How do you design a modern working environment in the post-COVID age where home offices are all the rage? How can you successfully implement an office-based strategy using a hot desking concept? Eva Sennewald is in charge of workplace management at Fresenius and faces lots of exciting challenges as part of her role, like how to create inviting spaces that encourage collaboration. In this interview, she offers her insights into how the world of work is changing.
My job title is “Senior Manager of Workplace Management”. We are part of the Real Estate Management Group at Fresenius SE, which sits within the Technology, Service and Workplace division. As Head of the Workplace Management Group, I am responsible for how our office spaces are designed and utilized. We look closely at the building in question and consider the following: What type of space do our employees need? What should the fixtures and fittings look like? How can we make the spaces more exciting? This spans from the furniture itself, to collaborative spaces and activities, to the IT equipment. I work closely with different departments to create the ideal working environment for our colleagues.
So, for example, we work closely with Asset Management – they are responsible for the lease agreements. Or, when it comes to technical equipment, I liaise with Fresenius Digital Technology (FDT). We are currently nearing the completion of refurbishing our main office building “EK 1”, as it has become a little outdated. We needed to make improvements in line with fire regulations, for example. Implementing these building measures are large projects, which are managed by our colleagues in Construction & Design. And, as the Workplace Management team, we always play a part.
I am an architect by trade. I studied Classical Structural Architecture. After my degree, I worked in the space and relocation management department of a large bank in Frankfurt. After 18 years in the banking sector, I happened to see a job advertisement for Fresenius. To be honest, the company wasn’t on my radar at all. The Real Estate division at Fresenius was still being established at that time – it was a fascinating challenge. Not least because I joined during COVID, which was obviously a unique time for our department.
When you think back to COVID times, the focus was on everyone being able to access IT systems from their homes. And it was a big deal. But we also had to deal with the regulations within our department: How many people are allowed to sit in one room? How do you ensure social distancing rules are adhered to? We printed some of our signage stating how many people are allowed to work within an office. We had to consider how people working from home could achieve a “healthy” – i.e. ergonomic – workplace. We worked with our furniture suppliers to compile a catalogue of office furniture so employees could purchase ergonomic office furniture for their home offices at our purchase prices. Now that many people have returned to the office, we need to keep an eye on occupancy rates. We monitor how much our offices are being used and send out annual surveys to our employees so we can make sure we provide the best kind of office environment.
We are a bright, versatile bunch – we all bring our own unique expertise to the table. Our range of professional backgrounds complements each other perfectly. We are united by the fact that we are all team players, and we understand how important it is that our various roles and tasks fit together. We are also all driven by a motivation to make a difference and to drive change.
I love the direct contact we have with our colleagues. I am in close contact with them, I listen and am inspired and motivated by what they say. Whether it’s in the stairwell or in scheduled meetings – I get to experience what is working well and what can be improved. We then incorporate this knowledge into our strategies. We use the information to come up with new ideas for the working environment and then bring them to life in our projects. Lots of companies are trying to force people back into the office through internal policies. But we take a different approach: we are working to create attractive spaces and perks that make people want to come into the office.
Fresenius is an attractive employer with a great overall package for employees. I am particularly inspired by the people here. I noticed how open and helpful everyone is right from the start, in my first meetings during COVID. Then there is the company philosophy, which focuses on both patient well-being and on the well-being of employees. You can really make a difference here and drive forward change, although you do of course always need to keep an eye on cost.
Over the last two years we have been able to reduce our office space by around 26,000 square meters, the equivalent of around four football pitches. This doesn’t just save costs, it also massively reduces our carbon emissions. These successes inspire us to keep working on a sustainable real estate strategy. And I am proud of our furniture project: lots of large companies have excess furniture due to their new concept of shared office space but the second-hand furniture market is oversaturated. We have resolved this by gifting the furniture to our employees. It is another example of how we are able to implement even unusual projects with a little creativity and perseverance.
Thank you for the interview Eva!