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Hundreds of Westpac staff are undergoing virtual tours of their new national headquarters, guided by comedian Mark Wright as "Sparky", a hapless electrician.
About 650 Westpac staff at offices in Onehunga, Royal Oak, Penrose and Manukau will soon converge on the city, shifting into a refitted historic building, Charter House, in the Britomart precinct. To ease the way, the bank is showing staff their new offices before the move in December.
Marianne Freser, Westpac's head of recruitment and retention, said such a large move could be extremely unsettling for staff. Offering them a virtual tour was one way to familiarise them with the new building before they had to shift.
Wright, acting as the construction project's head electrician, engages groups of about 10 to 20 people in a mini-drama, introducing himself with a bang - literally - and then taking them on the tour.
A display suite and "virtual lift" have been built at Westpac's card services office in Onehunga and Wright issues staff with hard hats and yellow vests before they enter the mock construction site.
A ride in a lift is part of the unusual tour. Images of each floor of the new building are projected onto a screen.
Staff then move into an area the bank calls a discovery suite to see their new ergonomic work stations, chairs and office fittings, wallpaper simulating the exposed brick and aggregate of Charter House and views through the original sash windows.
Liz MacIntyre, Westpac's public relations manager, said construction work on the Takutai Square block was well advanced, with staff moving into Britomart from December 5.
Wright has conducted about 26 groups on the tour which Liz MacIntyre said had been a huge hit with staff.
The Charter House offices have been designed and built for a four-star green rating.
