What matters most

MEINRAD’s new office – embracing new ways of working

MEINRAD colleague waves at the entrance to the office

As autumn sets in and the trees shed their leaves, change is in the air at MEINRAD – our main office in Wolfsberg has moved, so we have a new business address. We explain how the move came about and showcase our new, state-of-the-art office – which we’re pretty proud of – together with the forward-thinking work/life idea behind it.

In recent weeks MEINRAD has been packing bags and carrying boxes from our old office to our new home at St. Michaeler Straße 2, 9400 Wolfsberg. Geographically speaking we aren’t moving far, as our new HQ is close to our former premises, but there’s no mistaking the concept behind our new office. And Covid has played a not insignificant role.

The impact of Covid on how we work

Back in March 2020, everyone at MEINRAD started working from home. At the time, no one knew that what we hoped would be just a few weeks would last for months and months. Many of our staff were used to working from home (at least some of the time), but those based in Wolfsberg in particular had been working in our office there almost every day. Some of them quickly discovered the positives of working from home and learned to love it – working habits didn’t actually change all that much, as even before the pandemic they regularly used online technology to speak to colleagues elsewhere and hold the majority of meetings. But even though video meetings are very useful and online collaboration can work well, one thing we all missed out on was those “water cooler moments”.

The future is hybrid

Once restrictions began to be relaxed, it quickly became clear that our requirements had changed and the Wolfsberg office wouldn’t be the same as before. Most of our staff wanted to embrace flexible, hybrid working, the kind that those in Graz were already used to: a few days in the office and a few days working from home, to suit the needs of our busy lives. Our CEOs were fully supportive, so they began working on a new concept for the MEINRAD’s main office.

Not your usual office

As our needs have changed, MEINRAD’s new Wolfsberg office isn’t a site where the sole focus is on working hard every day: instead, it’s a place for communication where we promote the importance of taking breaks and relaxing. If that sounds surprising, it’s because people working from home often forget to take breaks, which we want to avoid. We like to think of our post-pandemic Wolfsberg office as a kind of 21st century campfire, a place where people can meet and collaborate, which MEINRAD staff will come to with the specific intention of workshopping ideas and plans with colleagues, working together on joint projects, and so on (cynics might add “and to use the massage chair” – more on that later).

Fixed desks are a thing of the past

We’ve moved away from specific desks for specific staff in our Wolfsberg office – now we’re all about desk sharing. Staff reserve a workspace in advance, where they can start working with their laptops as soon as they come into the office and plug in. And as you’d expect, we provide state-of-the-art equipment including noise-cancelling headphones, silent keyboards and adjustable desks. There are three zones our staff can choose from when reserving their workspace:

  • the Silent Area – for working on a computer where you’ll be as undisturbed as possible, although you’re not completely cut off from everyone else and can pick up some of what your colleagues are doing.
  • the Workbench – for chatting to your neighbour (at an appropriate volume) while working on the computer
  • the Worklounge – for meetings with or without a laptop, equipped with trendy cube seats

Time to take a break

So far, so good. But MEINRAD wouldn’t be MEINRAD without that special touch. As well as the subtle and visually appealing colours, the bright and airy spaces, and a wonderful view of the Wolfsberg old town, the MEINRAD office has an array of equipment to promote the health and wellbeing of our staff. This includes exercise bikes with laptop tables (because sometimes our best ideas occur to us when we’re pedalling away), wall bars to hang from, and a massage chair to give our bodies some TLC when we’re taking a break. But the homely kitchen and the terrace – with a view of the Lavanttal mountains – are also ideal places to chill out. With all these creature comforts, it’s almost a pity that this office isn’t supposed to be a permanent workplace...

 

MEINRAD’s new business address:

 

St. Michaeler Straße 2

9400 Wolfsberg

(All telephone numbers and e-mail addresses remain unchanged.)

 

 

Main image: © MEINRAD