Total change

Such an environment challenges a facilities manager's ability to maintain continuity of service – just ask Pam Adams, facilities manger at TotalFinaElf.

In 1999 the company moved its headquarters from Cavendish Square in the West End to 40 Clarendon Road in Watford. Well, sort of. Let's begin at the beginning.

Total GB (as TotalFina then was) had a break in its lease that gave it the opportunity to consider a new location and, having decided it wanted to go to the northern area of the M25, settled on Watford. A deal was struck and the move planning started with the help of consultant Cochrane McGregor & Associates (CMA).

Total planned to occupy three of Clarendon Road's five floors and sub-let the other two. Fit-out started in 1998 and Total moved in the following March. Then, in May, the merger of Total and Fina was announced and on 21 June 1999, the company became TotalFina. Fina had a large headquarters in Epsom and the company considered moving to this building, but again it was considered inferior, not least because it lacked raised floors.

So Adams, with Nicola Bootham and Anthony Clare of Cochrane McGregor started re-planning the original three floors and the remaining two floors. At this point a critical decision was made. The original fit-out of the first three floors largely replicated the cellular office layout of Cavendish Square. The company decided to go open plan, except for meeting rooms and main board directors.

Clare says: 'From my experience TotalFina has made the transition very quickly.' It helped that staff turnover was high. 'We were able to take advantage of that,' says Adams. Fresh faces did not necessarily expect private offices.

When the merger was complete and all the floors were occupied, Adams says: 'We thought the building was full.'

Then in February 2000, the long rumoured and much delayed merger of TotalFina and Elf Acquitaine finally received approval from the European Commission. Cochrane McGregor was called back to Clarendon Road. Total had 250 staff; TotalFina had 316. TotalFinaElf would have 370.

Clare says: 'Having filled this building, when we re-planned it we found we could get another 60 to 70 people in.' The screens, which had been used to let cellular office diehards down gently, were removed and departmental filing systems replaced with a central system. Each floor now has a single filing area. Adams says: 'There was some resistance, but was easier to manage because [Bootham and Clare] were part of the team and kept people informed all the way.'

Bootham agrees that people clearly appreciated their efforts. It was not simply talking. Three dimensional drawings were created to reassure staff that they would not be crammed in and trial areas were set up. Another aspect that helped ease fears was that staff got bigger desks than usual to help them define personal space, adds Bootham.

However, this exercise did require firmer management. Bootham says: 'At first we listened and bent over backwards, but this time round, because of the space issue, we said "if there are any major changes it will not work".' Senior management backed them.

To change the workspace culture of a company when the company itself is being changed radically has spin-off benefits. Adams says: 'We're three companies moved into one, you always get cliques. Open plan encouraged people to mix and broke that down.' She contrasts this with the cellular offices at Cavendish Square, quipping that people did not even know others from the same company.

Even without two mergers, the relocation would have been challenging. The computer system had to be up and running two months before the move, which created its own problems in terms of beefing up the air-conditioning, installing uninterruptible power supply and category five cabling. Some of the M&E systems needed to be upgraded because the developer had assumed what Clare calls a 'moderate population'. Furniture had to be moved in (although most has since been replaced).

Then Adams, the human resources department and the directors moved in. The main move, of 200 staff happened in one weekend shortly after. Finally, a small group from a facility in Luton came in.

Then the Fina merger arrived and things began to get really complicated. After re-planning, the move had to be staggered because it involved the entire building. Adams thinks this may have helped head off culture clashes between the two halves of the merger, by avoiding thrusting everybody together at once.

Bootham believes that unless TotalFinaElf has another radical change in its culture, it is possible for future change to happen without the layout changing, with people moving but the furniture staying put.

And all of this has been achieved comfortably within health and safety regulations. Clare says: 'It's very spacious and not even close to regulation limits. Everybody has a good amount of space. We could add another 10 people per floor without breaching health and safety, but the amount of space would not be popular.'

Clare and Bootham's sensitivity to staff needs reflects Cochrane McGregor's relationship with TotalFinaElf. Bootham says: 'It's helped having the same team. People learn that we want to do a good job for them.' The company keeps CMA briefed on what is happening, something Clare describes as a key aspect of successful teamwork.

Adams puts it more simply. 'It's knowing each other's strengths,' she says.