Archives for January 2011

With everyone working hard to make sure our customers have the right property and services support, it’s easy to get sucked into the day-to-day and to lose sight of the bigger picture. We do a great job at Workplace and everyone’s role and contribution makes a difference.

So, I’m delighted with news this morning that Workplace has been recognised by the property industry’s leading annual awards and that we have been shortlisted in the ‘Occupier of the Year’ category in Property Week’s ‘Property Awards’. This is recognition from our peers and from our industry that, from what they see, they think our team is one of the best in the business – and that’s no insignificant accolade or achievement.

The shortlisting means that we will now go forward to the national finals where we are up against other major commercial property occupiers across a mix of sectors including KPMG, Whitbread (Premier Inn), Primark and Travelodge.

A decision will be announced at the Awards Dinner on 5 April 2011. We’ll keep you posted.

Everyone across the ONE Workplace team has played their own part in helping us to secure this recognition and credit must go to all.

No doubt you may find it a bit strange to see a blog talking about the year ahead when January is almost over - that’s what happens when you get out of the routine of blogging on a regular basis!

For me I have had a long Christmas break spending time with my in-laws in Australia and it has taken a little while for me to get around to posting something.

The last year did, like many others, fly by. But it’s important to be able to reflect on the highlights and what we as BBC ONE Workplace achieved. It was another roller coaster year which was capped off by the early completion of the largest building I have ever been involved with - Broadcasting House in central London. Of course there were lots of other good things delivered and I just want to say that I haven’t forgotten about these.

Looking to the year ahead, I see one where we will be bringing our big projects to a close – the opening of the BBC's buildings at Media City in Salford, the fit-out of Broadcasting House W1, and the construction of the Drama Village in Cardiff. We’re well organised to get on with this work and I have every confidence that they will all go across the finishing post on time and on budget. Alongside this, the day-to-day job of operating the estate continues and every year it is pleasing to note that it's operating like a well-oiled machine churning out good quality support for the making of great content.

In addition to this raft of work, focus will be on how we start the process of vacating Television Centre and the disposal of this enormous asset – more about that in a further blog.

Personally, I have made a number of New Year’s resolutions, the principle one being to wean myself off my addiction to chocolate! In the workplace as a team, I believe we should focus on the simplicity agenda – how we can simplify what we do, not only for ourselves but for our customers.