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Technology company Manifesto specialises in experience design, transformation strategy and culture change, so when they added a new office in Bristol, the team looked for a space that would suit its outlook.

We talk to Matt Brooks to find out how the new team has settled into their Bristol office so far and to get his first thoughts about the new location.

What does your day-to-day role involve at Manifesto?

I’m the Technical Delivery Manager, which is somewhat of a hybrid of a delivery role (such as a project manager or scrum-master) and technical work. Here at Manifesto, the delivery team wears many hats, but ultimately it boils down to working closely with our clients and internal teams to deliver great work.

I started at Manifesto as a developer, so my technical background helps with some of the more technically complex projects we run here.

What’s the best thing about working in Bristol?

Bristol has a great balance of things to do, places to eat and drink and green spaces, all of which are often within a short walk from wherever you are. There are also areas that have completely different vibes –from Stokes Croft to Clifton for example –so no matter what you are in the mood for, Bristol can accommodate.

It’s also well located in the country, with a fast access to London on the train, and easy to get to some great parts of the country like Devon and Cornwall if you want to get away.

Why did Manifesto choose co-working over leasing its own offices?

Our expansion out west from London was part of exciting plans to continue to grow the business, bringing new skills and people into the organisation. To suit that we needed the flexibility to grow over time, which coworking gives us. And it’s great to have the opportunity to network and meet other people.

Why did you choose Origin Workspace?

We saw a couple of different options when we were looking for office space, but what stood out to us about Origin Workspace was the quality of the space; the finish was head and shoulders above anything else we saw.

Furthermore, its location is fantastic, on the lively Clifton Triangle, with Park Street and Kings Street just a stone’s throw away, as well as Brandon Hill, which offers a nice change of pace on busy days. Added amenities like the roof terrace and in-house gym were also great additional sweeteners.

How do you keep a healthy work/life balance?

I try to make sure that I don’t bring my work home with me if I can avoid it. I like to get in and leave on time, so I can have enough time to decompress and enjoy the evenings and weekends. I also make sure I don’t have any notifications active on my phone, to avoid the temptation to get drawn in.

I also play football most weeks which is a great tool for relieving stress!

How important is Origin Workspace’s ‘wellness’ ethos to you?

It’s a real plus for us here in the Bristol office; things like fresh fruit, weekly activities, and opportunities to mingle and meet our fellow coworkers at Origin Workspace are really important for us here at Manifesto.

We have a similar approach in the London studio, so having so much of that replicated for us here has made it easy to get up and running here.

Interested to find out more about coworking at Origin Workspace? Our friendly community hosts are always happy to answer your questions – book a showround today and come and see it for yourself.

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