BT is to recruit around 1,000 new people at its flagship Birmingham office, as the building welcomes its first colleagues through the doors.
The company says it will create the new jobs over the coming months and years, with around 225 roles currently available. The employment boost comes as construction work was completed on Three Snowhill, which will serve as BT’s regional hub site for the Midlands. The state-of-the-art new office, built over 17 floors, houses the latest technology and modern facilities that allow colleagues to perform at their best.
BT colleagues have been taking part in induction sessions as part of a phased return to the office over the next few weeks following the end of Covid-19 restrictions. In addition to recent new hires and colleagues moving in from other locations, there are currently 225 vacant roles available in areas such as digital, data, analytics, sales and HR.
The new office will eventually accommodate around 3,500 colleagues from across BT Group, including digital network business Openreach.
Philip Jansen, chief executive, BT Group, said:
“This is our first major regional hub site to open outside London and is a marker of how BT is transforming to meet the needs of our colleagues and our customers.
“It’s also a statement that we’re serious about the ‘levelling up’ agenda. While our head office remains in London, we are committed to creating more opportunities and basing key operations in other areas of the UK too. A number of our senior leaders are now based here in Birmingham, as well as colleagues from across the business in a wide variety of roles, including exciting new technology research and digital product development functions.
“Three Snowhill epitomises what we are trying to achieve through our new workspaces, and we continue to work towards that vision of providing future-fit, inspiring offices where people can collaborate, innovate and ultimately deliver the best for our customers and the best for our business.”
BT says its ambition is to increase efficiency and productivity, improving its ability to do the best for its customers. The Better Workplace Programme will deliver a combination of moves like this, into new offices, as well as the refurbishment of some existing BT buildings.
Elaine Bergin, BT director for colleague experience, who is based at Three Snowhill, said:
“This is a really exciting time for BT as we launch our new regional hub in Birmingham with some fantastic job opportunities for local people and those looking to move to the area.
“BT is a great company and Three Snowhill is an incredible place to work, so I would encourage anyone who may be interested to check out our careers website bt.com/careers where more information and details on how to apply can be found.”
Despite the Covid-19 pandemic seeing many staff shift to home working over the past 18 months, BT still firmly believes in the future of the office.
Elaine added:
“We still see our shared workplaces as central to BT’s future. They will be places where colleagues come together to connect, collaborate, learn and develop, build friendships and share their experiences.
“We recognise that colleagues need the opportunity to work flexibly, and we can enable that through hybrid working. However, particularly for younger individuals and those joining BT for the first time, the opportunity to learn those soft skills and form positive relationships by working together in the office is invaluable.”
BT is adopting a hybrid, flexible approach called ‘Smart Working’ where teams will choose how colleagues spend time between home and their office. Shared workplaces will continue to be central to the company’s future.
Three Snowhill boasts smart building technology, flexible workspaces and collaboration areas. There are also a range of catering options including a ground floor café open to the public, world class event spaces, and a large media screen in reception. It also has a ‘bike doctor’ to encourage more colleagues to cycle to work.
BT will ensure it complies with all the latest guidelines on Covid-19 from Public Health England to ensure people are kept safe in the office. The company will be the main occupier of the 17-storey development, marking a major investment by the company in the UK’s second city.
