The international forest industry corporation UPM has 500 employees working in its Tampere premises. In co-operation with Deloitte, Rapal carried out a work environment research in which UPM’s Tampere premises’ current state and development possibilities were explored. In addition to verifying the space efficiency of the premises, the functionality of the work environment was examined.

– According to our perception, our Tampere premises were not used as efficiently as possible. We wanted to have facts to support our assumptions, Property Manager Mika Anttila from UPM tells about the background of the work environment project. – In addition to measuring the premises’ space utilization rate, it was natural to explore how well employees thought the work environment supported their work.

Multi-space office as a staff preference

The goal of the work environment development project was to find new viewpoints to develop more effective and cozy work environments. UPM employees had not given earlier feedback about the work environment; hence the eagerness of the staff to develop the work environment and to shape the work environment into the direction of a multi-space office was a positive surprise. In addition to a questionnaire sent to all employees, several interviews were arranged for those working in the premises. The goal of the interviews was to examine staff wishes related to the work environment.

The work environment project showed that UPM employees want more silent spaces to their Tampere premises. The staff also wished for common office rules. The project also pointed out that the use of meeting rooms at Tampere needs to be developed.

– I had received a lot of feedback concerning the lack of meeting spaces, but the work environment project showed that the utilization rate of meeting rooms was actually quite low. There is no need for more meeting spaces, but the existing rooms are too large, states Anttila. – The project showed that our work environment needs team workspaces and meeting rooms of different sizes.

Cost savings from space versatility

Anttila believes that space versatility helps UPM find ways to control the cost efficiency of premises changes.

– Thus far, work environment changes have meant building singular workstations when necessary. Some spaces remained bare while some floors were very crowded, which is not very cozy. At the same time, arrangements like this lead to unequal workstations in the sense of space utilization.

Anttila tells that he was very satisfied with Rapal and Deloitte’s input in the work environment project. – I believe that work environment development will continue to be in a great role at UPM. The need to make smarter work environments also rises from the significant cost saving potential hidden in spaces.