Deloitte opens ‘future of work’ designed office in Edinburgh

Deloitte has opened the doors to a new ‘future of work’ designed office in Edinburgh’s city centre.

Located at the new 9 Haymarket Square building, the 16,383 sq ft office is now open to the 433 people based out of Deloitte’s Edinburgh office.

The new space was designed in response to what Deloitte’s people have asked for, after a Deloitte people survey found that 86% of respondents ranked ‘collaborating with team colleagues’ and ‘interacting with others’ within their top three ways they envisage using the office.

Douglas Farish, office senior partner for Edinburgh at Deloitte, said: “We listened to our people and incorporated what they wanted into the design of our new Edinburgh office. The way we deliver work for our clients has evolved, so we needed to rethink our office environment based on how, when, and where we want to work to deliver the best for our clients’ needs. We’ve created a very open and welcoming space for our people and clients, and it really is a physical manifestation of our culture – a place for collaboration, connection and innovation.”

With its open and transparent floors, the new space was designed to create opportunities for people to build relationships and work together in an inclusive way. State-of-the-art technology, including 360-degree cameras and adjustable height desks, create an inclusive meeting experience for all, allowing for a seamless connection to those working away from the office, to ensure everyone has an equal voice in meetings.

The new office has also introduced ‘dancing’ walls in the collaboration spaces that double as interactive screens to allow for easy presenting and workshops.
Farish continued: “We’re not mandating a set number of days in the office. Instead, we trust our people to manage their working week between client site, the office and home - and the new technology will enable seamless connection between our people and clients wherever they choose to work.
“The configuration of the space, and the variety in the style and size of its rooms, allows those using it to be agile and productive, and creates environments that are easily adaptable for multiple use cases and changing business needs.”

Sustainability and people wellbeing were also key considerations when leasing the new Deloitte office. To align with Deloitte’s WorldClimate ambitions, 9 Haymarket Square was chosen for its energy efficient design and fossil fuel-free building systems. The interior design incorporated low volatile organic compounds (VOC) to reduce the harsh smells often omitted by fresh paint and new furniture to ensure a pleasant working environment from the outset. Additionally, the building comes with 136 secure bicycle parking spaces, as well as shower and changing facilities.

Kitty Milnes, a graduate in Deloitte’s Risk Advisory practice, commented on what the new office means to her: “I am amazed at this office, it’s so different to how I imagined a professional services office to look. There are loads of collaboration spaces which suits my style of team working, and I can now swap between sitting and standing at the adjustable height desks.

“There are so many textures and I love the sunflower seed eco cupboard doors and chain mail curtains. For those rare Scottish sunny days, there is also a lovely roof terrace, where our in-house beekeeper will be providing meet the bee sessions.

“This really is so much more than an office and I’m excited that my career has started at Deloitte Scotland.”

The new Edinburgh office is the latest in a series of UK office announcements Deloitte has made, including Bristol and Manchester, with a new Newcastle office being occupied in 2022.