Return to the Office: AGCS employees in Germany to work in an innovative and flexible environment as remote working obligation ends

"Individual offices that cemented hierarchies and did not enable good transparency  or communication, have been ubiquitous in German insurance offices for decades - including at our former location in Munich-Neuperlach," says Bettina Dietsche, who as Chief Operating & People Officer of AGCS is also responsible for the industrial insurer's global office locations: "At the campus in Unterföhring, we have created an office environment that is not only atmospherically appealing, but also corresponds to the new working reality that has been changed by the pandemic and digitalization. In this environment, we want to enable and promote different activities, whether this is concentrated individual work, worldwide video conferences or agile workshops in project zones, a spontaneous coffee with colleagues or moments of relaxation in a lounge corner."

Crucial to the AGCS office concept is the creation of flexible spaces that address the respective work situations and needs of the employees: spaces that promote communication and collaboration, but at the same time allow individual work and can be changed quickly and easily. For example, small groups can discuss or develop creative ideas in "focus boxes" or meeting rooms, while larger teams have the option of running workshops in "agile spaces" or project zones. In addition to working at their own desk, employees can also visit quiet zones like the "library", numerous coffee lounges, or informal seating areas around the campus, enabling employees from different functions and departments to come together for networking and to eat and drink together. Employees will also find modern IT equipment at the Unterföhring campus, with video conferencing systems in the majority of all meeting rooms and e-whiteboards.

Remote working and the home office existed at AGCS before the pandemic but is now being implemented as a long-term model for all employees: "At AGCS, we are convinced of the benefits of a hybrid work environment. It allows us to bring together the best of both worlds – the creativity, collaboration and team cohesion that comes from an office environment, with the added personal flexibility and freedom of working from a home office," says Dietsche.

“However, it is not only about the design of the workplace, but also about the question of how we organize ourselves as a team," Dietsche continues. “Managers and employees should define together how they want to work in the future and what is good for the organization of work. Different teams should determine independently for which work they want to meet in the office and which things can be done more effectively in the home office.”
This also includes ensuring the right balance between work and personal life. AGCS has created a global framework for taking a comprehensive look at the well-being of its employees. Part of this framework are recommendations for action, such as a specific etiquette for meetings or a "No-Meetings-Wednesday", as well as health coaching and training offerings.

"We will try out many things in the next few weeks, see what works and what doesn't - and keep adapting. Flexibility, agility, health and a culture of trust are hugely important to us,” says Dietsche. “This is where we made a huge leap forward during the Covid-19 crisis and we definitely want to maintain that progress."