NXP

NXP develops and produces semiconductors (chips) for automotive, (mobile) communication devices and smart solutions for industry, cities and buildings. This international company has offices in thirty countries. Activity Based Working has been launched at the head office - on the High Tech Campus in Eindhoven. Central issue is hybrid working at dynamic workplaces and in different settings Ahrend laid the foundation for Workplace Next in a pilot together with NXP. 'Employees are extremely positive: The new working environment scores an 8.5.'

Designing with users

At the headquarters, the foundations have been laid for NXP's new hybrid working. NXP did not want to simply leave the new workplace and office design to a design agency, but really work with users and test it in practice. Ahrend Design Studio guided the client and staff in this, with brainstorming sessions and trial set-ups, 3D drawings, colour and material samples. Together they designed 104 workplaces, 15 meeting rooms, 15 focus rooms, pantries and a social zone for 150 employees on one floor. This is the blueprint for the new hybrid working for all NXP offices.

Collaborate in teams

In addition to the 3:2 combination (working three days in the office and two days elsewhere), teamwork is key to NXP's new way of working. During the pilot, a team size of eight members was found to be the most productive. With this knowledge, Ahrend Design Studio started with a layout and floor plan for the two wings on the first floor. Juulke Broos, account manager at Ahrend: 'When we started calculating with this data, we arrived at 104 workplaces where previously there had been 180 desks.'

‘'Ahrend excels in flexibility and proactive thinking'’

Floor van den Heuvel Real Estate & Facility Manager at NXP

Sustainability and reuse

Since employees will be working at flexible workstations, it was important for all desks to be the same. But which desk is best for most people? We tested that with the user group in practice. A dynamic sit-stand desk has been rolled out there: the electrically adjustable Ahrend Balance. Because the existing office chairs were still good, they were reused. Sustainability ranked highly. For instance, in the new layout, we were able to reposition the existing walls in other places.'

20 different workspaces

The use of flexible workstations freed up more square metres for very diverse spaces: 20 new settings. 'Smaller focus rooms with sitting or standing furniture, Ahrend Flexboxes, medium-sized scrum rooms for agile working with dynamic stand-up stools and meeting rooms with Ahrend Balance conference table and Ahrend Well chairs. Special Ahrend Qabins Call and Chat have been deployed for calls and Team(s) meetings. The newly refurbished floor now has a place suitable for every activity and concentration level for groups of 2 to 20 people.'

Proactive approach

The user's voice counted in the pilot. In addition to 'real' users, facilities staff also contributed ideas. Facilicom is NXP's permanent building manager. 'This service provider contributed expertise upon request. For example, they know the installation technology and the building. This helped with the design and the cable management provided by Ahrend. Facilicom's input also helps with cleaning, maintenance and sustainability.'
Floor van den Heuvel, project leader on behalf of NXP: 'Ahrend's proactive and positive attitude in allowing users, project managers and external experts such as Facilicom to weigh in on the process has led to a strong and good end result.'

NXP on Ahrend

'Ahrend excels in flexibility and proactive thinking. And that is really necessary in a pilot. Especially since we closely involved the user group in the trial set-ups and choices. The new way of working is mainly focused on meeting in the office, promoting collaboration, contributing to NXP's growth and creating balance between home and office. NXP employees come to the office for an average of three days worldwide. What does that mean for the number of workstations, focus rooms, conferencing facilities and meet-up opportunities? What demands does hybrid working make on spaces and furnishings? Together with the interior architects from Ahrend Design Studio, we explored and tested all the possibilities. Thanks in part to adaptability and readiness, we now have a good concept that we can implement. Employees working in the new work and meeting setting are extremely positive. The design scores high: 8.5'.

Floor van den Heuvel, Real Estate & Facility Manager at NXP (Eindhoven, Delft and Leuven)