Conference Day Two: Thursday, 11th July 2019
8:30 am - 9:00 am Coffee & Registration
9:00 am - 9:10 am Opening Remarks from Conference Chairperson
9:10 am - 9:40 am KEYNOTE: How Uber Are Identifying and Deploying Workplace Systems for Efficiency
Uber have undergone a transformative journey in their workplace systems, moving from regionalised procedures to a more global strategy. Here Jeremy shares their roadmap for the identification and deployment of a multitude of workplace systems across the business. The creation of a robust, long term approach involved continuous learning and adaptation and led to a program which will enable successes in the short and long term.
- The journey from regionalised procedures to establishing a standardised, global technology strategy
- The need for a considered approach and long term plan
- Engaging strategic partners and working on data consistency and governance
- Enabling big wins in the present whilst simultaneously laying foundations for the long term
- Lessons learned
- complexity is not a necessity
- the need for a fully aligned vision
- the learning process and preparing to fail
- creating a strategy to navigate hurdles on this journey
9:40 am - 10:10 am A Walk Into The Workplace Of The Future: A New Perspective On Collaborative Working vs Working In Isolation
As a thought leader in this space, Agustin undertook a research project which led him to question the increasingly favoured collaborative working techniques prevalent in the workspace design field. His work with Hassell Studio has seen his theories implemented in real time and here Mark and Agustin share their views on the future of work and workspace design from the work they have undergone together.
- What can a 42 day, 905km, foot-journey from Melbourne to Sydney reveal about the future of work and the workplace?
- Collaboration vs isolation
- Artificial Intelligence and the future of work
- Rationality, emotions and absurdity in the workplace
- Towards an integrated work environment

Dr Agustin Chevez
Research Fellow and Senior Researcher at Hassell StudiosSwinburn University of Technology
10:10 am - 10:40 am Speed Networking
10:40 am - 11:00 am MORNING TEA
11:00 am - 11:30 am How The Australian Red Cross Are Embedding A Mindset Of ‘Being’ Agile To Strengthen The Transformation Journey
As the Australian Red Cross embarked on a transitional program toward a more agile workforce there were some roadblocks encountered. Touching upon coaching needed for leadership as well as a mentality change throughout the company towards ‘being Agile’, hear from Caroline’s battle scars around:
- Understanding the impact for each team now and for the future
- Failures and lessons learned from the first trials of transitioning
- Coaching the leadership to manage in the changed environment
- Embedding a cultural understanding of Agile something we ‘are’ as a company not something we ‘do’
11:30 am - 12:00 pm Hub Australia: Office Space Design To Elevate Employee Satisfaction And Improve Business Outcomes
It is becoming an increasing priority for employers to gain competitive advantage in attracting and retaining staff. The wellbeing and experience of the employee at work must therefore be reflected in the design of the workspace. The more the space facilitates flexible ways of working, the more attractive they will be. Hub Australia share their strategies on designing and creating such spaces.
- Staff attraction and retention in workspace design
- The importance of social and wellness programs and provision of social, collaborative spaces
- The trend towards flexible and core space
- What the end result should look like
12:00 pm - 12:30 pm How Legal Aid Are Navigating Employee Wellbeing And New Flexible Ways Of Working
Legal Aid have a unique challenge to face in implementing flexible working into an enterprise which provides direct services. Here they discuss their work in overcoming these challenges, as well as how they approach supporting employee wellbeing.
- 3 pillars to building a positive workplace environment : workplace, workspace and work self
- Our ‘Being Well’ Strategy
- The challenges of encouraging flexible working in a direct services industry
- An evidence based approach to mental health strategy
- How do you communicate work life balance while implementing flexible work?
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm LUNCH
1:30 pm - 2:00 pm Transdev Australasia: Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives to Promote Positive Experience and Support Individual Development
Transdev place diversity and inclusion at the heart of facilitating a healthy and positive workplace experience. Through workplace initiatives Transdev encourage workforce development. Here they evidence that workplace experience has a direct correlation with employee engagement.
- Our diversity and inclusion initiative
- How this work interlinks with workforce development
- The remit of the Group Diversity Council
- A strategy born out of communication with the workforce – the importance of reinforcing employee value
2:00 pm - 2:30 pm How Marque Laywers Are Reconceptualising Traditional Legal Workspace Design To Align With Company Ethos
Within the legal profession, traditional structures and ways of working are rarely deviated from. Marque Lawyers are breaking this stereotype and rethinking legacy designs. They are also challenging the misconception of the impact of workplace design on company culture, where the focus should lie primarily on company ethos above all else.
- The traditional image of the lawyer’s office and inversion of this
- Our design vision and messaging – an office which welcomes rather than alienates
- Why workspace design must align with cultural values not vice versa
2:30 pm - 3:00 pm Vic Roads: Viewing Technology As A Key Enabler To Workplace Change And Reinforcement Of Vision
Vic Roads began their transformation journey with the recognition that digital technologies can have a huge impact on the success of the project. They were able to gather information on how best to approach changes as well as strengthen programs implemented post-transformation. Here they share how they leveraged technologies to enable these outcomes.
- The strategies we implemented in our workplace transformation project
- Technology as a key component to facilitating transformation
- Data analysis of employee behaviour using space utilization software
- Catering to staff needs to better the employee experience
- The need for reinforcement strategies post transition
- cross business communications program
- addressing leadership behaviour and awareness
3:00 pm - 3:30 pm Vicinity Centres: Determining Operations To Align With The Agile World And Ensure Employee Engagement And Retention
Vicinity Centres have merged two offices, and in doing so they saw an opportunity to evolve their business design and priorities. They are arranging their organization to suit newer, agile ways of working and drawing up a plan which will be relevant now and for the future. In this talk, Joanne will discuss:
- Internal work: seamlessly merging two offices into one
- Establishing real-time working to better suit an Agile environment
- A culture which allows innovation and improved internal communication
- Increasing technology capabilities and reducing paper usage
- Managing a remote workforce and measuring competency by outcomes
- The next stage: focus on diversity, inclusion and flexibility in the work place
3:30 pm - 4:00 pm AFTERNOON TEA
4:00 pm - 4:30 pm PANEL DISCUSSION: How To Ensure Sustainability Is Successfully Implemented In Workspace Design
Speakers:
Bradley Delamare CEO and General Manager Tankstream Labs
Lauren Willet National Facilities Manager Avant Mutual Group
Tim Olorenshaw Head of Workplace Technology Vodafone
Jose Fredes National Property and Facilities Manager Teachers Mutual Bank Limited
Peta-Lee Benson Head of Digital Workplace icare NSW
Bradley Delamare CEO and General Manager Tankstream Labs
Lauren Willet National Facilities Manager Avant Mutual Group
Tim Olorenshaw Head of Workplace Technology Vodafone
Jose Fredes National Property and Facilities Manager Teachers Mutual Bank Limited
Peta-Lee Benson Head of Digital Workplace icare NSW
Substantially reducing the enterprise carbon footprint is increasingly becoming a priority for businesses across the globe. Expectations of both customers and workers are growing significantly. As such, businesses must adapt their physical workplace to accommodate for these demands, which in turn involves a change of workplace culture.
- The need to address sustainability in the modern workplace
- Will there be losses?
- Methods for reducing waste and transforming into an eco-friendly enterprise
- How to be economical about sustainable solutions
Speakers:
4:30 pm - 5:00 pm How iCare Are Creating Workspaces Which Aligns With A Vision Of Simplicity
- Our vision of simplicity for the modern workplace – what does this look like and how we will be achieving it?
- Enabling flexible working across the organisation, including piloting activity based working (ABW) with one quarter of our people.
- Re-designing the space: our vision of intuitive meeting rooms through simplistic design.
- Improving our people’s digital capabilities through change and adoption programs that move us forward into a modern workplace.
- The challenge of aligning technology to enable positive employee experience in the new environment.
5:00 pm - 5:10 pm How Uber Are Confronting An Ageing Population By Leveraging Real Estate As A Service To Better Employee Performance, Wellbeing And Overall Profits
Digital technology, the ageing population and the market expectation on the Workplace environment will change Real Estate As A Service. Evidence suggests employees are working longer and spending more time on the job than in previous years. There are numerous ramifications associated with the changing demographics and the expanding prevalence of an aging population in the workforce. The regulators will say everyone has a health and safety duty of care to reduce health risks and workplace fatigue. So, how can a Real Estate As A Service technological solution unleash unprecedented value for the tenant in terms of employee performance, avoiding fatigue and maximising profit? In this session mark will shed some light on the opportunities available to create a high performing team and maximise profitability.
- The impact of an ageing workforce on industry and the associated enterprise obligations to employee wellbeing
- An increase in the usage of wearable technology providing an unprecedented opportunity for Real Estate As A Service
- Collecting data and providing recommendations based on qualitative and quantitative metrics
- Measuring variables and altering the real estate environment to maximise employee performance