The impacts of the new work environment at Erste Group Bank AG Headquarters - Erste Campus

Abstract

The first part of the master thesis will give a short retrospect on how office space has evolved in the last decades. For the second part, the newly built headquarters of the Austrian based Erste Group Bank AG will be used to display the effects a new workplace concept can on corporate business and its employees. Because of the contemporary working environment, more potentials draw attention to Erste Bank, supporting the HR department in their war for talents. The new headquarters is supporting the employer image. The results on employer ratings display the positive trend on how people see the bank. Office buildings still fulfil an essential function where people can meet and communicate. The Erste Campus is success to the people of Erste Group; they managed to transform from 25 different locations to an open and activity-based environment, to shorten the communication between the departments and to unity its central workforce under one roof. With the mentioned optimisations, the current situation could be raised to the next level. Two critical success factors could be identified. First, a successful workplace change project needs the active support of the top-level management and second, the early participation of the employees, the facility management, HR and IT. A continue workplace process would allow to screen and adopt the workplace to ensure the workforce has the efficient, productive, motivating, and healthy environment they need to support the company goals, core values, and strategy in their best ways.

The first part of the master thesis will give a short retrospect on how office space has evolved in the last decades. For the second part, the newly built headquarters of the Austrian based Erste Group Bank AG will be used to display the effects a new workplace concept can on corporate business and its employees. Because of the contemporary working environment, more potentials draw attention to Erste Bank, supporting the HR department in their war for talents. The new headquarters is supporting the employer image. The results on employer ratings display the positive trend on how people see the bank. Office buildings still fulfil an essential function where people can meet and communicate. The Erste Campus is success to the people of Erste Group; they managed to transform from 25 different locations to an open and activity-based environment, to shorten the communication between the departments and to unity its central workforce under one roof. With the mentioned optimisations, the current situation could be raised to the next level. Two critical success factors could be identified. First, a successful workplace change project needs the active support of the top-level management and second, the early participation of the employees, the facility management, HR and IT. A continue workplace process would allow to screen and adopt the workplace to ensure the workforce has the efficient, productive, motivating, and healthy environment they need to support the company goals, core values, and strategy in their best ways.