Belgrade, Chemnitz or Milan: what it's like at Gruner abroad
Three colleagues at three different locations tell us how they experience their day-to-day work and how they perceive Gruner's next growth steps.
At Gruner, we foster a culture of thinking that encourages and promotes proactivity.
Although Italy is Andrea's home country, he is working there for the first time. After studying in the Netherlands and Switzerland, he began his professional career at Gruner in Köniz, near Bern. Now, he has decided to return to Italy and strengthen Gruner's presence in Milan.
What are you currently working on?
I am working on various building construction projects in Switzerland. Currently, I am conducting several simulations in the fields of building physics and climate control. I have always been deeply interested in sustainable construction and digitalization.
How is Gruner perceived at your location?
Gruner is well-known here for its energy projects worldwide. However, in the field of building construction, we are still at the beginning stages.
You have worked for Gruner in Switzerland and now in Italy. What are the differences?
In Switzerland, there is a great deal of trust between employers and employees. This has taught me to work more efficiently and independently on my projects, while always making entrepreneurial decisions. In Italy, particularly in Milan, we work more collaboratively in teams and are now focused on entering the local market with innovative ideas.
Why is Gruner the right partner for the Italian market?
I believe that at Gruner, we foster a culture of thinking that encourages and promotes proactivity. With the right people, we can identify gaps in the market and are well-positioned to fill them with innovative ideas. Digitalization and sustainability play a central role in this approach.
Gruner is perceived as a company with highly qualified employees.
Ivana is one of the five founding members of Gruner's Structures design office in Belgrade. In her job, she loves meeting people from all over the world and working on a wide variety of projects.
What are you currently working on?
I am currently creating reinforcement plans for a viaduct as part of the Ligerz project in Western Switzerland. The shape of the viaduct differs from the structures we usually work on, which requires a lot of planning and presents a challenge for me.
How is Gruner perceived at your location?
Gruner is seen as a company with highly qualified employees who understand and perform their work very well. Our department is no different and fits in perfectly with the company, thanks to our own highly skilled and friendly staff.
You regularly collaborate with Gruner colleagues in Switzerland and Germany. How is the collaboration over long distances?
Communication works seamlessly even over hundreds of kilometers. Our goal is to establish fixed contacts in Belgrade who always work for the same Gruner office abroad, if not even for the same person within that office. This means that the project teams know each other and are familiar with the processes in that office. This contributes to productive and pleasant collaboration.
You are one of the first employees in the Belgrade office. How has Gruner developed over the past nine years?
Of the five employees who helped establish the Structures design office in late 2015, four are still here today, which speaks highly of the company. We maintain personal contact and value each other as colleagues. Gruner in Belgrade has grown significantly yet steadily over the past few years. A lot has changed in the internal organization, but it has had little impact on our day-to-day work.
Customer feedback on the merger so far has been positive.
Doreen Reichelt has been working at Waidhas GmbH design office for 17 years. Since March 2024, the firm based in Chemnitz has been part of Gruner and operates under the name Gruner Waidhas GmbH.
What are you currently working on?
As a project assistant, I am currently responsible for various projects with administrative tasks, such as the University Hospital House 58 in Dresden. In addition, I handle VgV tenders, update the website and adapt business materials to align Waidhas' branding with Gruner's.
Gruner Waidhas GmbH has been part of Gruner for only a few months. What was your first impression of the company?
So far, I have a very positive impression of Gruner. Although there is more hierarchy due to the company's size – in terms of team leaders, department heads, and so on – the communication is still very personal and on equal footing. Moreover, Gruner is a company with a long tradition and extensive experience, which is a great advantage for our TGA projects (Editor’s note: comparable to building services projects in Switzerland).
Where do you generally notice differences between the former Waidhas and Gruner?
Since Gruner is larger, there are more internal development opportunities. Additionally, there are many similarities: even at Waidhas, cooperation was very important, and flexible working conditions such as home office and flex-time play a central role in both companies.
How is Gruner perceived in your region?
Gruner is not yet well-known among our clients in the region, but we will certainly work on that in the coming months and years. However, the customer feedback on the merger has been positive. Clients are reassured that operations will continue even after the retirement of Dirk and Karin Waidhais, and now with the support of an established company.