Press Release: Penguin Random House UK Staff to Design the Workplace of the Future

LONDON — June 28, 2016 — Penguin Random House UK today set employees the challenge of creating the workplace of the future.

Tom Weldon, CEO Penguin Random House UK, launched a major project to capture opinions and ideas from employees and the results will inform a substantial reinvention of the publisher's London-based sites and working practices.

To set the scene and provide a framework for the consultation, several parameters have been put in place. From 2020, when the lease expires on the 80 Strand site, Penguin Random House UK will be on two sites in London: the existing site in Vauxhall Bridge Road and another, as yet to be identified site, ideally within walking distance. The publisher will vacate its Ealing offices and the Vauxhall Bridge Road building will be completely renovated and transformed.

Staff are now being asked to take part in a series of consultations, question and answer sessions, and surveys. These will be followed by invitations to join working groups and site visits which will continue to inform the design process until project completion in 2020.

Tom Weldon said: "Our two London sites will be high-spec, open plan creative hubs.

"The way in which people will work, the way in which people will live, travel and communicate will be radically different in the future and we need to think about how we take this into account in the decisions that we make now.

"This is about so much more than just bricks and mortar; we will be looking at how we can provide maximum flexibility around the way we work. We will of course be speaking to experts in innovative design, but the most important voice is that of our employees. By listening, testing and implementing their ideas, we really will be able to create THE place where people can do the best work of their lives."