The Business Administration/Human Resources Competency Group addresses business management and employee-related issues in the field of facility management (FM) and workplace management. It takes a scientific and application-driven approach to its work, and develops robust and practical solutions in collaboration with its clients and cooperation partners.

The Group's research interests lie in the fields of workplace management, human resources management and service value management, with an emphasis on the qualitative and quantitative analysis of facility management and its complex organisational interfaces and impacts.

Workplace management

The Group researches the design and management of work environments with a view to the integration of spatial, human and organisational factors within the context of workplace management. The aim is to achieve a workplace which is both economically and ecologically viable and enjoyed by individuals, for example by analysing the impacts of workplace environments on employee health, performance and satisfaction.

HR management

The Group researches a range of FM-specific HR issues under the heading of HR management, arising on the one hand due to the interdisciplinary nature of facility management and on the other hand from the heterogeneity of employees in the FM and facility services sector, ranging from highly qualified experts to non-skilled workers.

Service value management

The Group's service value management activities centre around FM-related management challenges relating to the planning, executing and steering of service provision (where service value is understood as the value generated by FM for internal and external clients). Research focuses on topics such as FM market development, corporate and industry image, design of FM services, FM quality assessment, service excellence, creation of a service-focused culture, employee motivation and remuneration or the integration of future technologies, for example the use of service robots.

The Group implements consultancy and service provision projects relating to business management, organisational and employee-related issues, with an emphasis on workplace management (analysis, design, implementation and evaluation of work environments), customer satisfaction assessment in the field of facility management and the development, implementation and monitoring of FM strategies. The Group's services are targeted at both suppliers and consumers of FM services.

The Group's teaching approach combines scientifically proven knowledge with applied practice in order to provide the theoretical, methodological and practical skills needed by FM employees and managers. Its courses for BSc and MSc students include the following: Business Management, HR Management, Communications, Public Speaking and Presentation Skills, Accounting, Marketing, Marketing of Services, Workplace Management.

• Research project "Health-promoting offices and workplace change management" (together with the University for Applied Psychology at the University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW), funded by the Swiss Federal Innosuisse) (2014-2017)
• Research project "Quality of sustainable buildings - impacts of sustainable buildings on user comfort, wellbeing and performance" (together with the Chair of Sustainable Building at ETH Zurich, funded by the Swiss Federal Innosuisse) (2012-2014), www.nachhaltigebueros.ch
• Research project "Business Clubs – increased productivity through new forms of work and activity-based offices" (together with the Centre of Excellence for Typology and Planning in Architecture at the University of Lucerne, funded by the Swiss Federal Innosuisse) (2010-2012)
• Research project "Complaints and improvements procedures; change management for customer complaints in the elderly care sector", city of Winterthur (2013-2015)
• Research project "FM sector in Switzerland" relating to various issues, e.g. industry image and identity/salaries and careers/employability/employee satisfaction and motivation, funded by fmpro (2002-2014)
• Research project "FM sector in Switzerland" relating to various issues, e.g. industry image and identity/salaries and careers/employability/employee satisfaction and motivation, funded by fmpro (2002-2014)
• Research project "FM service barometer", analysis of satisfaction drivers from the perspective of FM clients, Inselspital in Berne (2011-2012)
• Research project "FM leadership", analysis of satisfaction drivers in FM leadership from an employee perspective, Inselspital in Berne (2011-2012)
• Research project "Service excellence in FM; change management from an FM client perspective", Roche Diagnostics, Rotkreuz (2010-2012)
• Analysis and design recommendations for office environments in public and private entities
• Change management for innovative office designs in public and private entities