PwC launches smart office PwC Lab in Beijing

2 June 2020

Accelerates the digital transformation of the traditional “office” model and marks an important milestone towards a new way of working.

Beijing, 2 June 2020 – PwC China (PwC) today officially launched the PwC Lab in Beijing. It is an important milestone that realises PwC’s digital office reform in order to adapt to the future workforce model of accelerating digital transformation of the workplace. In PwC Lab, the future office model uses smart office digital technology and information interaction system and planning that combines concepts of PwC’s WeFlex, resources visual control, efficient space utilisation, energy conservation and environmental protection.

The opening ceremony was attended by government officials of Beijing Chaoyang District, together with Raymund Chao, Chairman of PwC Asia Pacific and China, Daniel Li, PwC China Assurance Managing Partner, Gavin Chui, PwC China Chief Finance Officer and Zhou Xing, PwC China Beijing Lead Partner.

"As a leading professional services firm in the industry, PwC continues to lead and help make businesses and people more resilient in times of uncertainty. The launch of PwC Lab is a milestone in our digital transformation journey and where we have invested in digital development beyond business services, but in revamping the office model for our workforce. The PwC Lab design integrates multi-layer concepts of humanisation, digitalisation, safety, flexibility, efficiency and environmental protection. The benefit of the office model is it creates a collaborative office environment that breaks from the traditional limitations of an office, and can inspire a more creative, and innovative outcomes," said Raymund Chao, Chairman of PwC Asia Pacific and China.

PwC Lab provides a number of leading smart design, including: Flexible and efficient: provide open and modular office areas, flexible choice of office space; office areas that no longer have fixed seats to achieve shared workspace model. Intelligent Digitalisation: uses the existing vBooking system to reserve office seats and meeting rooms, realise visualisation, real-time space use capture, and booking system that records the user's preferred booking mode. It effectively manages the actual and virtual office space through the firm’s “Smart at Work” system. Environmental protection and Sustainability: “Smart at Work” digitally controls lighting, air conditioning, air quality and reduces unnecessary energy waste. PwC Lab was awarded the LEED Gold certification, an Oscar in the construction industry. Humanised care: streamline design is used to offer people a relaxed and free feeling. Through the coordination of space design and modular furniture, employees can choose the most suitable environment for their current working conditions and characters to work efficiently and sustain strong enthusiasm for work.

PwC has been rigorously on the lookout for innovative ideas, including the launch of Flexi-dress, WeFlex and Wellness Ecosystem, in an effort to offer employees a better work life balance. To meet our people-led values, PwC paid close attention to the physical and mental health of employees, improving work efficiency so as to support the employees to achieve their professional and personal goals.

Organisations are experiencing business disruption at an unprecedented scale in the wake of COVID-19. To navigate the workforce shift that is moving towards an increasingly remote workforce, PwC embarks on a digital journey to create a more innovative working environment in order to make work easier and better for our people. As part of this journey, PwC launched the “Smart at Work” digital office tools which is an efficient communication system to optimise the management of actual and virtual office space effectively. This includes the delivery of efficient and safety measures with flexibility, and recognises various business scenarios of customers. During the COVID-19, system’s security, flexibility and humanity were thoroughly tested and fully operational.

“PwC Lab is a milestone in new office design and experience that opened after the COVID-19. PwC Lab is of great significance to us, and once again demonstrates our confidence in China’s economic development. PwC Lab brings the humanistic care to meet employees’ personal and professional needs through digital technology. This humanistic experience is incorporated in the development of our future office model, and will provide significant value of the future work model reform,” said Zhou Xing, lead partner of PwC China Beijing Office.

The digital reform of PwC’s office space aims to cater to the needs of employees working in the office, but more importantly, it’s necessary to effectively combine remote office and fixed office, so that efficient virtual office is no longer a problem. It fully embodies three values: 1. Cost effectiveness - Office efficiency and resource utilisation are improved. 2. Space experience - green environmental protection and sustainable development, give full play to the enthusiasm and creativity of employees. 3. Digital transformation - promote the process of enterprise digitalisation to support the new digital workplace.