a business that work as hubs for specific activities, whether it be team partnership, dining, networking or desk space. The purpose is to break the habits and patterns of old and bring forward a more nimble, connected organisation with engaged and inspired employees.

The Veldhoen + Company team works with organisations on an individual basis, helping the board to identify the ‘why’ – the reasons they want to change to the new way of working. They then work closely with the client to implement the changes, develop new leadership and company culture, and evolve the business into a contemporary workplace.

Veldhoen + Company was brought to Australia in 2007 through a request by Macquarie Bank, who had noticed its innovative work in Europe. It wasn’t long until the CBA jumped on board and it has been growing in the region ever since, with offices now spanning the Australia and New Zealand network.

Currently based out of Spaces, Surry Hills in Sydney, Gijs and his team are enjoying the flexibility of it, as the ability to be nimble is core to their company ethos. Gijs is always available for a chat about the ABW philosophy and its benefits.