Unilever pioneers hybrid working through a new purpose-built Campus in Singapore

Unilever launched its first purpose-built global campus to support its vision of hybrid working, giving its people the autonomy to decide on work arrangements that best fit their schedules. The campus, called Unilever Campus @ one-north will also serve as a global hub for leadership development to develop talent for the future.

As a result of COVID-19, Unilever, like many businesses, has pivoted to change how its business and people connect, work and innovate. It has seized the opportunity for reinvention and is embracing the benefits of flexibility to create a working environment that puts its people and their wellbeing at the centre through a variety of workspaces and facilities.

In a YouGov survey just conducted among Singaporeans, over 90% of respondents rated on-the-job training, upskilling and purposeful work as the most important aspects while selecting a company to work for. 78% of the respondents also rated hybrid working as an important factor while deciding their future workplace.

“We wholeheartedly believe that flexibility encourages wellness, innovation, creativity and productivity,” says Leena Nair, CHRO, Unilever. “This exceptional new campus in Singapore will be a place for our people to connect, create, collaborate and celebrate. I am so excited to see this philosophy bought to life in Singapore against the backdrop of COVID-19, which has challenged traditional thinking about how and where work is done and how people work best to balance their work and personal lives.”

Situated in the middle of Singapore’s tranquil one-north Nepal Park, the new campus sits on the Unilever Four Acres Leadership & Development site. Officially opened in 2013 by PM Lee Hsien Loong, Unilever’s ‘corporate university’ is the only global leadership development centre outside of the United Kingdom.

Unilever’s ambition is that the new campus will continue to be a global talent hub that attracts, nurtures, and develops future leaders and provides unique and transformational career experiences for people around the world.

At the campus, employees and visitors can expect quiet focus zones with height-adjustable desks, open collaboration spaces and ‘project squad rooms’ custom-built for igniting creativity and teamwork. State-of-the-art meeting rooms will feature hi-spec technology that will power a hybrid experience and recreate physical meetings. And beyond work, the campus has two cafes, a staff shop, hair salon, a dedicated medical centre and wellbeing spaces including a yoga room.

Driven by a global purpose to make sustainable living commonplace, Unilever’s new campus has energy-efficient fittings and recycled materials, and automatic sensors to ensure meeting rooms power down when not in use. Making the most of Singapore’s tropical climate, the entire common area will be powered by rooftop solar panels. Staff and visitors can also do their part every day, with a paperless culture and ban of single-use plastics embedded throughout the campus.