Making the office relevant again

Almost 2 years to the date, we were gathered together at a construction site for the first shovel at a groundbreaking ceremony that marked lg2’s arrival at Angus.

I ended my speech with, “apart from the duty of the different levels of government, financial institutions and various media present here today, it is also our duty as citizens, your duty as citizens, to encourage local entrepreneurship.”?

?Today, I would like to celebrate our local talent.

?This week was the culmination of a major human-scale project. A project that demonstrates the exceptional adaptability and resolve of our people, our agency and our partners.?

?To be entirely honest with you, we debated whether to hold an inauguration ceremony for our new head office within the context of a pandemic. We would go ahead and then reverse. What we really wanted was to hold a grand celebration of more than 50 people with no restrictions on distance or masks.????

?With so many lives on hold, people still being infected and some even falling gravely ill each day, what difference would it make to the world to hear about the opening of a new head office?

?From the beginning, however, the pandemic has taught us that we need to constantly adapt to a sea of unknowns, to relearn to ride the wind, to navigate the fog, and especially, to inspire people and constantly progress as a society.

The fact is the economy never stops turning despite everything else; it is now more important than ever to encourage Quebec businesses. The revitalization of Montreal’s east end is also as critical as it was for Montreal at one point. Bold projects like the Technop?le Angus neighbourhood by the Société de développement Angus need to be given visibility, which will in turn attract others.???

For all these reasons, we ultimately decided to cut the ribbon in front of our new head office. Because in the end, we must push forward and make sustainable decisions for the well-being of our world. And each step taken is worth celebrating.?

March 2020

Six months after the groundbreaking ceremony, the pandemic threw our development plan that had taken over a year to create into total disarray.

Teleworking, health measures, confinement, a new normal. A construction site that had fallen silent, stress, anxiety, hypersensitivity. New realities that required adaptability. Amongst all this upheaval, questions naturally arose: Do we need to redefine the workspace? After all this time working from home successfully, why would our employees even want to return to the office?

This uncertain starting point became our architect’s brief. Throughout the process, employees remained at the heart of our thinking and they were consulted at various stages.?

?Our new head office presented an unexpected opportunity to adapt to the needs and desires of our people. It acts as a hub that enriches our company culture, from the spaces and rituals to informal moments and hallway exchanges, materials, physical stimuli and light.

It also promotes collaboration between different areas of expertise and supports our employees’ well-being. They can move between practical, private spaces to make a quick call, rooms to hold business meetings and team brainstorms, and silent areas when they need to concentrate.???

?This variety of distinct environments suits the new reality that no day, or even hour, resembles the next.?

Our people are at the heart of all our decisions, and we are lucky enough to be able to count on some of the best talent in Montreal. A talent pool of this calibre simply doesn’t want to work, they want to succeed and grow!?

?That’s why we are proud to inaugurate our office in Montreal’s east end, in a community such as Angus. Our office will contribute in its own way to developing a new generation of innovative minds, entrepreneurs and progressive citizens, who can realize their full potential.

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Welcome to our place.?

And to the entire lg2 family, welcome to your new home.