Ricoh Hong Kong’s iconic transformation from a “space-centric” to a “people-centric” office space

Back in 2023, Ricoh Hong Kong decided to renovate and upgrade the workplace not just to ride the hybrid work trend, but to continue leading the way in providing innovative workplace solutions for its clients and employees.

Ricoh, a world-leading provider of workplace technology, imagines what the future could bring, and embraces change driven by imaginative thinking. With the belief that work life can be improved through creativity, collaboration and seamless technology, Ricoh aims to empower digital workplaces – and this mission starts at home.

Back in 2023, Ricoh Hong Kong decided to renovate and upgrade the workplace not just to ride the hybrid work trend, but to continue leading the way in providing innovative workplace solutions for its clients and employees. As part of the new ways of working, a focus on agile working was established, while the new ways of thinking were about focusing on outcomes from employees’ inputs rather than output, as well as transparent communication at all levels to create a culture of trust.

With these objectives in mind, the team kicked off the ‘Hybrid Workplace Transformation’ project, which entailed a shift from a “space-centric” office space to a “people-centric” office space. In doing so, the aim was to say goodbye to an era where employees are tethered to their desks, or working solitary. Instead, by integrating space, technology and people, the office has now been transformed into a better working environment to foster collaborative culture that promotes innovation.

This entailed several changes – for example, introducing a mobile-friendly smart workplace, using the ‘Ricoh Staff App’ to connect everything (from desktop to mobile to workplace facilities), and embracing AI (through an ‘AI Concierge’ and a smart visitor management system).

All these initiatives to create a human-centric collaborative workplace experience were amplified by 'RICOH Spaces’, a cloud-hosted workplace management platform that helps connect and empower employees with a seamless workplace experience. Through this, employees were able to streamline their daily work through the platform and the staff app, for desk booking, room booking and control, online conferencing, and visitor management system, etc.

Apart from the hybrid technology tools, the physical space also underwent an overhaul. The new office area saw the introduction of a multi-purpose townhall area for the entire team to come together, a chill zone with a massage chair and adjustable table, and several huddle areas for project team members to gather around as and when required.

Over the past year, several other meaningful HR programmes have been conceptualised with a view to improving the employee experience. This includes the launch of the 'Ricoh Employee Recognition Points’ system, which encourages employees to ‘earn’ points through various ways like continuous learning, and then go on to redeem gifts through the Ricoh Staff App. Progress has also been made in diversity, equity & inclusion (DEI), whereby the month of June has been earmarked for a focus on the SDG (Sustainable Development Goals), as well as an SDG e-learning survey linking to workplace satisfaction.

 

This integration of space, technology, and people has led Ricoh Hong Kong to achieve several benefits. After renovation, the total gross area of the office has been reduced by 17%, however, the collaboration space has increased by 38%. Some departments have adopted “the 3-2-2 shift pattern”, where employees work in the office for three days, and remotely for two days, followed by two days off. The hybrid workplace model allows employees to choose wherever they want to work, i.e. home, workstations, common spaces, etc.

The results are also evident in improved employee satisfaction and retention – in post renovation feedback survey, a vast majority of employees expressed satisfaction with the upgrade to a smart workplace.

Irene Lee, Director, People & Culture, Ricoh Hong Kong (pictured below), affirms: “By embracing collaboration, engagement, and innovative technologies, we have created an environment that fosters both professional development and personal wellbeing.”

 

She goes on to talk about the recent accolades attained at Human Resources Online’s Employee Experience Awards. “We are proud to have been honoured with the 'Best Employee Friendly Workplace' award and the 'Best Hybrid Work Model' award.

“Our company values creating a supportive and employee-friendly environment, which is reflected in our recent transformation to a hybrid workplace. This, in turn, has brought about a concrete result, in that we have seen a great jump in employee engagement scores compared to 2022 and 2023.”

Lee talks about the vision going forward: “Let's work together to shape the future of work and empower the next generation of workers. With 'Fulfilment Through Work', we can all strive for success and fulfilment in our careers.”

 

Source: https://www.humanresourcesonline.net/ricoh-hong-kong-s-iconic-transformation-from-a-space-centric-to-a-people-centric-office-space