Last year, all employers in the Netherlands were faced with a major challenge: their employees were no longer allowed to work at the office. This immediately created challenges, because how do you help your people to stay healthy and productive at home? Many organisations struggled with this dilemma, but Sweco immediately made a clear choice; we want a healthy and circular home workplace for our employees.

100% NL WORKPLACE WAS LOGICAL CIRCULAR CHOICE

Sweco has been working with TRIBOO for years as a partner in making its offices CO2 neutral and circular in order to make its business operations more sustainable. The choice that was made for the 100% NL home office of TRIBOO was therefore logical. The joint circular vision has been implemented to the maximum in the desk and the office chair. Employees have been given the opportunity to put together their own desk and chair. In this way, everyone has a configuration that suits him or her at home.

The 100% NL home office desk by TRIBOO is entirely made in the Netherlands, which has a positive impact on CO2 emissions. By applying a #greengridz desktop, 18 kg less material is used and 60% less CO2 is emitted compared to a traditional workplace with a solid chipboard top. TRIBOO remains the owner of the raw materials and takes responsibility. At the end of its lifecycle the workstation will be taken back and TRIBOO will make sure that it is 100% reused.

HOME OFFICE AS A SERVICE

Sweco preferred not to buy the home workstations but to purchase them as 'product as a service'. This means that TRIBOO retains ownership of the furniture and Sweco uses it. This solution fits well with TRIBOO and its aim to manage the flow of raw materials and retain value, but requires a substantial upfront investment. Together with ABN AMRO, the circular partner of the first hour and house bank, a suitable financial solution was worked out and the next step could be taken to start delivering all 1,000 workplaces throughout the Netherlands.

A GIGANTIC LOGISTICAL OPERATION

When an office is designed in a circular manner, there is 1 address for 1,000 workplaces. When setting up home workplaces, it is the other way round - 1,000 addresses for 1 workplace. Every address has its own possibilities and impossibilities in terms of accessibility for bringing in furniture and assembling it. Employees had to be at home and the whole operation had to be completed in 6 weeks. Communication and planning with all those involved also required a structured approach to make this mega operation a success for everyone.  

By now, more than 1,000 Sweco employees have been made happy with a circular workplace at home. TRIBOO took care of all the worries and organised the whole logistic operation professionally. Perfect down to the last detail, from research and inventory of wishes and requirements to planning, producing, coordinating, delivering and assembling the workplaces at home. Now everyone can work safely and healthily both at home and in the office.