ADT Workplace has created an inspiring workplace for global charity, Christians Against Poverty (CAP). Completed in 2022, the 42,000 sq.ft office is located in Bradford city centre and will help the charity streamline and improve the important free services it provides to those in need of help with debt.

Following a review of its business needs and a consultancy process with its team, CAP made the decision to relocate its headquarters to a four-storey space at Jubilee House in Bradford, in order to better meet the workplace needs of its team and improve its services. With its previous HQ operations split across two premises in the Yorkshire city since 2011, the new workplace would provide a comfortable and agile office environment for over 300 employees, together in one location.

In early 2022, ADT Workplace was selected as the preferred partner for the project, which would see the team develop the initial office design and deliver part CAT A, and full B and C, working alongside development and construction consultancy, Identity Consult, in just 14 weeks.

The vision

CAP was looking to create a workplace which would enhance connectivity and productivity, and support employee wellbeing through an improved office environment. As well as being collaborative, creative, and complementing CAP’s culture, the space needed to be sustainable, accessible, safe and somewhere employees feel at home so they can thrive in their work and look forward to coming into the office.

Flexible and agile working was crucial to the new space, to enable staff to carry out their best work in a setting of their choice, and to take breaks in relaxed and comfortable areas. Adaptability was crucial to support the charity functions and to allow for efficient use of space for internal training, larger meetings and external engagement events.

The transformation

Working with the initial design, ADT Workplace utilised its expertise in value engineering gained through its work in the office design and build market, to suggest alternative design solutions, materials and construction methods which not only achieved the intended design, but also reduced cost and enhanced the performance of the finished environment.

By engaging with the organisation and its team through strategic workshops and staff engagement, ADT Workplace was able to truly understand the ethos of CAP, ensuring that the final design embodied its values, enhanced the brand and delivered a sense of belonging for the team.

The ground floor is predominantly dedicated to social and event space, including a staff café and recreational area. This leads onto a large multifunctional events space with contemporary bleacher style seating, which can accommodate the full head office team, allowing them to come together to worship, pray and for business updates. Incorporating moveable partitioning, the space can also be adapted and used for smaller events such as internal training. Amplifying CAP’s fun and friendly culture, this is a creative and exciting yet also calming space for staff to spend time in.

The first, second and third floors have been transformed to support an agile way of working, combined with ‘Home Zones’ to accommodate dedicated teams. All floors encourage collaboration and communication through the strategic positioning of teams within the space, and a variety of informal and formal meeting, and creative spaces.

A well-stocked library with inspirational reading material and comfortable seating has been cleverly incorporated on the second floor, so people can take time out to relax and read away from the busier social areas. A calming wellbeing and prayer room is also available, which is separate to the main office space.

To ensure seamless connectivity between internal teams and clients, ADT Workplace worked with CAP’s IT and tech leads to understand the overall strategy before engaging with a preferred third party specialist for delivery. In addition, with a high percentage of certain teams spending the majority of their working time advising service users on the phone, acoustics of the space needed to be carefully considered to minimise disruption from background noise. Working alongside specialist acoustic design consultant, CSG Acoustics, ADT Workplace was able to develop a design which ensured the specific acoustic requirements were met.

Commenting, senior project manager at CAP, Jonathan Collett, said: “It was wonderful to launch Jubilee House to staff and see them benefitting from a great office and cafe space. We are so thankful to the work from ADT Workplace to help us deliver the refit following our brief. It looks amazing and will help support our work to deliver our vision of Transformed Lives, Thriving Churches and an end to UK poverty in the years to come.”