Inspiring at a distance - Digital opportunities in corporate communications

There is no doubt that the Corona pandemic has had and continues to have serious consequences for numerous areas of our coexistence - and for some, unfortunately, it has had and continues to have very dire consequences, because nothing is more important than health. But as a fundamentally positive person, I am always inclined to look for and find the positive sides and opportunities as well.

As for many others, the last year was not a lost year for me, but above all also a year of learning. A year in which I discovered many new opportunities. And that certainly includes the fact, that we have all been forced by external circumstances to communicate more and more digitally instead of in presence. Hand on heart: Who would really have thought before that it would be possible to work so efficiently and well from the home office via Zoom and MS Teams almost everywhere? I didn't. And this experience will undoubtedly shape us in the future.

At the same time, this new way of working has also aroused the curiosity of many. What else is possible? From my point of view, a lot! For example, we tried out a new format for internal corporate communications that I would like to recommend here for imitation. This week, for the third time, we invited all our employees across the board - in other words, the thousands of people who work in our 900 stores and our service center - to take a special digital look at the bigger picture.

The format: In a 45-minute team event after business hours, there is a CEO statement on the current situation of the company and the upcoming measures as an introduction. Combined, of course, with a very well-deserved heartfelt thank you for everyone's achievements during this special time. Afterwards, we invite inspiring external speakers who allow us to look beyond our own horizons, but at the same time also encourage transfer conclusions and give positive impulses. Professionally, but also personally. The feedback on this very fresh format is extremely positive.

In the first edition we had Sebastian W?chter as a guest, who told us about his "new normal" after an accidental paraplegia, about his way back into life and into the Wheelchair Rugby Bundesliga. An impressive speaker, of which with me particularly the sentence has stuck:

"Becoming a victim can happen to anyone, remaining a victim is your own choice".

In the second edition Jonas Deichmann inspired us. We had the adventurer and extreme sportsman as a guest shortly before he set off on his triathlon around the world (he is currently on his way to Siberia by bicycle). It is not without effect when someone with his experience recommends breaking down seemingly unattainable goals into small stage goals. Jonas Deichmann rides in the result in world record time with the bicycle from the North Cape to Cape Town, but for himself always only up to the next Coke break...

This week we had Bibiana Steinhaus as a guest. An impressive woman who was the first female referee to officiate matches in the Bundesliga soccer league, as well as whistle World Cup and Olympic games. Anyone who goes this route undoubtedly has strong messages (which, by the way, were conveyed in an extremely likeable and authentic manner). Two crisp sentences from Bibiana Steinhaus as an appetizer:

1) Thoughts make body language!

2) Always take a jersey one size bigger - you'll grow into it!

Once again, it was exciting for many across functions to see how similar the challenges are in such different areas of life and how much you can "take away" from successful people, even or especially because they are doing something completely different at first glance. 

The positive feedback from many employees confirms to me that it is always worth looking for new ways to use the existing opportunities for inspiring internal communication. It's great that this is so easy to do digitally and that we can reach so many people who previously missed out because we hadn't seen - hadn't looked for - the opportunity in this way.