New on campus

Less than an hour from Manhattan, the site in Whippany now houses 1,500 colleagues from the company’s Chief Operating Office – covering operations and technology – including teams that have been brought together from across the Americas.

The 63-acre campus houses the very latest technology and working spaces, and will also feature a fitness centre and onsite childcare.

Paul Compton, Barclays’ Chief Operating Officer, said: “This world-class campus will play a pivotal role in the execution of Barclays’ long-term strategic priorities, bringing teams together into new and vibrant working environments that accelerate innovation and increase collaboration. This will help serve our customers, clients and shareholders, and attract and retain talent, as we shape the Barclays of the future.”

Following an 18-month redesign, the Whippany campus now relies on low carbon technology, using innovative equipment to drive efficiencies in carbon, energy and water use, aimed at reducing the facility’s environmental footprint.

The site also builds on Barclays’ links with local communities. As well as strong relationships with schools and universities in the area, the bank is extending its partnership with Per Scholas to create a new location in Newark, New Jersey. The non-profit, which is dedicated to helping people from New York’s overlooked communities into work, provides tuition-free training for hundreds of people and helps them secure high-quality jobs with local employers. Its proximity to the new campus will help Barclays continue to access a diverse pipeline of technology talent.

"This is the standard for Barclays globally”

The complex will act as a flagship for Barclays’ global location strategy, which is designed to enhance flexibility and resilience through the establishment of regional campuses.

Looking towards this roll-out, Paul Compton added: “Our global campuses are all about our people – creating a world-class environment where people can collaborate and innovate every day. With these campuses, we are also rethinking the role we play in the communities in which we operate. We have built very strong relationships with local schools and universities, which is a fantastic opportunity to grow a pipeline of talent, while strengthening our position in the local economy.”

The project was completed at the end of August. Alastair Blackwell, Chief Operating Officer, Barclays Execution Services, said he was most excited about the “environment we’ve created for the teams here”, adding: “This is the standard that we’re going to put in place for Barclays globally. We’re building campuses in other locations around the world, and they will all conform to this standard. There will be adjustments to local cultures and environments, but this is now the benchmark.”

“It feels like Barclays is backing us to be successful”

Barclays signed the deal in 2017 to become the owner-occupier of the site, where Barclays Capital had long been part-tenants. At the launch of the new campus in July, Barclays colleagues were effusive. Timothy Bardakjy, who works in Tax Operations, said “it feels like Barclays is backing us to do everything they can to let us be successful”.

Jessica Marks, Resourcing Business Partner in Human Resources – who has worked at Whippany since 2007 – noted that “it used to be a regular office with 300 people, and to look at it now – it’s amazing”. She added: “The way the workspaces are organized encourages collaboration – they give us the ability to interact in a way we haven’t been able to in the past.”

Since the site’s official opening, the campus has unveiled the newly renovated Building 100, which includes expanded dining facilities, a day care centre and fitness and wellness centre with massage therapy facilities. The campus features a bike sharing station and bike storage as well as over a mile of pedestrian and cycling infrastructure, connecting directly to the 35-mile Patriot’s Path trail which is used by walkers, cyclists and horse-riders.

Recent trends in US workspaces have been away from suburban office parks, as companies return to bigger cities. But there has also been a trend the other way, with corporates embracing the campus approach as a way both to integrate new technologies and collaborative ways of working – and offer inspiring, healthy working environments that will attract the best talent.

Speaking at the launch, Karoline Kane, Chief Operating Officer, Cards and Payments, Barclays International, was certainly inspired, saying: “There’s a fantastic integration of work and life and the campus has come together in a way that I just couldn’t have imagined.”