Telia

When Telia’s 3,500 Stockholm-based employees headed off to work on 7 June 2016, it was to a completely different address: the newly-built Telia Company building above Scandinavia’s biggest shopping centre, Mall of Scandinavia, in Arenastaden. It’s been called Sweden’s biggest office move. Staff moved here partly from Farsta, but also from the office in the city, and they were joined by employees at the subsidiary Cygate in Solna. The previous 85,000 sqm offices were vacated for half as much office space in Arenastaden. 

“We were able to cut the amount of office space through the introduction of an activity based approach to working, which means you choose the working environment that best suits what you plan to do,” explains Michael Åslund, Head of Group Real Estate at Telia Company. “Employees are no longer restricted to working at a particular desk or in a particular meeting room.” 

Planning for the move itself began a couple of years in advance. It’s part of the company’s ‘New Generation Telco’ development, which encompasses a much more streamlined way of working, in modern, energy-efficient premises. 

“Cool and cosy”

From being scattered across various outdated buildings in Farsta, it feels like the employees have now ‘rediscovered’ one another and more spontaneous meetings are happening. It’s easier to bounce ideas off one another and there’s an outlet for creativity when the premises are adapted for this. The technical equipment works. The aim is for the furnishings to accentuate the ‘cool and cosy’ feel.