BREC Talks to Marian Popa
Director of DB Global Technology in Bucharest
``Romanian Real Estate market starts to enter a pre-maturity phase and I sense the need of its transformation in a supplier for habitat services. I am referring here to complete relocation services: from temporary apartments offers, shared-car services, catering, conferences facilities, etc. The transformation of this industry from a < hard > predilect area to a < soft > one will determine a qualitative increase of used spaces, in the benefit of both parties.``
The technology center of Deutsche Bank is operational since 2014 in BOB office building from UpGround and employs 500 IT & C specialists . The center develops top software solutions for the banks’ global operations and represents a platform for highly skilled engineers. BUCHAREST REAL ESTATE CLUB exchanged views with Marian Popa, Director of DB Global Technology in Bucharest about the future of workspace and expectations related to the services on the local real estate market.
What is the impact of Real Estate in the attraction, retention and motivation of your employees?
The impact of a modern workspace can be interpreted in two ways: the first one, which is usually described as <<Wow!>> or <<Cool>!> and the long term impact which involves several elements such as: the ease of the workflow, the flexibility of the workspaces’ facilities, the logic of the furniture in the production flow or chromatics as an long term effect, just to name a few.
This is why we don’t just implement a fit-out process, we build it on long term periods of up to a year, during which we involve our colleagues, the future users of the space. We choose this solution because we do not consider the real estate component as just a roof under which we activate, but as an essential element of the collaboration between DB Global Technology has with its employees.
How do you use the office premises as a differentiating factor on a very competitive workforce market?
A competitive workforce market generates quality, and this has positive effects as competition is the most severe arbitrator. We try to perceive our workspace as a partner – I think this is the principal differentiating factor. A partner which helps you to perform, which generates good mood and stimulates the creativity of the occupants. And, as it mainly is a problem of human interaction, the project manager was the HR Department. The achieved results prove that it has been a successful project, which we are about to multiplicate.
How do you see the future of work-space?
The workspace of the future is directly related to the development of technology. The more freedom technology offers us, the more virtual the workspace will become. The “working anywhere” concept will evolve and will be the future trend, while holograms, future networks of 6-7-10G, augmented multi-tasking will allow us in the future to consider the office anywhere.
What are your expectations when discussing with representatives of the local real estate market? What type of services would you expect to be delivered?
Romanian real estate market starts to enter a pre-maturity phase and I sense the need of its transformation in a supplier for habitat services. I am referring here to complete relocation services: from temporary apartments offers, shared-car services (the road from home to office is constantly done for 22 days per month), catering, conferences facilities, etc. The transformation of this industry from a predilect “hard” area to a “soft” area will determine a qualitative increase of used spaces, in the benefit of both parties.