When QHR Technologies approached Truspace, they had a distinct motivation driving their search. They needed a team who could revitalize their office while standardizing design across their locations.
As a prominent Canadian healthcare technology company responsible for 20 percent of the country’s medical record keeping, QHR Technologies maintains headquarters in Kelowna, British Columbia, and was looking to renovate its second location in Toronto, Ontario.
The catch was they had to do this without disrupting their employees’ daily work routines or requiring any of the employees to relocate out of the office. QHR Technologies sought a partner who could deliver a design-and-build solution that would maintain brand consistency, honor their established office culture, and create a practical, appealing, and cohesive environment for their team.
Maintaining Brand Consistency and Corporate Culture
QHR Technologies was concerned that a design firm would alter their office culture, provoking them to seek a partner they could trust to maintain their strong brand identity and the experience they wanted employees to have in their offices across the board.
They needed a team with no ‘ego’ to take on the job. Truspace was unwavering in its commitment to delivering exactly what it needed. Truspace prioritized continuity throughout the design process, incorporating QHR Technologies’ established standards and delivering a space that authentically reflected its values.
Designing for Collaboration and Growth
The QHR Technologies’ vision emphasized elements of comfort, community, health, and wellness—elements that reflected the ‘Blue Culture’ principles at the core of QHR’s employee culture.
QHR’s Blue Culture Principles:
Be authentic, build trust, and make connections.
QHR Technologies stressed the importance of ergonomics and agility during the collaboration, leading Truspace to provide all employees with height-adjustable desks and well-thought-out workspaces that encouraged movement and interaction. Additionally, including open-plan offices and a spacious kitchen area promoted seamless collaboration and a sense of community among teams.
New paint, flooring, and furniture were incorporated throughout the space, elevating the overall aesthetic and functionality. QHR Technologies’ commitment to employee well-being also needed to be reflected in the office, which inspired the placement of greenery throughout the space. These bits of green, along with pops of color on accent walls and elsewhere in the design aesthetic, became reminders of health and vitality in the QHR Technologies office.
Meticulous Coordination Every Step of The Way
Despite ongoing construction, minimizing disruptions and maintaining a conducive work environment for QHR Technologies’ employees was imperative. To achieve this, Truspace utilized a construction strategy and schedule that planned for significant work time for their team during off-hours, evenings, and weekends—reducing potential interruptions, mitigating risk, and further safeguarding employee well-being.
By meticulously coordinating the project and implementing protective measures, Truspace successfully balanced the renovation requirements with the ongoing on-site work activities, ensuring a seamless transition for the entire team.
“Our strategy and execution schedule was extremely detailed. To keep our project on track and protect the QHR employees, our cadence had to be nearly flawless.” – said Russell Devenish, Managing Director, Truspace.
An Unfortunate Surprise: Asbestos
A challenge arose during the project that isn’t entirely unexpected in older buildings, but is never a welcome surprise—the discovery of asbestos within prominent columns of the construction area. Aside from the already apparent obstacles to keeping construction debris and disruptions out of employee workspaces, this added another layer of significance to keeping employees safe.
The Truspace team swiftly and responsibly addressed this issue, ensuring the well-being of QHR Technologies’ employees. The asbestos-containing materials were all cut out, removed, and replaced with new drywall with utmost care.
“We always test older buildings for asbestos. And while it’s an inconvenience to find, we also take pride in being able to improve the health and safety of our clients,” said Devenish.
A Timely Completion
Typically, a remodel of this scale would involve relocating employees for 10-12 weeks. However, QHR Technologies’ unique requirement of continuing on-site work during the project necessitated careful planning and execution.
Despite the added complexity, Truspace successfully completed the project, only adding a few weeks time to their typical timeline for a project of this scale. The project finished within the quoted timeline and budget. The remodel, which began in early January, concluded in late March, demonstrating Truspace’s commitment to delivering exceptional results while prioritizing employee comfort and productivity.
The collaboration between QHR Technologies and Truspace resulted in a successful office transformation that met the company’s standards, upheld its brand identity, and created an environment where employees could thrive and excel.
