AIA NZ employees have recently returned to their newly renovated office space at AIA House in Smales Farm. AIA House has undergone a significant upgrade over the past 15 months transforming the building into a space fit for the future needs of the business, the evolving nature of work and AIA employees.
The approach to the new layout came about after consultation with AIA NZ staff to ensure the workspace was aligned with their needs.
Says Brynlea Hunter-Morpeth, Chief People Officer for AIA NZ, “At AIA, our Purpose is to help people live Healthier, Longer, Better Lives. This encompasses our customers, our partners, and our employees.
“In 2022, as part of a review of our existing workplace strategy, it became clear that our Head Office was no longer fit for purpose. Our existing workspaces and technology were not meeting our desire to enable a high-performing, flexible, and inclusive workplace that aligned with our Purpose, our focus on wellbeing, and our ESG goals.”
“AIA NZ’s premises have been redesigned incorporating input and consultation from our own employee community, to create a space that does reflect our Purpose and enables our people to be their best selves and do their best work.”
A design that makes sense, and makes life easier
Every facet of AIA’s premises has been designed to allow for collaboration and flexibility. It now features dedicated shared spaces for team members to connect, grab a drink, eat together, and socialise.
Instead of individually allocated desks, teams have been given specific areas within the building and grouped into “neighbourhoods” to help create a sense of community among employees working in the same area.
Says Brynlea, “The new space features modernised, consistent and intuitive technology which support AIA’s new ways of working to make our daily work experience easier, faster and smarter. There is now more natural light throughout and dedicated wellbeing spaces. There are flexible work areas including quiet zones, focus rooms, and spaces designed for collaboration.
“It’s an environment that enables people to do their best work, wherever work happens.”
Desks can be pre-booked via an app and the building now includes end-of-trip facilities, including bike storage, showers and towel service facilities to support employees who wish to use active transport modes, or to build in exercise before, during or after their workday.
To bring their reimagined office to life, AIA NZ engaged tenant advisory specialists NOWW Advisory, alongside multi-disciplinary architecture and design practice Jasmax – who had been responsible for the original design for AIA House, in collaboration with the building owner Smales Farm, RCP, and Alaska Construction & Interiors.
Says Brynlea, “In addition to making sure that the building was modernised and reimagined to address the various types of work required by today’s workforce, we were also conscious that we wanted to create something that was in line with our ESG goals, so the building refurbishment has adopted 5-star Greenstar standards and is targeting a 5-star NABERSNZ rating in the first 12 months of occupation."
In the new Head Office, AIA NZ’s 700+ employees occupy 7,000m2 across three floors in AIA House, with floors one and two becoming B:HIVE+, an extension of the current flexible office space offered at the B:HIVE.
