Optus plans $12.6 million innovation, staff wellbeing hub to get workers back to the office

Telco giant Optus is spending big to encourage workers back to the office at its Sydney headquarters with plans for a mega staff-wellbeing and tech hub. See what’s planned

Telco giant Optus is spending big to encourage workers back to the office with plans to build a new tech and staff wellbeing hub at its sprawling Sydney headquarters.

The Optus HQ in Macquarie Park would be transformed with a new building called the ‘O-Pavilion’. It will include new meeting areas, cafes, a gymnasium and areas for staff-well being programs.

The development would cater for employees and visitors to the site who could use hi-tech hub for collaboration and shared working practices.

A concept plan of the new entrance.

Optus said the $12.6 million concept was partly aimed at encouraging employees to “re-engage” with the site and return to full time work in the office by providing a unique “opportunity for enhancing the work life balance”.

Other features of the development include breakout spaces for mental health wellbeing, public walkways, landscaping works and recreation areas.

“The area is not designed as an office area with work stations but as a multipurpose space for meetings, collaboration and work events attended by staff and their visitors,” the company said.

The proposal is partly aimed at encouraging workers back to the office.

“It will bring people, landscape, work and technology together.”

The proposal comes as latest figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics reveal 41 per cent of the nation’s workforce regularly worked from home in the 12 months to August last year, up from 32 per cent in Aug 2019.

The impacts of Covid-19 have also fuelled a shift towards what’s been dubbed the ‘Twat’ workforce – being employees who only work in the office Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Ben Shrestha, who owns Bluestone Espresso Bar at Macquarie Park, said the number of workers stopping by his cafe for a caffeine hit remains down on pre-Covid levels.

A photo of the entrance to the ''O Pavilion''.

“We rely almost entirely on workers employed at business around us and we’re probably about 70 per cent back to where we were before Covid,” he said.

“The last two years it wasn’t even worth showing up (to work) because everyone was forced to work from home.

“It’s still very quiet on Fridays, but Mondays are slowly beginning to pick up again.

“I think in Macquarie Park we’re faring slightly better than the CBD because we’re more spread out and have the Metro so its much easier to get to for people living in the surrounding areas.”

A photo of the Optus HQ at Macquarie Park.

Optus, in a statement, did not say what percentage of its workforce was currently working from home.

A spokesman said the O Pavilion had been designed as a “space for people to engage, innovate and connect with each other and with nature and Indigenous heritage.”

“The O-Pavilion concept will create a reimagined ‘front door’ to the Optus campus, bringing people, landscape, work, and technology together in a vibrant living space that represents the Optus brand,” he said.

“The space will further develop and strengthen Optus’ presence in the area and maintain our position as an employer of choice.

“The development will encourage colleagues to meet on campus and attract future talent and visitors.”

The Optus headquarters at Lyonpark Rd is one of the largest employers in the suburb and currently spans 7ha with six interconnected buildings