Why the One-Size-Fits-All Workplace is Dead with Rob Fretwell, Airbus

After almost two years of working from home, companies are unsure about what to do with their office space—but Airbus has a plan. Rob Fretwell, Head of Space Management UK for Airbus, joins Kursty to discuss the Airbus Workplace of the Future initiative and tell all about what they are doing to transform the office space by incorporating agile and tailored ways of working. 

The workplace tries to be one-size-fits-all, but Airbus knows this will no longer fly. The pandemic has made that all too clear. 

“If we try to go back to how we were, then we’ve not learnt from the lesson...we shouldn’t forget this knowledge, we shouldn’t forget what it (the pandemic) taught us.” - Rob Fretwell, Airbus

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Timestamps

[00:16] Episode overview: Workplace of The Future Initiative

[01:15] Who is Rob Fretwell (and his role at Airbus)?

[06:16] How did Airbus manage operations and protect staff in the pandemic?

[11:31] How long did it take for Airbus to adapt to the pandemic? 

[13:32] Dealing with technical difficulties while working from home for Airbus. 

[16:36] What is the Workplace of the Future and how does Airbus create customized work environments? 

[23:42] One amazing thing Rob Fretwell looks forward to going forward. 

[26:15] How Airbus figured out how to transform their office space. 

[28:35] Should companies go back to how they used to operate pre-pandemic?

4 Key Highlights 

1. The pandemic has helped companies introduce technological innovations much quicker than possible. It goes to show that many challenges we consider technological are just behavioural challenges. A mindset shift can be all it takes. 
2. The Workplace of the Future initiative aimed to create a new way of working for Airbus employees that allows them to work how, when, and where they want to maximize their productivity. It is based on three main pillars: people, behaviour, and policies; the office environment; and technology. 
3. Gen Z and Millennials are entering the workforce after graduating from very flexible, open, and collaborative university environments. The workplace (as it stands) doesn't match this energy; it stifles creativity and doesn't inspire young people. 
4. Returning to how things were before Covid-19 completely misses the point of our experience in the pandemic. We must value the ride we have been on since March 2020 by learning the lessons it taught us and staying agile. 

Links 

Connect with Rob Fretwell: LinkedIn | Twitter

Connect with Kursty Groves: LinkedIn | Twitter

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