Archives for December 2009

BBC Workplace has re-launched the catering provision in Broadcasting House at Bristol.
The re-launch includes a new menu with locally produced food as a permanent feature; the longer term aspiration is to have all items sourced from within a 50 mile radius.

The tills have been relocated to prevent queuing across the deli bar and a new jacket potato section has been created. The deli bar features a new range of bread plus freshly prepared sandwiches and rolls.

Other features include an upgrade to the displays, new china serving dishes, and a re-branded coffee station serving Fair Trade coffee.

Porridge is now available in the mornings with a choice of toppings, such as nuts and dried fruit. The toast bar offers a new selection of bread and bagels, with a choice of preserves, peanut butter and, love it or hate it, Marmite.

The changes have gone down really well with customers so far, eliciting comments such as those below. Well done to all concerned for a great achievement that will hopefully go from strength to strength.

"Brilliant Christmas roast lunch: the best meal I've had here by about 85%! Please keep it up - it's so fab - a huge improvement!"

"Congratulations with the changes. Quite impressive and appealing. Food tastes much better and hot. Keep up with it - look forward to more."

"Working on BBC Drama and in Bristol for 10 weeks. Catering staff here are friendly, efficient and flexible - and all of us want to move to work here!"

This week the Workplace Management Board invested time getting a refresher on how we manage our Health & Safety (H&S) arrangements.

Why did we spend a full day on this when we have so much other pressing business? 

For me, it was a no-brainer: as the custodians of Health and Safety across the BBC Estate, we, as a Board, need to keep up to speed and fully understand our H&S role and responsibilities. We did something similar in 2008 but this time we used the IOSH framework as a syllabus.

A key focus for all of us in Workplace is weaving good, proactive H&S into our daily routine or, if you prefer, how we ensure H&S becomes business as usual. There are H&S guidelines for all BBC staff working around the world.

Given all our responsibilities, I would urge everyone in Workplace to consider a new years' resolution to get up to speed on Health & Safety. For BBC staff, do check out the myrisks site via Gateway - a one stop shop for all info and training links you may need. As an especial reminder you may wish to have a look at the BBC's policy on H&S which was last updated in September 2009.

Chris

BBC Workplace is launching two Design Challenges for universities and colleges in the North of England, giving students an exciting opportunity to see their design skills come to life in the BBC's future new home in Salford.

Undergraduates are invited to design a piece of furniture - a phone chair - and a piece of fabric to be used in the BBC MediaCityUK buildings at Salford Quays.

BBC staff will be working in flexible, collaborative, open plan workspaces in the new buildings. Therefore, the phone chair should be suitable for taking confidential phone calls in a quiet space. The chair will be manufactured by Yorkshire-based furniture manufacturer naughtone, who have also set up a Facebook page for the competition.

The fabric should be an original design which can be printed on to contract grade fabric to be used in the buildings as wall covering, screening or curtaining. The overall design should take its inspiration from digital Britain. The fabric will be manufactured by Yorkshire-based textile manufacturer Camira.

Detailed briefs, including deadlines, terms and conditions, and information on how to enter can be obtained by emailing bbcnorthdesignchallenge@bbc.co.uk

The closing date for entries is 30th April 2010 and the winner will be announced at the end of May 2010. It is predicted that the furniture and fabric will be installed in the buildings in March 2011.

Peter Salmon, Director BBC North says: "I'm intrigued by this new challenge we're setting for universities and colleges in the North. I encourage you to take part as it's a chance to have some real input into the buildings the BBC will be using at MediaCityUK. It's also an example of how we want to work - collaboratively and in partnership. I hope everyone who enters has fun coming up with designs for a chair and fabric. Just think whose posterior might be sitting on your chair in 2011 - could it be a CBeebies producer, or Radio 5live or BBC Sports presenter?"

Alan Bainbridge, North Portfolio Director, BBC Workplace says: "This challenge is one of many innovations we are introducing into the design of the BBC's new home in MediaCityUK. As well as working collaboratively, we're also seeking to create a place that provokes smiles and delight. We hope students take this opportunity to show us some great ideas for designs in the buildings before they open to programme makers and audiences."

Additional Information:

• The BBC is moving 2,300 roles from west London and central Manchester to MediaCityUK, Salford Quays by 2011.
• Some of the larger departments in the move include BBC Sport, BBC Children's (including CBeebies and CBBC), BBC Radio 5live and BBC Learning.
• The main aim of this move is to shift the BBC's centre of gravity away from London and better reflect and represent the whole of the UK to licence fee payers.
• Further information about MediaCityUK via this link

I was very proud to get an internship at the BBC, partly because it's a well recognised brand all around the world. In my home country, Serbia, it is trusted even more than the local media providers. The BBC's presence in Serbia is just a little country office, so there's lots of room for growth.

I am a 23 year old student and I hold degrees in Economics from Milan and in European Business from London. My arrival at Workplace has made me realise how little exposure I have had to the construction and Corporate Real Estate (CRE) industries. Even though it operates in the background, Workplace is one of the most important pillars of a well functioning business. In the BBC, Workplace is answering the question WHERE people work, by providing actual spaces and support for them.

Working for the BBC differs from my other experiences. Here I get to experience an open plan office and flexible working firsthand. People in my area are friendly, helpful and keep a positive office spirit.

Having lived away from home for 5 years, in several parts of Europe, I've dealt with many nationalities and I'm currently really enjoying the diversity of people and cultures at the BBC.

I appreciate that the mission and vision of the BBC are communicated and shared at all levels of the company so everybody can move towards the same goal. I also appreciate the openness of the BBC, its transparency towards its audiences and the open communication between employees. It gives the impression that there are no secrets.

The work in the Workplace is a real eye-opener for me. In the past month I have read a lot about CRE and attended many meetings and conferences. I'm starting to understand the industry, overall trends and the BBC's place in it all.

Chris Kane and Derek O'Dwyer have been very helpful in providing me with guidance and assistance. I hope that the end result of my 3 month work placement will meet BBC Workplace's expectations and add value.

Marina

Constructing the new home of journalism continues apace at Broadcasting House in London, the BBC's largest ever capital project.

One of the most significant aspects of Sir Richard McCormack's design is a fantastic 'gullwing' shaped roof as you can see in the photo below, taken from the top of a crane.

Now that Land Securities and Bovis Lend Lease have put the roof on, the team can really motor to get the building ready for handover to the BBC in late 2010.

We're moving into exciting times in security innovation, and BBC Workplace is looking at using new technologies to help revolutionise what we do and how we do it.

Working with BBC Technology, BBC People and other partners, we are reviewing key elements of security including Building Access, Guarding and Control Rooms where there has been a huge amount of development recently.

For example, in the area of Building Access, Smart ID cards now offer identification with a name and a photo and the ability to hold biometric data. This allows identity verification of an individual with no need to keep a database of the information. At the Olympic Park in London, Smart Cards and biometricshave been installed to protect both the Olympic Park and the workers on the Park in the lead up to the Games. 

No decisions have been made at the BBC. Currently all options are being looked atandPrivacy Impact Assessments will be carried out to ensure that the best and most appropriate solutions are considered. 

The potential of these Smart Cards doesn't stop at security alone. The BBC is also exploring possibilities around increasing the usefulness of ID cards by including functionality such as computer log-on, card controlled printing and cashless vending. 

 Watch this space for other interesting developments.