Benefact Group Offices – Manchester

ADT Workplace partnered with Spacelab to design Benefact Group’s modern, flexible office space in Manchester, focusing on hybrid working, employee well-being, and sustainability, with a welcoming and open layout.

Firm
  • Client Benefact Group,
  • size 6,600 sqft
  • Year 2024
  • Location United Kingdom, Manchester, England,
  • Industry Financial / Investments,
  • ADT were selected as the company’s preferred partner to deliver its new 6,600 sq.ft space in the heart of the city centre, working alongside the client team and architectural design firm, Spacelab, to create the company’s flexible new workplace on the third floor of 11 York Street.

    Benefact Group is an independent, specialist financial services group that exists to give all its available profits to charity. Owned by a registered charity, Benefact Trust, Benefact Group’s family of businesses provide specialist insurance, investment management and broking and advisory services in the UK, Australia, Canada, and Ireland.

    Benefact Group office fit-out
    As part of the group’s workplace strategy the business has invested heavily in new office spaces for its employees, including its new headquarters in Gloucester. This has seen moves to more modern offices with lower carbon footprints at three locations across the country – including a new office in Brighton.

    ADT Workplace has completed the project at 11 York Street over the past 12 months and we were able to utilise our previous experience to deliver a high-quality fit-out, successfully negotiating the complexities of working within an occupied city centre building, to finish the programme on time within 13 weeks.

    Design Vision
    Creating a space which would support hybrid and agile working to enhance employee wellbeing and comfort, and encourage empowerment and autonomy for people over where and how they work, was key for Benefact Group.

    As well as agile desk settings, the office needed to incorporate a flexible working space separate to the main open plan workspace, a number of private meeting rooms varying in size, areas for collaboration and space for individual focus work. It was also crucial that the new workplace include somewhere for the team to relax and socialise with colleagues in an informal setting.

    hybrid working
    Office Fit-Out
    Following the selection of the perfect office space, ADT Workplace collaborated with Benefact Group to refurbish the new space. This included all M&E systems and furniture, as well as the Cat B and C fit-out, having developed the initial designs and completed a value engineering process to provide additional value, while ensuring the design vision and quality remained.

    The design concept centres on creating a warm and welcoming environment which promotes openness and connectivity. The open plan layout throughout supports a natural journey around the workplace, with ceiling and carpet tiles used cleverly to create walkways and zones, framing areas without the need for internal walls.

    flexible workplace
    Visitors and employees arrive into an inviting welcome area, complete with informal booths, comfortable seating and planting. Adjacent to this is a breakout area incorporating a kitchen, café and bar-style seating and sofas, providing employees with ample space to relax or socialise with colleagues.

    Moving through the rest of the workplace, in addition to an abundance of open plan desk space, there is a central collaboration zone and three private sound-proofed pods for individual focused work or calls. Glazed partitions have been used sparingly to create three private meeting rooms, including a boardroom and two smaller project rooms, with acoustic panelling integrated to provide additional sound comfort and offer privacy.

    Oak slat paneling is prominent throughout, along with natural textures, tonal finishes, and planting, delivering a calming yet timeless and high-end environment. Splashes of teal and orange on furnishings throughout add personality and give a nod to the company’s brand, helping to create a sense of identity and belonging for employees.

    modern office
    Intelligent feature lighting including suspended pendants, wall lights and recessed spotlights, aids comfort and improves energy efficiency. This is supported by floor-to-ceiling windows which provide an abundance of natural light and create a spacious working environment. With the latest technology integrated throughout and interactive meeting spaces, the new environment will improve communication and connectivity for Benefact Group’s teams based across the organisation’s multiple locations.

    The new office space reflects the Group’s dynamic growth ambitions and supports its journey towards reducing its direct climate impact by moving to offices with a lower carbon footprint.

    Design: Spacelab
    Contractor: ADT Workplace
    Photography: Mike Dinsdale