For the Associated Press (AP), the move of their global headquarters from Midtown Manhattan to the Financial District was an opportunity to revitalize their workplace with a more transparent, collaborative office. TPG’s Strategy & Innovation Studio guided them through the change management process to better conceptualize a more open, team-centric workplace. Our Strategy & Innovation Studio worked alongside the client with these organizational transitions through key phases including executive sponsorship, identifying office ambassadors, making the business case, and creating an effective change communication plan.

Our team first held guided visioning sessions with AP’s executive leadership to discuss big-picture organizational concepts such as their goals, values, principles, brand identity, business objective, and spatial organization. By uncovering the news publication’s rich history, it was clear that a balance between embracing their roots while moving into a more digital environment was crucial to the success of the project. TPG’s engagements further involved staff ambassadors who could help address key employee concerns. Participants offered that the existing office space was not optimized for the connected nature of their teams, which ultimately impacted the way in which they communicated with one another.

The findings, which were supported by a communications plan, guided TPG to revitalize AP’s workplace with more open work areas and collaborative spaces to accommodate their changing work habits and innovative news culture. The improved sightlines offer transparency through the newsroom and help create a sense of unity. Our Strategy Studio was successfully able to help the client utilize their space more efficiently and ultimately improve the office culture.