A Look Inside Dtac House Dtac Embraces the Telenor Way of Working with Its Open Space Design, Flat Organizational Structure and Combination of Work and Fun

A look inside dtac house dtac embraces the Telenor way of working with its open space design, flat organizational structure and combination of work and fun.

Building a new house

On 9 September 2010 dtac officially opened its new headquarters - dtac house - at Chamchuri Squaure, one of Thailand's largest office buildings. The new HQ accommodates over 2,000 employees, who were previously dispersed between six different locations in Bangkok. "One of the main reasons that we decided to move into the new office is that we want all of our people to share the same culture. We also would like to give our employees state-of-the-art working conditions and tools that make it easier for them to work, communicate and cooperate across functions," said Tore Johnsen, Chief Executive Officer of dtac. The open space houses a limited number of offices, allowing dtac to bring down the walls between groups and divisions, reflecting the company's flat organizational structure. The open offices also facilitate better communications, resulting in better idea and knowledge sharing.

‘feel good’ from within

As a fun and dynamic company, dtac always makes sure that everything it does reflects its values and brand personality. The new office is no exception. Its unique and creative design clearly reflects dtac's ‘feel good’ brand philosophy. All over the dtac house, Wi-Fi signals and facilities are available to enable staff members to sit and work anywhere. There is also the recreation floor where staff can relax and spend time after work. For example, they stay fit with an indoor running track, fitness equipment, pool and ping pong tables, and an indoor futsal field. They can also enjoy outdoor yoga and aerobics sessions, band rooms, karaoke rooms and game machines. "All these facilities are made available to keep our people happy and healthy. It's fun and also get them to mingle and know each other better in a more relaxed and informal setting," said Johnsen.

The company that inspires others

The dtac house not only inspires its own staff but has become a source of inspiration for many people outside the company. Within just one year, it has been visited by more than 80 companies, organizations and institutions, plus thousands of individuals. The main reason behind these visits is to learn about dtac's culture, which is centered around people, attitude and openness to continuous change and improvement. The visitors also want to learn how the dtac house's design concept reflects and promotes its brand and values, both internally and externally. So far, two of the country's largest corporations, Siam Commercial Bank and PTT Exploration and Production PLC, have been inspired by the design and already applied a similar concept in their workplaces. It is also estimated that around 20 per cent of the visiting companies have applied flat organizational culture in their own headquarters.

Other Telenor houses in Asia

In addition to the dtac house, other Telenor companies have adopted the open space concept. DiGi in

Telenor Group is one of the world's major mobile operators. We keep our customers connected in our markets across Scandinavia and Asia. Our more than 30,000 employees are committed to responsible business conduct and being our customers' favourite partner in digital life. Connecting the world has been Telenor's domain for more than 160 years, and we are driven by a singular vision: to empower societies. Malaysia started its new headquarters project in 2004 and completed the construction in June 2006. Called D' House, the office is low-rise complex of 320,000 square feet. Instead of the traditional compartmentalized cubicles and workstations, the open workspace has glass walls for total visibility and transparency, which is also reflected in DiGi's flat organizational structure and management philosophy - everyone is treated the same, from bottom to top. Uninor in India has created seamless office environments where there are no assigned seating positions, not even for the CEO. The dynamic work environment aims to empower and engage people, encouraging team-building, innovation, knowledge transfer and personal growth. Upon visiting Telenor Pakistan's head office one will find the open seating culture. The company facilitates its employees with a wireless network that also works in the building's surroundings. Recently, Grameenphone's head office has moved into its newly built headquarters "GP House" in Bashundhara, Dhaka. GP House is a state-of-the-art building with energy efficient modern amenities and eco-friendly atmosphere. The GP family has embraced the new lifestyle at work with ‘paperless’ and ‘open office’ concept. The new HQ will be officially inaugurated later this month.