Marvin OnumonuBT Group has opened its new multi-million-pound office at Four New Bailey in Manchester, completing its five-year ‘better workplace’ transformation.
The company has consolidated around 300 offices down to approximately 30 key locations as part of this programme.
Four New Bailey will house up to 2,000 staff and features advanced technology and a rooftop terrace.
The site replaces the old Deansgate office and adds to BT Group’s North West presence, which includes Liverpool, Accrington and Warrington.
Manchester joins other new or refurbished sites in areas such as Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Dundee, London, Belfast, Doncaster, Glasgow and Newcastle.
An independent report by Hatch found that BT Group directly employed over 69,700 people and 15,500 contractors in the UK.
In total, the company supported around 212,000 jobs and spent £9.6bn with UK suppliers and subcontractors.
Allison Kirkby, chief executive at BT Group, said: “The opening of our new Manchester office is a significant milestone on the journey to transform BT and our office spaces around the UK.
“We’ve invested heavily to provide best-in-class office spaces for our people across the country, reflecting how critical we are to every region of the UK.
“The broader economic effect from our offices, our people and our spend with UK suppliers is worth £23bn to the nation’s economy and beyond our own people we support around 212,000 jobs in the wider UK economy.”
Kirkby added: “And this is in addition to the economic contribution from the full fibre broadband network we are building, calculated to be worth £72bn to the UK’s economy by 2030*.
“As I’ve met colleagues from across the company at our new and refurbished locations, I’m impressed and proud of the vital work they do in their local communities, and of the role BT plays nationwide.”
Sue Glew, BT Group better workplace programme director, said: “We began our Better Workplace Programme in 2019 to make sure our people had better equipped and more modern offices to call home, to attract the best talent and help us give the best service to our customers.
“Despite facing external challenges such as Covid and global supply chain issues, we’ve given our colleagues multiple new or refurbished workspaces, from Plymouth to Dundee, including a brand-new HQ in London and new regional hubs.
“More than two million square feet of amazing offices have been created for our people.”
Glew added: “I’m immensely proud of what our teams and partners have achieved, transforming often tired and dated former buildings into worldclass environments where people can collaborate and learn from each other for many years to come.”
