Four Communications Group, which is currently located in London Bridge, will move to three floors in a newly developed building in Whitechapel called The Hickman.
Four said it has been able to reduce its office size by 20 per cent in London Bridge due to a flexible working policy that was rolled out in November.
Several comms agencies have either downsized their office spaces since the coronavirus pandemic arrived in the UK in March, or plan to do so. Four will move into its new office in the first quarter of 2021.
“This is a pivotal moment for us and we’re glad to have secured the premium floors of this outstanding building, along with the coveted outside terraces that come with it. We would like to thank [our current landlord Great Portland Estates] for enabling us to make a seamless move to the new premises in a vibrant, diverse and up-and-coming area,” Four Communications Group chief executive Nan Williams said.
“We are taking nearly 20 per cent less space than we currently have so we are able to start cost savings early in 2021, which will be a crucial recovery year for our industry. The move also allows us to reconfigure our space to suit our new way of flexible working, with less desking and more collaborative, project, social and event space – something our staff have told us they want through our extensive consultation this year.”
Williams said Four’s flexible working policy meant staff have “total flexibility” in where they work.
She added: “Of course, there are times when they will want and need to be in our amazing new office for team days, client meetings and collaboration. We planned this change at the beginning of 2020, but COVID-19 has accelerated the proof of concept and our implementation. The bonus is the outside space, which was number one on the wishlist during staff focus groups.”
Four will become the first tenant of the new development, taking 17,700ft2 of office space and an additional 5,000ft2 of outside terrace space with City views.
Four has appointed design-and-build firm AIS to create “an inspiring, flexible and technologically advanced new HQ for the agency”.
