Client projects: Försäkringsrådgivarna Mälardalen

Welcoming, hotel-inspired office

Due to their rapid growth, Försäkringsrådgivarna Mälardalen (franchisees of Länsförsäkringar) were in need of larger premises. When they moved into the venerable Stora Westmannia building in central Västerås, they were striving for an interior design solution that felt both welcoming and elegant. “We were set on having an environmentally friendly, high quality interior design that would last for a long time, and Kinnarps delivered exactly what we were looking for,” says CEO Christer Dahlin.

Dahlin considers himself a bit of an interior design nerd. He wants every detail to be carefully selected and contribute to coherency, but he does not have the time to invest in every step of the process.

“That’s why it was so important that Kinnarps understood what we needed and could present to us a total interior solution that included everything from furniture and lighting to plants, textiles and paintings. Such responsiveness and expertise were absolutely crucial in our choice of interior design partner,” he says.

As a franchisee, Försäkringsrådgivarna Mälardalen are part of Länsförsäkringar and assist companies in the areas of capital investment, corporate insurance, occupational pension, health insurance and motor vehicle and transport insurance. In addition to its head office in Västerås, the company also has offices in Stockholm and Uppsala.

In recent years, the business has expanded significantly. In 2022, the company moved into the eminent Stora Westmannia building in Västerås, where they now continue to grow step by step. The last floor was completed by Kinnarps’ team in Västerås at the end of 2023.

His vision for the new office was to create a welcoming atmosphere inspired by hotels and restaurants. The atmosphere was to have a premium, professional and serious air, without being rigid or pompous.

“Kinnarps solved that balancing act perfectly. The office helps to instil customers' trust and security, but still feels simple and welcoming with some playful elements such as our shuffleboard,” says Dahlin.

He sees interior design as an important tool in customer-oriented work, but also as a way of strengthening the employer brand and recruiting and retaining the best, most dedicated employees.

“We spend a lot of time at work and would love that time to be in a nice environment, so the goal is perhaps to make our office so attractive to employees that they don't want to leave,” he says with a smile.

Dahlin describes the process with Kinnarps’ team as having been close and clear cut. Försäkringsrådgivarna Mälardalen explained their ideas and what kind of functions they needed. Kinnarps then interpreted their desires and provided several total interior solution proposals.

“This way of working only works if there is a great deal of mutual trust, as there is in our case,” says Dahlin.

The high demands made on aesthetics were complemented by holistic ergonomics encompassing everything from acoustics, light and colours to opportunities to get movement during the working day on the treadmill in the 'health room'.

The acoustics were a particular challenge due to the nature of the premises with their high ceilings and hard floors, and the business' need to maintain a high level of integrity and allow confidential discussions to take place. This was partly resolved by adding quiet rooms for both physical and remote meetings.

“We are already one of the largest franchise companies in Länsförsäkringar and will continue to grow in the coming years. Having an attractive and efficient working environment is crucial to our expansion, and therefore, cooperating with Kinnarps is central to us,” says Dahlin.