Michael believes in the
strength of diverse teams
Michael Pillwein works in Group People Development at Erste Group, focusing on team development and talent programs. His career began in the hospitality industry, where he also discovered his interest in personnel development. After positions at ÖBB and a startup, he joined Erste Group in 2023. The Vienna native holds degrees in tourism, sociology, and personnel and organizational development. In his free time, he enjoys cooking and travelling – especially to Italy and Greece.
Dear Michael, where are you from?
I’m from Vienna. I live in the 8th district, in Josefstadt. I think I lead a rather conventional life (laughs).
I’ve been working at Erste Group for a year and a half. At first, it was a bit overwhelming because I had only worked in smaller companies before. I had to learn how to deal with this complexity. Now I really enjoy it.
How can teams be helped to embrace diversity?
I work a lot in the area of facilitation and give workshops on team development. It's often about how different personalities can work well together in a team. That’s especially exciting for me because it shows how diversity can be used productively in a team. I firmly believe that teams are stronger when they are diverse.
What does diversity in a company mean to you?
Diversity is not only a societal asset, but above all an economic advantage. Companies are more innovative and resilient when they have diverse teams. Diversity should therefore be seen as a strategic investment, not an expense.
Especially now, when there are partial setbacks in terms of diversity, it becomes clear that this is not only socially but also economically harmful.
Is visibility an important topic to you as a queer person?
For me personally, it wasn’t common for a long time to actively stand up and say, “Hey, I’m queer.” What mattered more to me was that I didn’t have to hide it. I don’t necessarily see myself as a dazzling personality constantly in the spotlight. But precisely because of that, I think it’s important that someone like me is visible and says, “It’s totally okay to be queer.” This visibility helps other people open up and live authentically too.
You mentioned the term "living authentically" – why does that play such an important role in the workplace?
I think it’s important not to have to pretend at work. Frederic Laloux talks about the concept of “Bring your whole self to work,” and I find that incredibly important. Studies show that teams function better when there is trust and people don’t have to hide. For example, the simple Monday morning conversation about the weekend should be possible without fear, no matter who you spent time with.
It takes an incredible amount of energy to constantly maintain a facade. That energy could be much better spent on work, innovation, and new ideas. Companies therefore benefit enormously when employees are allowed to show their personality.
Are there also challenges for you when you show yourself openly as a queer person?
Yes, definitely. Sometimes there’s a risk of being seen primarily as “the queer person” and no longer as the expert who leads a good workshop. It’s hard to shake off that label once you’ve received it. That’s why it would be good if more and more people were visible, so that queerness is no longer seen as something extraordinary.
Do you have personal experiences or situations that have particularly stuck with you?
Yes, when I lead workshops and share personal examples, such as about my in-laws or weekend activities, I sometimes have to hold back. Not because I’m afraid, but because I don’t want the focus to shift from the actual workshop content to my queerness. I do work in a very open company and am at peace with myself, but I still ask myself: Should I explicitly mention it or not? It’s always a balancing act.
And where are you headed?
Professionally, I currently feel very comfortable and want to continue my education, especially in the area of facilitation. I enjoy developing myself and learning new things.
Privately, I occasionally think about family planning and children. But that will probably take a little while. Let’s see what the future brings.
Thank you very much, dear Michael, for the interview!