4 Innovative Fintech Office Designs

The Financial Technology (Fintech) sector is revolutionizing the financial service industry. The UK is the second largest destination for Fintech investment and continues to be the most attractive destination in Europe. There are over 1,600 high growth Fintech companies currently active in the UK. In 2022 the sector contributed an estimated £11 billion and over 76,000 jobs to the UK economy.

The importance the office plays for Fintech firms has been widely debated in recent years, due to the rise of hybrid and remote working. Whilst some Fintech firms have abandoned the physical office, others have realised that the office remains a critical component of company life and evolution, enabling Fintech’s to pursue their growth ambitions, while supporting their people and facilitating connections that really matter.

Adaptive Financial Consulting, London

When it comes to working in the modern era, working from home remains a controversial topic. Despite technological advancements, virtual meetings lack the organic connection that an office environment enables for businesses. This is especially the case in high-tech, innovative industries that require coordination and collaboration for business success.

We designed Adaptive Financial Consulting new workspace to enhance productivity and bring colleagues together in a social capacity.

The office space was transformed to provide teams with multiple collaboration points. The breakout space was designed for informal meetings, presentations or lunch breaks, and a games room was included to break down professional barriers by bringing people together in a relaxed and enjoyable environment. Bleacher seating, high-back sofas and meeting booths encourage agile work practices, while formal meeting rooms feature sliding folding walls that allow employees to tailor the space to their working needs.

The new office space meets Adaptive Financial Consulting requirements for a diverse workspace that inspires a passion for learning and promotes employee collaboration and company culture.

Optiver, London

Many Fintech firms are on the search for top-tier talent. Due to the current talent shortage, companies are having to set themselves apart from the competition to gain this talent. The office can play an integral role in attracting candidates. Through brand-led placemaking, interiors can create a compelling brand experience and sense of identity, helping communicate to potential candidates the company’s ethos and values, whist, encouraging existing staff to feel connected.

Top-tier market makers Optiver decided to relocate from their serviced office to a 30,000 sq ft office space to accommodate and attract young talent in the Fintech sector. Optiver’s new office features a cohesive branded workspace. Subtle incorporations of Optiver’s logo are found on the glass manifestation of meeting rooms and brand colours are utilised in statement walls and furnishings. A feature double-sided 6.5m wall extending from the ground to first floor was installed to project the company branding.

Optiver’s new feature office has a people-centric focus to further attract and retain talent. The office includes a variety of meeting and collaborative space as well as a large breakout area, barista station and games area for staff to enjoy. Design elements like natural wood and planting are contrasted with an orange and blue colour palette to create a warm and welcoming workspace designed for their staff.

Aptitude Software, London

Office spaces can be designed to align with company values and reflect core beliefs. Aptitude Software capitalised on an office relocation to reinvigorate their brand identity and company values. The new workspace was designed to emphasize their commitment to employee wellbeing and sustainability.

A main design feature of the new workspace are the large windows which provide staff and clients with an unrivalled view of London’s iconic St Pauls Cathedral. The windows also provide ample natural light for employees, supporting staff wellbeing by reducing fatigue and increasing productivity.

The office colour palette composed of calming neutral tones further exposes the company’s commitment to staff wellbeing. The incorporation of breakout spaces, which are furnished with comfortable soft seating, encourages collaboration, and further contributes to a positive workplace experience.

Aptitude Software wanted the new office to demonstrate the company’s commitment to sustainability. The use of recyclable materials, natural cork panelling and reused desks demonstrate this obligation. The workspace was rewarded a SKA Gold rating for its sustainable design and fit out.

Funding Circle, London

Many Fintech firms are modifying their office space to incorporate new working practices and maximise their space. Fintech firm Funding Circle adapted their workspace to embrace activity-based working.

Activity-based working is a practice employed by firms who recognise that people perform different activities in their day-to-day work, and therefore require work settings that are supported by the right technology and culture to effectively carry out these activities.

To best understand how to utilise Funding Circle’s space to support their employees, we held interviews, workshops and carried out staff surveys to gain a thorough understanding of how the space should be used. A workplace consultant established problems in their existing workspace, analysed how different departments worked and suggested how the teams could work better and together in the new space.

The new workspace features a multi-functional meeting zone, meeting rooms, focus rooms, collaboration areas and huddle spaces. This has provided employees with a choice of work settings and facilities Funding Circle’s transition to activity-based working.

What is the future of fintech office design?

Fintech companies are realising that they don’t require the same level of real estate as they had pre-pandemic. The expectation is that fintechs will mirror tech giants like Meta and Twitter in their re-evaluation of their real estate and start ‘shedding’ their office space to reduce costs.

The reduction in company real estate portfolio will lead to more affordable prime commercial real estate and will require businesses to re-assess how they use the remaining space. However, time in the office may increase for fintechs as calls for companies to spend more time in the office are becoming more common. Companies are prepared to retain a balance of remote work but are seeking to bring people together more often.

The future of the workplace is becoming increasingly personalised and with the rise of different working practices, companies will need to be forward-thinking with their office space if they’re to attract and retain top talent. While working from home is expected to last, this will push fintechs and other sectors to invest in their workplaces to provide value and a differentiator for their people.

The future of fintech office design will be people centric and the office will be designed to provide a variety of workstations to foster both collaboration and focus-based work. The array of workspaces will give staff a choice on how they use the office. It will be designed to elevate the user experience, to provide a sense of belonging to employees, to foster company culture and identity.