KRUK S.A. – Data-Driven Hybrid Workplace Strategy [CASE STUDY]
KRUK S.A. is a leader in the debt collection industry in Poland and across Europe. For more than 27 years, the company has been operating in the field of receivables management. The KRUK Group employs over 3,500 people and cooperates with the largest financial institutions in Europe.
After more than a decade at its previous headquarters in Wrocław, KRUK S.A. decided to relocate its office. The organization’s dynamic growth, the evolution of its work model, and changing employee needs meant that the existing space no longer adequately supported business requirements.
To ensure that the reconfiguration or relocation process was based on reliable data, KRUK decided to engage a partner specializing in workplace research. Our cooperation began with an in-depth understanding of the company, its organizational structure, and strategic priorities, which provided a solid foundation for the entire design and decision-making process.
Industry: Financial services, specializing in receivables management
New office location: Wrocław, B10 office complex, Vastint Poland
Size of the new office: 6,000 sqm
After more than a decade at its previous headquarters in Wrocław, KRUK S.A. decided to relocate its office. The organization’s dynamic growth, the evolution of its work model, and changing employee needs meant that the existing space no longer adequately supported business requirements.
To ensure that the reconfiguration or relocation process was based on reliable data, KRUK decided to engage a partner specializing in workplace research. Our cooperation began with an in-depth understanding of the company, its organizational structure, and strategic priorities, which provided a solid foundation for the entire design and decision-making process.
Project Objectives:
1. to develop a concept for KRUK’s hybrid office,
2. to assess the company’s office-related needs,
3. to prepare guidelines for either an office reconfiguration project or the search for a new leased space, based on collected data.
Strategic foundations: workplace research and data analysis
In our proprietary methodology, successfully applied in workplace projects, we start at the strategic level. As part of the KRUK project, we conducted workshops with the Management Board and Operational Directors, which enabled us, among other things, to develop a shared vision for the new office and to define key success factors.
The next stage of analysis involved a detailed examination of the organization’s work model and the specific nature of activities performed by individual teams. Through a survey conducted among leaders, as well as focus groups with employee representatives, we gained a deep understanding of departmental work styles and the diversity of their office-related needs.
A critical foundation of our workplace analyses is the use of hard data, which allows us to understand how the office is actually used. Therefore, the project included an audit of the existing space and an analysis of entry statistics. This stage enabled us to draw conclusions about what works well in the current environment, how the space is utilized, and what requires transformation in order to effectively support the organization in the years to come.
Hybrid workplace strategy and Activity Based Working (ABW) concept
Based on the results of the analyses conducted, we developed a workplace strategy that reflects KRUK’s business objectives, organizational culture, and the actual needs of office users. The proposed solutions took into account the seven-year lease term, the organization’s potential growth, and possible operational scenarios within a hybrid work model.
The new office concept assumed a shift in the role of the space – from a traditional layout to an Activity-Based Working environment, designed to be flexible and to effectively support a wide range of employee activities.
Workplace zones supporting focus, collaboration, and regeneration
Given the diverse nature of work performed by KRUK’s teams, we recommended, among other solutions:
- flexible workstation types tailored to the needs of individual departments, including hot-desking areas, desk-sharing solutions, and assigned desks where required by the nature of the work,
- a variety of supporting zones conducive to concentration, collaboration, spontaneous interactions, and recovery, such as focus rooms, project rooms, small meeting rooms, and semi-open areas for short conversations.
We also emphasized that supporting zones can serve as alternative locations for individual work, providing additional capacity during periods of increased office occupancy.
Wellbeing and ergonomics in the KRUK S.A. workspace
An important component of the strategy was the creation of a work environment that promotes employee health and well-being. Our recommendations included ergonomic solutions and a range of relaxation areas – such as a massage room, a relaxation room, and a game room – designed to support movement, recovery, and everyday employee comfort.
Benefits of the workplace strategy for selecting a new office location
The project was delivered within three months, providing the Client with key decision-making material to support the selection of a new office building. The collected data, needs analyses, and functional recommendations enabled a precise comparison of available locations and an assessment of their alignment with the organization’s actual requirements. The outcomes also served as a solid foundation for the next phase – collaboration with an architectural studio, which used these findings to develop space plans and interior design concepts.
Implementation of the strategy and the New KRUK S.A. workspace
The new office fully reflects the project’s key assumptions and effectively supports the organization’s way of working. The impact of the implementation is evident both in the quality of the space and in employees’ day-to-day experience. KRUK’s new office is a modern, optimized environment that addresses the company’s current and future needs. Compared to the previous office, the total area was reduced by 1,300 sqm, while simultaneously increasing functionality and the efficiency of space utilization.
Importantly, the current space is fully aligned with the realities of hybrid work. Thanks to the introduction of diverse and flexible work zones, employees can consciously choose a comfortable and appropriate setting for carrying out specific tasks.
Table 1. Comparison of selected elements and spaces in KRUK’s old and new office.
Interestingly, it is not only employees who can experience this space! Just visit the website and discover what it has to offer.
Team collaboration and synergy outcomes
When delivering workplace strategy projects, we always become an integral part of the Client’s team, which allows for a deep understanding of their needs and for responding dynamically to emerging challenges. In the project for KRUK S.A., we worked with a highly aware and proactive administration team whose openness and partnership-based approach significantly accelerated the decision-making process.
An equally important element of this collaboration was the Walter Herz team, which provided specialist expertise in office leasing and strengthened the strategic dimension of the project. The combination of our competencies, the Client’s engagement, and the expert support of our partners created a unique synergy, resulting in an efficient project delivery, high-quality solutions, and their swift implementation.
Client feedback on the new office
The way the new space is being used has clearly changed. We are seeing a higher number of meetings and training sessions, as well as more intensive interactions in small groups spread across the entire office floor.
The decision to relocate the office was driven by the need to optimize and elevate the standard of the workplace. We wanted a space that, thanks to a well-thought-out functional layout, would foster collaboration and team integration, while at the same time providing comfortable conditions for working with clients and business partners. We have achieved these objectives.
Workplace Team expert commentary
For me, the most rewarding moment in working with a Client is a reference visit and the opportunity to see an office space delivered on the basis of our strategy. This time was no exception. Thanks to the implemented assumptions, KRUK gained not only a new office, but above all an environment aligned with the company’s work practices and culture, which translates into tangible, perceptible benefits supporting day-to-day work and overall effectiveness.
