The physical office must act as a dynamic hub for collaboration. A global firm providing risk, retirement, and health solutions recognized that modern work is no longer tethered to a traditional desk. As they planned their relocation to a new headquarters in Brussels, the leadership team set a clear vision: to create a hybrid-ready workplace that bridges local operational needs with rigorous global corporate standards.
To achieve this transformation, the firm partnered with AVEX, the GPA team in Belgium. The scope required equipping all meeting spaces with intuitive technology, implementing digital signage, and ensuring every integrated system met strict international IT and security policies.
The project had a budget of over EUR 300,000 and required a delicate balance between architectural integration and advanced technological deployment. While this specific implementation focused on the Brussels headquarters, the standardized design provides a scalable blueprint that GPA is perfectly positioned to deploy across the firm’s global offices, ensuring a consistent standard worldwide.
Following changes in global working habits, the firm observed that office occupancy rates had dropped below 50 percent. This shift necessitated an engaging workspace that motivated employees to return while supporting both on-site and remote collaboration effortlessly.
Key pain points included:
Inconsistent User Experiences: Employees frequently struggled with complex setups and a lack of uniform standards across different meeting spaces.
Environmental Constraints: The new Brussels office featured large windows that let in abundant natural light, creating severe screen reflections that impacted visibility.
Space Flexibility: The facility required highly adaptable areas that could shift from intimate team huddles to large-scale gatherings without degrading audiovisual quality.
Global Alignment: Ensuring that all local technological choices strictly adhered to the firm’s international IT security policies and corporate standards presented a complex integration hurdle.
The challenge was to overcome these limitations by creating a solution that combined striking visual design with reliable performance and user empowerment.
The project team committed to a deeply collaborative approach, bringing together local leadership, facility teams, and global IT stakeholders to align the vision from day one. AVEX, the GPA team in Belgium, designed and delivered a comprehensive ecosystem that standardized the user journey across the entire headquarters.
The solution focused on deploying user-friendly, hybrid-ready technology that could blend into the modern environment while delivering robust performance.
Key Deliverables:
Our process for engineering a system that integrates legacy foundations with future-proof capabilities is detailed below:
Unified Communications Standard: Deployment of Cisco Room Navigators and conferencing systems to automate occupancy detection, optimize room usage, and simplify the booking process.
Visual Clarity: Integration of Samsung anti-reflection screens to guarantee perfect visibility and counteract the challenging natural light conditions.
Adaptive Spaces: Engineering of a unique multifunctional meeting room featuring collapsible partitions and seamless Crestron video distribution, supported by Shure microphones and presenter cameras.
Impactful Communication: Installation of dynamic digital signage at entrances and coffee corners to strengthen communication with staff and visitors.
Managed Services Model: Implementation of a Crucial Care service level agreement, valued at EUR 9,900 per year, guaranteeing a 48-hour on-site response.
Project Execution:
Bringing this vision to life required navigating physical and logistical complexities through a phased approach. The installation took place between March and April 2024, ensuring a smooth transition with minimal disruption to daily operations.
The team paid exceptional attention to technical details, providing high-quality technical drawings and implementing freestanding cable management. Close collaboration with international teams ensured that all solutions proactively met strict corporate security requirements leading up to the May 2024 handover.
As the new systems went online, employees immediately embraced the technology for its simplicity and reliability. The meeting rooms were instantly transformed into vibrant hubs of global collaboration.
The initial challenges of user complexity and environmental constraints were completely addressed by the robust, standardized design. The outcomes of this comprehensive transformation were highly impactful:
Seamless User Adoption: By keeping the systems intuitive and consistent, employees immediately felt comfortable utilizing the spaces without needing extensive IT support.
Operational Excellence: Operations clearly improved, with less time lost to setting up meetings, and IT support calls significantly down.
Architectural Harmony: The flexible design of the multifunctional room enabled the firm to adapt the space for any occasion without compromising audio or video quality.
Future-Readiness: Backed by the Crucial Care model, the firm enjoys reliable continuity of its meeting environment, knowing that expert support is always available.
The project execution stood out for its meticulous attention to detail, with stakeholders specifically praising the equipment’s professional preparation and the high quality of the technical drawings. Every component was carefully considered to meet the highest standards. Unique touches, such as ensuring all cables were freestanding, contributed to a highly polished final aesthetic that exceeded expectations.
Ultimately, the firm’s team’s initial response was overwhelmingly positive. The new system proved highly user-friendly and was quickly embraced by colleagues, marking a successful transition to the new hybrid standards. The intuitive design enabled immediate adoption with minimal training, resulting in an instant boost in productivity and collaboration. This enthusiastic reception underscored the project’s overall success.
The headquarters transformation stands as a testament to what is possible when workplace strategy meets human-centered technology integration. It is no longer just a standard office space; it is a sustainable, innovative hub for the future of work. Our team in Belgium also prepared a great report about this project, in case you want to read more about this exciting endeavour.
By combining global standards with local delivery expertise, GPA has helped this industry leader achieve its mission of enabling flawless hybrid collaboration. The project demonstrates that organizations can successfully host the most advanced digital experiences while maintaining strict corporate alignment. If you are facing similar pain points in one or more locations around the globe, we would love to talk with you and take the journey together towards a better experience for you and your guests in your venue.
