What started out as four Flex memberships has turned into an international organisation that still calls Work.Life Manchester its home. We caught up with Matt, the CEO of Applica, to learn about the past few years and discover what keeps them at Work.Life.
Tell us about Applica and the team.
Applica resources projects in the energy industry, working with some of the world’s largest energy companies. When these projects need to build a team, they outsource the recruitment and employment of contract labour to us.
Our team includes recruiters, salespeople, account managers, and support staff in finance. We’ve grown rapidly, but we’ve maintained our values and culture, which sets us apart from the larger companies in our space.
What were those first few months at Work.Life like?
During lockdown, our lease with one of your competitors ended, and we didn’t want to extend it because we had no idea what was going on in the world. Should we go fully remote, or get an office again? While we were figuring it out, our staff got Flex memberships here so they could be together.
Those first few months proved that Work.Life was the place for us to be. Culture is incredibly important to us and the culture at Work.Life is one of the main reasons we’ve been here for as long as we have.
How did you come to the decision to invest in a private space?
The decision was easy – our team wanted to be together, and we needed a space to grow. That led to a discussion with Adam, Manchester’s Membership Manager. We started with a five or six-desk office because we had a couple of new hires. That was our introduction to private office space at Work.Life, and now we’ve got the biggest office in the Manchester space.
What do you think are the main benefits of having a space of your own?
Having a private office was crucial because we decided to invest in a younger generation of team members. If we had chosen to hire a more experienced team, we might have stayed remote. But we needed an environment where younger staff could learn by hearing us on the phone and seeing what we do. That’s why we wanted a private space. Additionally, we backed ourselves to grow, which we have.
How has Applica grown over the past 6 years?
We started in 2018, had lockdown a couple of years in, and despite the risks, we managed to pull through with a turnover of £1,000,000. This year, we’ll get close to £20,000,000.
We’ve grown from four Flex members to 21 staff, with three more starting soon. Plus, we’ve expanded to offices in Norway and the US. Now, we’re figuring out how to work internationally. Our Country Manager in the US, Christian, is currently in a Flex space and is looking for a space for the team similar to Work.Life Manchester.
What are the main benefits of being part of a serviced office provider like Work.Life?
The environment is amazing, and the community socials are great. Being a B Corp is very important to us too. In our industry we must demonstrate sustainability, and many of our competitors can’t, which sets us apart.
As the CEO, I know we could probably go independent, but we’d lose a lot. It’s the little things like getting involved in our initiatives which makes it clear we’ve made the right decision. It feels like you guys are part of the Applica team and vice versa.
Has being part of Work.Life made your work life happier?
Absolutely. The best part about Work.Life for us is how happy our staff are here. Applica and Work.Life have a matching culture. It’s why we’ve not left. When we’re interviewing, we value your opinion at reception because you know us and you’re backing us, just as much as we back you.
We’re so happy that Applica has been with Work.Life Manchester since 2021. If you too want to be part of our incredible Northern community, whether you’re a freelancer or a small business looking for that perfect office, book a tour. We’d love to show off.