Welcome to BDG architecture + design
It’s great to have you as part of the BDG team, here you will find useful information which should help you settle into your new role. We appreciate there is a lot to take on board, so you can rely on a helpful and friendly response from all of us to any further queries you may have. We are not a formal company and very much hope you enjoy your time here.
General Access to the Building
The studio is open 24/7. When leaving and arriving, always ensure that the door is fully closed behind you for security of the building and your fellow colleagues. Bike storage is available on the ground floor of the studio, it is your responsibility to ensure that your bike is secure. There is no general car parking available.
Diary
When you are out of the office please update the Outlook shared BDG Calendar, this is your responsibility, not our Studio Manager's - although she will be happy to show you how to add the shared calendar and show you how to use it. This is to assist us all in dealing with phone calls in your absence, client questions as well as trying to book meetings.
Notice of Absence
If you are going to be late in the morning or feel unwell, please inform your line manager as well as the studio manager before 9:30am. If you need to schedule a medical appointment, we ask that you arrange these first thing in a morning or last thing in an afternoon.
We use email extensively as part of our work. Project related emails should be published on Union Square. This is part of our quality assurance process, this also ensures that other team members have access to this project information. You must be conscious and alert of mail messages viruses, if the e-mail or attachment seems suspicious please contact IT help desk first.
Time recording
Each Friday everyone needs to do their timesheets. For this we use Union Square, our Studio Manager or the finance team will provide an introduction or training on this. Recording our time is key to how we account for our work and charge our clients, if this is not carried out professionally and accurately it will affect our profitabilty.
Annual Leave
You are entitled to 25 days holiday however, 2 days must be taken for over the Christmas period whilst the studio is closed. To book annual leave, please submit a request via Bamboo which your line manager will approve. Once approved, please update Union Square and the studio diary.
Post
Our post is delivered to the main Sea Containers depot which is delivered to our studio daily. If you are ordering something to be delivered to the studio, please ensure that you include BDG architecture + design within the address so that it is delivered safely. For outgoing post/ couriers please speak to the studio manager to arrange this.
Pay
Payday is the 25th of each month or the last Friday, whichever falls first. Any changes for payroll (e.g. address or bank account details) please let the Finance Team know by the 15th of each month. E-payslips are available through ADP and you will receive an email about how to access this.
Web Access
We are currently able to enjoy generous access to the web for a range of programmes/sites that many use daily i.e personal e-mail and community sites. To ensure that we can continue to do this, you must limit your access these pages to lunch time and outside work hours.
Dress code
BDG’s dress code is smart casual, please make sure that you dress according to the nature of your job. Not all roles interact directly with clients however, clients and fellow consultants are visit the studio most days and decisions they make about BDG may be influenced by the image presented by our team.
Company Travel, Flights and Train tickets:
Our Studio Manager or Finance Team will advise on the best solutions and should always be involved when you need to book flights to ensure that we take advantage of current corporate discounts and are able to recharge these costs to our projects. We have very clear policies on business travel, most are simple common sense. Please ask our Studio Manager or Finance Team for details.
Fire and Emergency Procedures
The fire alarm is tested every Monday morning at 11:00am. At any other time on hearing the fire alarm bell you should proceed in a calm manner to the fire exit. Do not run or collect any personal possessions. If you have a disability, your needs with be assessed and an individual escape plan agreed beforehand. On exiting the building the marshaling point is the situated to the west of the building and is marked by a large green sign. Our fire marshalls are XXX. The building is managed by Sea Containers FM. Simon Moore is our designated trained first aider. In the event of an incident alert Simon and in the unlikely event that a serious incident occurs the emergency services should be notified - call 999.
Please refer to the image below for our fire escape route:
