How can new employees get off to a good start in the food retail industry? Students in the Bachelor’s Program Human Resources Management addressed this question during the summer semester of 2026 as part of a practical project with BILLA AG.
The goal was to develop a forward-looking onboarding concept for employees at BILLA and BILLA Plus stores and to formulate concrete recommendations for practical implementation.
The project concluded with a presentation of the results on July 3, 2026, at the BILLA Training Center in Vienna. There, the students presented their concepts to representatives of BILLA AG and discussed their ideas with the industry partner.
A Real Challenge from the Business World
With more than 30,000 employees and over 1,200 stores, BILLA is one of Austria’s largest employers. A professional onboarding process is therefore a key success factor for quickly integrating new employees, fostering motivation and retention, and bringing the company culture to life from the very beginning. The project focused on developing a holistic onboarding concept that is strategically anchored in the employee life cycle and incorporates both digital and in-person elements.
Six Key Areas for Modern Onboarding
To take different perspectives on the topic into account, the students worked in groups for several months on various focal areas. These included:
- Further development of digital onboarding platforms
- Practical integration directly at the POS (point of sale)
- Communicating corporate culture
- Development of KPIs and evaluation methods
- Development of specific concepts for the onboarding of (market) executives and apprentices.
In addition, all groups developed proposals for strategically integrating onboarding into the employee life cycle, as well as communication and implementation plans.
As part of the project, the students analyzed existing processes, conducted interviews with relevant stakeholders, researched best practices, and used this information to develop concrete recommendations for action. Multiple rounds of feedback with the industry partner made it possible to continuously refine the concepts and align them with the company’s requirements.
Dedication and Professionalism were Impressive
During the final presentation, the students successfully combined academic methods with practical requirements. The concepts they developed addressed various aspects of modern onboarding and provided a wide range of ideas for further developing existing processes.
“The students impressed us with the diversity of their ideas and the professionalism of their work. It was fascinating to see how differently the teams approached the assignment and what practical recommendations for action emerged from their work. The concluding discussion during the project presentation was particularly enriching and provided the ideal opportunity to delve deeper into the insights gained with the students. Such collaborations offer valuable new perspectives for our continued development. A big thank you to everyone involved, and best of luck with the rest of your studies.” – Silke Resl, Learning & Development, BILLA AG
The course was led by Simon Kidman and Michael Walzek. On behalf of BILLA AG, Markus Trauner (Learning & Development), Julia Praschl (HR Business Partner), and Silke Resl (Learning & Development) served as points of contact and supported the project teams with valuable insights into corporate practices.
>> More information about the Bachelor´s Program Human Resources Management