Telecoms giant Virgin Media O2 has completed a major relocation of its Manchester headquarters, moving 1,100 staff into a new city centre base and confirming its commitment to long-term hybrid working.
A Strategic Move to a 'Marquee' City Centre Location
The company has shifted its customer care hub from its former base in Wythenshawe to the newly developed Island building on John Dalton Street, just off Deansgate. The move was prompted by the impending expiry of its Wythenshawe lease early next year.
Rob Orr, Chief Operating Officer at Virgin Media O2, stated the company wanted to secure a "proper marquee location" for its customer service teams. He emphasised that the relocation is part of a broader strategy to solidify the firm's presence in Manchester, which it views as one of the UK's key cities.
The benefits are already materialising. In its most recent recruitment drive, the company received twice the volume of applications for roles at the new city centre site compared to the old one, a trend that even extended to harder-to-fill evening shifts.
Designed for the Future of Work
The new office in the red brick-clad Island development—a project by HBD and the Greater Manchester Pensions Fund—has been specifically designed with flexible and hybrid working in mind. Virgin Media O2 has taken approximately half of the building's space.
Mr Orr confirmed that hybrid working is now a permanent fixture at the company, contrasting with other firms pushing for a full-time office return. The typical pattern for customer hub staff will remain three days working remotely and two days in the office.
"We're very, very much of the view that getting to a really strong hybrid policy is what the workforce of the future demands," Orr said. He added that office time is now focused on collaboration, training, mentoring, and creative work, which is especially crucial for entry-level employees learning their roles.
Internal feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with Orr noting his inbox was "literally pinging" with excited messages from staff about the new building.
AI as an Opportunity, Not a Threat, for Manchester Hub
Looking ahead, Orr addressed the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on the customer service workforce based in Manchester. He framed AI not as a job threat but as a "tremesome opportunity for upscaling and upskilling our teams."
While AI will handle more routine queries, Orr envisions it evolving into a concierge service, leading to a need for more jobs with higher and different skill sets. He was adamant that Manchester will remain the heart of the company's voice contact with customers.
"In Manchester, we will always have the level of human presence that we have," he asserted. "There are just some calls where you have to talk to another human being... Any company with a heart is never automating that call." This includes sensitive situations like bereavement or fraud, which the Manchester hub specialises in handling.
The move and future strategy underscore Manchester's pivotal role in Virgin Media O2's UK operations, positioning the city centre base as a long-term home designed for the next decade of technological and workplace evolution.
