For PwC Norway, culture is built in everyday interactions, from coffee conversations to spontaneous collaboration. As Nina Ottesen, Facility Operations Manager, puts it: “Culture is built at the office, not at your home.” This philosophy inspired PwC to rethink their offices and adopt a model where technology supports, rather than hinders, the way people work.
Over a decade ago, PwC Norway moved away from traditional closed offices to an activity-based working model. Instead of fixed desks, employees choose workspaces based on their needs, focus rooms, collaboration areas, or client spaces. The Bergen office led the way, but scaling this model to Oslo revealed a challenge: old habits and low adoption of traditional booking systems.
To overcome these barriers, PwC partnered with Zens and Joan to create a seamless desk booking solution across 4 buildings, 16 floors, and 1,100 desks. Together, the Zens Smart PuK Visual and Joan’s software enabled a natural, intuitive way of working:
· Book in advance: Reserve desks in Joan. When employees arrive, the Smart PuK detects presence, checks them in, and turns red.
· Walk-up availability: Sit at any desk with a green light. The Smart PuK detects presence, books the desk automatically, and switches to red.
· Wireless charging included: The Smart PuK doubles as a Qi charger, keeping phones and headsets powered throughout the day.
As Ottesen notes: “The most important change is that you do not need to do anything. You just sit down, and the desk is automatically booked.”
Beyond flexibility, the system also drives sustainability. By tracking occupancy, the Smart PuK shows a blue light for cleaning staff when a desk has been used. Desks without the signal are skipped, saving resources, time, and effort.
For PwC Norway, the real success isn’t just efficient desk management. It’s about how smart workplace technology supports their people-first culture. By removing friction, employees can focus on collaboration, client service, and problem-solving.
At Zens, we’re proud to see how our Smart PuK Visual, together with Joan, helps PwC Norway lead the way in creating future-proof workplaces where flexibility and culture go hand in hand.
Dowload here the case pdf.
