New Work Archives - imc Learning

If we don't talk about mistakes, don't ask questions, and don't make or accept suggestions for improvement, we cannot develop. And this is as true for individuals as it is for teams and organisations. What's more, we run the risk of making serious mistakes if we don't dare ask for advice. Serious mistakes can also occur if employees are afraid of voicing their concerns. These mistakes can be costly and even dangerous depending on the type of organisation or profession.

In other words, psychological safety isn’t just that we express our opinions, doubts, and questions honestly, but also that we listen to and accept feedback. Being open to asking and receiving feedback means we are able to go beyond ourselves – we are able to grow as individuals. This also means we must let those have their say who often hold back and usually just accept painful criticism.

A real openness to growth and learning takes us out of our familiar comfort zones. It puts us in the 'learning zone', as the American professor Amy Edmondson illustrates in a diagram. Edmondson is an expert on the subject and points out that the combination of psychological safety and high standards leads us into the learning zone.

For a learning organisation, psychological safety isn't a one-off goal but a permanent condition that must be nurtured. It's an effort that requires all employees. Leaders can lead by example, e.g. by gratefully accepting feedback or openly talking about their own insecurities.

As a team, psychological safety can be strengthened by asking normally shy or reluctant colleagues for their opinions. If someone questions the status quo and makes suggestions for improvement, we should reflect on these suggestions self-critically instead of labelling the person as a complainer. Psychological safety is a question of team and corporate culture and must therefore be supported by all levels and lived out in our everyday work.

I was not sure if this topic would interest the other participants of the BarCamp at all, but I gave it a try. Contrary to my expectations, interest and participation in the session discussion was so great, a second session was spontaneously scheduled for later in the afternoon. I had obviously hit a nerve.

Anyone who has a few years of work experience in different companies under their belt will already know what a difference psychological safety makes. Without this safety, we try to avoid mistakes, don't ask questions and avoid standing up or standing out from the crowd because it can feel unpleasant. But when we reach the learning zone, everyone rises above these psychological barriers that hold us back. If we want to be in a learning zone, we are all challenged. Every single employee contributes to the establishment of the learning zone. And everyone who took part in the session at the BarCamp agreed on this. For some companies, it takes a cultural change to create psychological safety. Is psychological safety just a fluffy feel-good topic? Not really. If companies want to grow and develop, they can hardly afford not to address this issue.

On 8th March we celebrate International Women’s Day. This year’s focus is: Equal opportunities and equality of women and men. As in previous years, a large variety of events, forums and discussion groups are held under the hashtag #EmbraceEquity. Given our experiences during the corona pandemic, we at imc already asked ourselves last year, whether the crises undid decades of progress on the path to gender equality. As part of a roundtable discussion that included many external guests, we looked at the topic of “Women in the Hybrid Working World”. This generated a wealth of new and thought-provoking ideas. We wanted to know what has changed since last year, and how equality is realised. So, we asked our Executive Board and our colleagues.

The return from maternity leave did not go according to plan. Lockdown made the envisioned full-time role impossible, as Sabine Sauer and her husband faced challenges many other couples were only too familiar with. They needed to balance two 40-hour working weeks with childcare. Sabine decided to reduce her hours in her sales role at imc. Her employer’s reaction was a thoroughly positive experience: “It was very straightforward. As a woman, I was given the opportunity to do a cool job without the full-time commitment.”

When talking to Sabine, it is obvious that she loves her job. “Improving processes and driving communication between departments is extremely important to me.” A few weeks ago, she was promoted to Head of Account Management. This came completely unexpected for her. “I think it’s really cool that my employer trusts me to handle this role even though I don’t work full time. There would be no chance of that happening at other companies.”

However, reactions to her promotions were often more reserved in her private circle. She would hear comments such as “How are you going to manage?” or “Is that not a bit much for you?”. The sportsmanship of the former marathon runner and triathlete shines through in how she handles these doubts. “You only improve when you step out of the comfort zone.” Sabine has learned to push through and encourages other women: “You will achieve a lot with good organisation and structure.”

In recent years, a thorough change has become apparent among many fathers. They are no longer satisfied with being a weekend or leisure dad. Fathers now value family time as an important asset. Kenneth Littlepage – aka Kenny – is the proud dad of a 2-year old daughter. He made a conscious decision for parental leave. “There are various ways you can plan parental leave. We opted for a hybrid version, where I would work three days a week and my wife would work two.”

Kenny highlights that this model not only strengthened his relationship with his daughter, but also that with his wife. Both him and his wife would look after their daughter, handle the household chores and take responsibility for everything else on the days the other party was at work. Neither was exempted from any particular task. This helped him experience his child in a totally different way as a father. He also had to learn that everyday life is difficult to plan with a child, and some flexibility is always required.

He is very thankful that his employer offers flexibility and praises the new hybrid work model that imc introduced after the pandemic. “You can decide whether you want to work in the office or from home. That puts me and my wife on an equal footing. We have the same opportunity to coordinate our schedules and support each other.”

Simone Weber, Instructional Designer at imc, can confirm that equality extends far beyond the family context. About ten years ago, she took over her parents’ winegrowing business, cultivating the six-hectare vineyard together with her husband – on the side. Simone loves her work on the vineyards, which offers her a perfect balance to the “brain-work” at imc.

Leading a 20-member Instructional Design team, her days are filled with appointments and consultations. The vine is at the other end of the scale. “I am outside, all by myself. I listen to audio books or podcasts. Nobody speaks to me. It is really quite meditative.”

Simone appreciates the flexibility offered, but also wants to give something in return: “The grape harvest starts on a different date each year. I can take a 2-week holiday at the right time, whether that is in September or in October. My employer has always been accommodating in that regard. I will say though, that I am also willing to be flexible. If a meeting requires me to be on location, I don’t mind staying a little longer. There are times where you give, and times where you receive. I believe you need to maintain a balance – and that works quite well at imc.”

Equality and fairness – at imc, these two topics are not reserved for International Women’s Day.

Kerstin Steffen, Director Brand Strategy, has been heading the empowerHer Programme for almost four years, supporting women and young talents. She experienced many different aspects in her own career, both highs and lows. This is why fairness is so important to her now: ““Fairness means that we need to get rid of personal, unreflected prejudices and judgments, and biased, preferential treatment in order to create a fair and equitable world. Each and every one of us can actively support that within their own sphere of influence.”

Sven R. Becker, Member of the imc Executive Board, also emphasises that a holistic view of equality is necessary, and that it cannot be reduced to gender alone. “We need to look at a bigger picture of equality. It encompasses a variety in opinion, in work practices and much more. The most important thing is to self-reflect on everything you say,” he concludes. “In the end, it is people – not measures – who make diversity and inclusion thrive in a company.”

Thus, all of the company’s diversity programmes – from female leadership to inclusion – have self-reflection at their very core. Sven R. Becker aims to set a good example at all times. “I try to pay attention to my own words, and the effect those words have. And that is what I would like to see in others.”

New Work. It’s been the talk of the business world in recent months, and that’s certainly true here at imc. Not that we were ever happy just to leave it at words. So, a year ago exactly we decided to turn our working world on its head and try something new.

Our New Work model would be 100 percent flexible – but not 100 percent remote. Our goals were specific, our aims high, and our motivation strong. Since then, there have been new benefits, new structures and changes aplenty. But what could we do better? What else needs to be done? And what do our employees think? Let’s take a look at the highlights and see what we can learn from the year that was.

Quite a lot has changed for us after a year of hybrid working. We’ve gone 100 percent flexible but not 100 percent remote – while staying true to our corporate goals, as intended. There have been other changes too, such as our new workation model, a new onboarding programme and new offices. And the feedback from our employees shows we’ve taken the right approach and the transformation is meeting with approval. But what’s the verdict from the company’s point of view?

Christian Wachter, Chair of the Executive Board of imc, shares his take: “For us as imc, the New Work transformation has been a major step in the right direction. Employees and job applicants alike definitely see it as a plus. Our new structures and work philosophy provide an up-to-date, flexible way of responding to today’s challenges and needs and providing an attractive working environment. And we’ve done that in a way that allows us to stay on track with our corporate objectives.”

But all the positives aside, the introduction of New Work is by no means a guaranteed success. It requires active, collaborative design, as Elke Zastrau, Head of Human Resources and member of the New Work Transformation team, explains.

“For us, New Work is an ongoing transformation process that’s all the more challenging because there are no role models that are 100 percent transferable. Also, certain general challenges are more difficult in a hybrid context. Hence, on the transformation team we’re looking at how our leaders shape aspects like individual recognition, identification, interaction, and inclusion. We’re also paying particular attention to issues relating to productivity, results focus and innovativeness at imc.”

So, what milestones have we achieved in 12 months of New Work? Let’s take a closer look and reflect on the highlights.

Our new onboarding programme has been a major hit – with existing staff as well as new hires. That’s because, with our transformation under way, the time was also right to rethink our old onboarding journey. Alongside global processes, we wanted to create a harmonised journey that did more than merely inspire and motivate new staff. It had to communicate our brand and all its associated values as well. It was also important to take a hybrid approach because, our love of digitalisation aside, we know that communication has to be human. Accordingly, the journey could not be purely digital. It had to include face-to-face meet-ups with staff at the office as well. Needless to say, there had to be room for fun and entertainment, too. And we’re very pleased with the results.

The aim of our new office concepts was to create even more scope for individual development and creativity. This was important because our workforce is highly diverse, with highly diverse needs. So, we set about giving our offices a new look on a small budget, with just a few simple tweaks. We wanted offices that were functional and versatile yet inviting. Spaces that were global in design, but with unique local character. The result? Modern workspaces that are flexible, enhance efficiency and create a pleasant working environment.

Buoyed by the positive energy of the last year, we’re starting 2023 with new goals. But we also want to continue to support and drive our transformation process. The changes introduced need to be consolidated and further developed over the long term. These include the adaptation of our leadership programme and the continued professionalisation and improvement of our operating model. We’ll also be focussing on leadership and coaching in the New Work model. And needless to say, there will be one or two more office makeovers. Exciting times ahead! We’ll keep you posted.

It’s been a year of changes – and not just for our corporate culture and work model, but for our physical offices as well. There can be no New Work without new offices, so we embarked on something of a makeover, rethinking our workspaces and giving them a fresh new look.

We wanted offices that were functional and versatile yet inviting. Spaces that are global in design, but with unique local character. Somewhere that lends itself well both to efficiency by day and relaxed after-work events in the evening. And we made it happen, achieving big changes on a small budget with just a few simple tweaks. But don’t just take our word for it. Read on to discover our new (old) offices.

One of the key aims of our office makeover was to ensure a coherent brand image while giving expression to local characteristics, so we mixed central brand elements with distinctive regional elements.

And we’re very pleased with the results. The walls at our Australian office are now adorned with kangaroos, motifs from the outback, and the outline of the map of Australia. Meanwhile, at our Munich office you’ll encounter classic motifs from the Oktoberfest and references to the stunning exterior of the Allianz Arena football stadium – including elements in the blue and white colours of the Bavarian flag. Each office now has its own distinctive look.

Coworking space or private space?

Today’s employees want workspaces where they can feel comfortable and be productive – although just what that means can vary from person to person. That’s why, at many of our locations, we allow our employees to choose the style of workspace that works best for them.

For example, in Saarbrücken, Munich, London and Switzerland, we have coworking spaces where employees can go about their own work while being able to share ideas with their colleagues without having to get up from their desks. This promotes interaction and personal exchange – both of which are crucial to New Work.

Employees wanting more peace and quiet, on the other hand, can opt for a closed-door office. Providing a space away from the open-plan area, these cubicles (known in Germany as “phone boxes”) offer privacy for longer phone calls and freedom from noise and distractions.

Equipped with video equipment such as diffused lighting and cameras and featuring attractive design elements, these cubicles and other private offices are also ideal for video calls, webinars, and other online events requiring a professional setting. Our Melbourne office, for example, already offers this kind of set-up for high-quality video streaming.

Touchdown areas: Perfect for work and after-work events

Our touchdown areas, meeting rooms, lounges and common spaces are designed for teams who want to get together to brainstorm and work intensively on projects. They are optimised for functionality, flexibility and collaboration, but are also ideal for informal networking and socialising.

In Saarbrücken, for example, some seating, a candy bar, a TV and a bit of greenery was all it took to transform an area of our marketing department into a kind of coffee shop-style living room – an ideal spot to take time out and chill.

In Munich, we created a lounge area in the style of a bookshop. We simply upgraded the existing fitout and furnishings by adding decorative elements, lighting and reference books, and invited employees to store personal items to lend the office a personal note. What’s more, the area can easily be reconfigured for team events by adding additional seating.

Franziska Filser, an instructional designer based in Munich, has the following to say about this particular office makeover: “We were given a say in the design, which I think was really nice, and so in Munich we now have a wonderful office space that’s a pleasure to be in and works well as a communal lunch area. So yes, the makeover was a resounding success.”

In an extra-special highlight at our office in Australia, one of our local employees designed and painted a motif featuring the imc slogan “We Empower” on the wall. The slogan goes together well with a small bar and sofa corner, creating the ideal venue for after-work events and lending the office a unique look and feel.

“Our office was in something of a sorry state after the pandemic, and the revamp gave it a bit of sorely needed tender loving care,” says corporate designer Adan van Winden. “The area now has a vibrancy that makes it a nice place to be.”

Everyone likes working in their freshly made-over offices, but getting to that point was half the fun, not to mention a great opportunity to get the various teams together on site. The teams redesigned their offices themselves, which served to enhance team cohesion. The completion of each makeover was followed by a mini after-work party, with everyone gathering to celebrate the end result.

In short, the office makeovers were a huge success in so many ways – so much so in fact that we want to run similar makeovers in stages at our other locations. Plans for our offices in London and Singapore are already well in hand, and in Switzerland we have just moved into a new office, so we’ll be doing a makeover there too. We’ll keep you posted!

Rewriting the way we learn for 25 years – A milestone in the history of imc and a reason to celebrate properly. However, we wanted to celebrate more than just our success. We wanted to leverage this occasion to unite our team across the world. Realising our new work model, what we care about the most is our employees.

Bringing the positive brand vibes from our headquarters to all our locations and bringing our employees together is not an easy feat, given that some teams are thousands of miles apart. We still embarked on this journey regardless and realised one thing above all: personal encounters, positive feelings and emotions are crucial for New Work.

Come and experience some of the highlights with us! Join our journey from Saarbrücken through Australia to Singapore.

“100% flexible but not 100% remote.” We declared this our motto at the beginning of the year when our hybrid model was launched. While we pride ourselves in the flexibility we offer to work from home, we still value the connection to the office and to our company highly. Thus, the invitation to our company’s anniversary is a welcome occasion to look back at these past 25 years together and celebrate them.

For our European teams, our headquarters in Saarbrücken were an ideal destination, offering a perfect place for exchange, networking and celebrations. Especially after the corona pandemic, we wanted to seize this opportunity to bring many of our teams together again. For many employees, it was the first time they met (again) after more than two years.

They were beyond excited. Being able to meet colleagues from other locations in person literally caused euphoria. “What a party!” Alison West, Strategic Pre-Sales Consultant, exclaimed. “We were looking forward to this event, and it did not disappoint. Being able to put a face to the names we were very familiar with lifted the atmosphere to new heights. It was very noticeable how much everyone appreciated the opportunity to spend time together. I’m already looking forward to the next event.”

At the end of the day, the overriding conclusion was: Remote work makes many things easier, but personal encounters are invaluable.

During our visit of our Melbourne location, we could not help but acknowledge just how important it is to come together on site, spend breaks together and hold in-person meetings in the conference room. Sven R. Becker, Member of the Executive Board, and Kerstin Steffen, Director Brand Strategy, personally embarked on a journey down under with the mission to spark intercultural exchange. The result? Two weeks packed with a wealth of experiences: personal encounters, inspiring discussions, intercultural exchange, workshops and team building.

With so many positives, it was not easy picking out the highlights. While the office redesign was incredibly exciting, the Team Day created around the company anniversary lifted spirits to new heights.

Jordan Wolley, Pre-Sales Consultant, shares the team’s take on the visit: “Sven and Kerstin joining our team in Australia gave us a huge energy boost! Taking on board the knowledge and the experiences they shared, we are determined to show the world what imc Australia is all about and the role we play in bringing the best learning technologies in the world to our market. I can’t wait for our next opportunity to work together!”

Overflowing with positive energy and inspired by new ideas and learning experiences, Kerstin and Sven left for the next stop of their journey: Singapore. At our Asian location, the visit focused on branding, team building, networking and cultural exchange.

After the visit, Sven R. Becker concluded: “While travelling to the different locations we were reminded that maintaining intercultural contacts is of great importance to us as an international organisation. When it comes down to it, that’s exactly what we are: we share the same desires and goals.”

Kerstin Steffen adds with emphasis: “Organisational development and especially new work also require intercultural skills, as well as respect for people and their culture. That is why the exchange between our countries was particularly important. It is fundamental for our business success. We must leverage our diversity and find common ground to achieve the best results possible.”

Now, the success story does not end there. Further activities have already been planned in Singapore to enable even more successful collaboration as a team. We can’t wait to tell you more about it!

Our visit to Singapore marks the end of our tour of the imc locations for this year. What did we get out of it? We utilised these past weeks and months to go beyond celebrating our 25-year company history with our teams across the world – we built bridges together.

The insights we gained will be collated and analysed to help us realise positive changes. “From a personal and cultural perspective, this journey was immensely enriching,” Kerstin Steffen sums up the visits to Melbourne and Singapore. “Digitalisation is a great enabler for many things in our global environment. It virtually removes boundaries between countries and time zones. Yet, when changes are implemented – as is the case with new work – personal encounters, positive feelings and emotions are crucial for active change design. This is why I am extremely grateful that the local teams were open to this exchange. We learned a lot from each other.”

Time to talk about health! Here at imc, August was all about preventive wellbeing and mindfulness. We all know the importance of mental and physical health, but that doesn’t seem to stop us from losing sight of what’s truly good for us and forgetting to look after ourselves. So, we decided it was time to try something different.

Everyone at imc was invited to spend a month exploring various options and offerings for staying active and looking after their own (mental) health and wellbeing. These included a wide range of inspiring talks as well as various activities that promote active and healthy lifestyles. It was an amazing month, so we’ve put together this recap of the main highlights and feedback.

Health and wellbeing are about our mental state – how we’re feeling, and how well we are able to cope with our working day. That’s why we believe it’s important to work on our mental health and wellbeing in the workplace on a regular basis – and not just when we’re having problems. So important, in fact, that in August we launched a comprehensive health awareness initiative. That’s in addition to the recently introduced online platforms voiio and My Seven Steps and regular health tips and recommendations.

imc HR manager Sarah Pitzius explains why this month meant so much to us: “My colleagues and I in HR felt it was important to put the spotlight on the health of our employees and health in general. The idea of having a wide range of formats was so that each employee could select live sessions with external providers of their own choosing and hence find out about the kinds of services available, so that they could take advantage of helpful offerings like yoga sessions or workshops and talk with other employees about health issues.”

To focus in greater detail on topics like work-life balance, stress management and dealing with challenges, we invited both external speakers and members of our ambassador crew to give virtual live presentations. These experts from around the globe shared their knowledge and spoke from personal experience in a series of brief online sessions, giving the participants handy hints and ideas to try out for themselves.

Tyson Priddle was among the participating brand ambassadors. He explains why mental health is something worth investing in: “Thanks to my own personal experience and many conversations I’ve had with friends and acquaintances, I’m passionate about (mental) health. I believe that education and fostering open and honest dialogue about mental and emotional wellbeing are essential to maintaining good health.” And on the subject of health at work: “Given that we spend such a lot of time at work, we really need to get better at supporting each other and looking out for early signs that team members or colleagues might be experiencing difficulties.”

One of the external speakers said something highly memorable that sums this up rather well. He said we should all have the courage to ask our colleagues: “How are you? How are you, really?”.

We all find it a struggle at times to fit regular exercise into our daily routine, so the addition of voiio to our employee benefits programme here at imc several months ago has been a big help. For August, we instituted a shared active lunchbreak to raise awareness of this platform’s benefits and many offerings. These include brief active movement sessions, which is how we all came to spend 15 minutes of our lunchbreaks doing neck and back exercises.

Also beneficial to our health are the “Flow & Focus” yoga sessions run by sales consultant Katharina Kunz. These sessions are held at regular intervals throughout the year, but in August Katharina delivered them every Wednesday – an employee coaching employees. “Sometimes we forget how beneficial a few minutes of controlled breathing and mindful movement can be when we are feeling stressed and unfocused,” Katharina says. “My aim with the ‘Flow & Focus’ sessions is to help my colleagues with this and enable them to consciously build this important time out into their schedules.”

There was also a mini smoothie bar, organised by one of our employees. Our lunchtimes were all the better for her homemade rock melon-and-pineapple and spinach-and-celery smoothies. Delicious and bursting with goodness.

While it’s important to look after our own health, we also need to be prepared for situations where bad things happen, causing others to become dependent on us for help.

One such situation, which may be thrust upon any one of us at any time, is when we are called on to provide first aid. Here, proper training is key to being able to respond swiftly in a medical emergency. That’s why we organised a first aid course at our headquarters – so that anyone who wanted to could brush up on their skills.

Sometimes saving a life is a collective effort. Donating blood is a case in point, and so, in Melbourne and on the other side of the planet in Saarbrücken, our teams made time in their schedules to attend one of the blood donation slots on offer.

For HR manager Jennifer Wilhelm, Health Awareness Month was a resounding success: “Our efforts have borne fruit. We have seen a marked increase in user numbers on voiio. And the feedback from the teams has been very positive, particularly the feedback on the workshop formats, so we will definitely be organising these sorts of special events again.”

Our aim going forward is to keep health and preventive wellbeing on the agenda. This won’t be a one-off campaign. We want to keep these important issues at front of mind with our employees, and to that end we plan to initiate various campaigns in the future. We are working towards this awareness goal with our Inspire sessions and with various infographics containing useful tips and recommendations. We are also looking at new leadership programmes to get our leadership personnel on board and help make them more mindful of these important issues.

Home office or co-working space? Early riser or late sleeper? Lunchtime workout or more family time? New work has given us a lot of choice about how we structure our working day, with flexibility increasingly becoming the new normal.

Our experience here at imc is that people need a work environment that motivates, inspires, and enables them to perform to their best. They need a place of work that allows free rein for creativity and space for new ideas. Everyone has different needs, so work routines need to allow flexibility.

Enter hybrid work. Having launched our hybrid work model at the start of the year and given our employees flexibility in their location and hours of work, we thought now would be a good time to pause, take stock and find out what’s changed. Are our employees benefiting from the new work model? What work locations do they find best for creativity? What other changes would they like to see? In our quest to find answers we asked four of our employees about their experience of hybrid work so far.

How has your working day changed since the introduction of hybrid work?

Since the introduction of hybrid work, we’ve had the freedom each day to choose our location of work, which I really like. We no longer have to go in to the office every day, or for that matter, work from home all the time.

Your preferred work location is ...

At home, definitely. I like working from home because I live almost 35 km from our office in Saarbrücken. It means I don’t have to get up early to catch a bus and train to work.

What’s your secret to productivity and creativity in the new work model?

My secret is to set each day up for success with positive morning rituals. Plan you day, be smart and set yourself deadlines that you can actually keep. Take regular breaks and be sure to reward yourself for what you have achieved.

What would you like to see happen going forward?

I’d like for the new work model to continue as it is, with the option at some point, perhaps, of working a four-day week.

Has there been any change to your working day since the introduction of hybrid work?

Yes, my stress levels are down. There’s a whole lot of seemingly little things that all add up to a big improvement in quality of life. Things like reduced travel time, not always having to make my lunch for the next day, and just the ability to attend to personal matters during working hours. They all make a big difference. I now feel happier and more relaxed thanks to the reduced logistical run-around and the ability to work stress-free from home and structure my working day in a way that works for me.

Your preferred work location is ...

Home. I’m much more relaxed at home. I can have music playing while I work, and I like taking short yoga breaks throughout the day and having fresh air and natural light. I don’t really like the air-conditioning and artificial light at the office.

And what’s your secret to productivity and creativity in the new work model?

For me, it’s important to reward myself with breaks during the day and spend time outdoors. That helps hugely with my productivity and creativity. This ability to tailor my work routine to my needs means I’m much happier and more relaxed.

Hand on heart now, what do you like best about the new work model?

The ability to sleep later in the morning.

In what way has the introduction of hybrid work changed your working day?

Hybrid working simply wasn’t an option in my last job, so it’s been a completely new experience for me. I’ve noticed that I feel more motivated about my work and more relaxed.

What is your preferred work location?

That depends on the kind of work I’m doing. If I’m just writing concepts or copy, looking for ideas, or setting up appointments with customers, then home, definitely. But if I have meetings, or need to finalise projects or meet deadlines, then I prefer to go to the office.

Do you have any tips for increased productivity and creativity in the new work model?

I find the app “Forest” great for motivation and focus. You can plant cute little trees, but they only thrive so long as you resist the urge to check your phone. I also recommend always keeping a notepad handy so you can jot down ideas whenever they occur to you (even if you don’t actually need them right there and then). And if you’re working from home, you should make time to chat to a colleague at least once a day!

For me, one benefit of working from home is that I can pace back and forth through around apartment when I’m solo brainstorming. I could do that at the office too, I suppose, but at least here I’m not disturbing anyone.

Is there anything we could improve? Anything else you would like to see going forward?

I’d like to see the hybrid work model stay. The positives outweigh the negatives, in my view, and my sense is that imc is moving with the times.

Eric, what has changed in your working day since the introduction of hybrid work?

Not a lot, actually, because in my last job I lived so far away from the office that I worked from home exclusively. Having said that, the imc hybrid model works better for me in one key respect: where online meetings were once the only option for direct social contact with colleagues, the introduction of the new work model means I can now meet up with colleagues onsite whenever I want to or whenever it makes sense to do so. In hindsight, I would even go so far as to say that working from home exclusively soon loses its appeal. There’s no social contact and no spontaneous interaction – unless you set up meetings specially to make it happen.

Your preferred work location is...

My patio, where I can look out into the garden.

What ways have you found to improve your productivity and creativity? Has the hybrid model helped with this?

I’ve always done best when I follow set routines in my working day, and that’s especially the case when working from home. I need movement and fresh air in order to think clearly. One thing that’s definitely helped with my productivity and creativity is the freedom to follow my own biorhythm: I work when my mind is fresh. When I start to feel drained, I can recharge my batteries by going for a walk in nature or just taking a short break and relaxing. I didn’t have this kind of autonomy in my previous nine-to-five office jobs. I would even say the change to hybrid working has made me more productive.

What do you like most about the new work model?

I really appreciate the trust that imc is showing in all its employees by offering such a model. I’ve also noticed that mental health means a lot more than just initiatives and seminars – I like the fact that it’s actively supported here.

Corporate learning and fun events don’t go together, right? Wrong! They absolutely do, because learning with and from one another is the most natural way of acquiring new knowledge. Add a little entertainment to the mix, and you’re learning without even knowing it.

With the adoption of our hybrid work model, it was time to think up new ways of making our events truly global and bringing teams together across national borders. The new event formats had to be interactive, entertaining and capable of being held physically, remotely or in hybrid form. We wanted new paradigms that would allow us to get together for shared occasions, unconstrained by national borders. Mission accomplished! We succeeded in creating new events that are huge fun and allow us to learn without feeling like we’re learning.

What follows is a round-up of our favourites – formats that enhance our learning culture while being immensely entertaining.

One format we’re especially proud of is our hybrid Learning Festival. Our employees set the programme themselves – in much the same way as a BarCamp. Anyone can give a presentation on a favourite topic, and the attendees are free to pick and choose which sessions to join. Streamed and moderated from our headquarters, the individual sessions run on Microsoft Teams so that employees from across various locations can get together, share ideas and learn from one another. The point is that the members of a team don’t necessarily all have to be physically at the same location in order to meet up. The flexibility provided by the hybrid work model means employees are free to decide whether they want to organize a get-together at a particular location or hold the event in entirely virtual form.

While a colleague hosted an innovative session on 'Learning with GIFs', Senior business consultant Natalia Gonzalez, offered an interactive online Spanish session that yielded valuable cultural insights, not to mention a few handy Spanish phrases that employees can use on their next holiday abroad. “I love being able to share a little about my Mexican culture, and it was great to see how interested my colleagues were in learning something about other cultures – and how much fun they had doing it”, she says. “I’m already really looking forward to the next Learning Festival.”

This new format is all about sharing knowledge and learning together. It sheds light on new possibilities for informal, festival-style learning.

Living and discussing diversity and inclusion in our company is the right thing to do and is extremely important. A few years ago, we started running various special events to mark Diversity Day and raise awareness of these important issues. This year, the organising team went a step further and came up with something extra-special for our Diversity & Inclusion Week. In an event themed ‘imc goes around the world’, each of our offices organised its own unique style of local get-together.

In Freiburg, for example, the team organised a belated traditional ‘May Day hike’, while the London office held a shared breakfast. “Each team member brought along a culinary specialty typical of their national cuisine”, says Ramona Lennerhed, a senior consultant in our London office. “During the meal, each person provided a little background about the dish they had brought along. It was a wonderful opportunity to broaden our understanding of cultural differences and learn about the different personal experiences of our colleagues.”

At imc headquarters in Saarbrücken, the crew organised an after-work party, where everyone was invited to bring along culinary delights from different countries. “Even though I’m not actually based in Saarbrücken, I felt right at home and enjoyed the opportunity to catch up with colleagues I wouldn’t normally see in person. And to top it all off, we had all this amazing food. I’d definitely be up for a repeat performance”, says Franziska Filser, an instructional designer from our Freiburg office who happened to be in Saarbrücken at the time.

This week of special events was a resounding success, as Julia Heib, an event manager and a member of the organising team, confirms: “The feedback from everyone has been overwhelmingly positive, and it was very obvious during the week that everybody around the globe was getting into the spirit of these events, despite the hybrid model. Every year, more and more colleagues are getting excited about and looking forward to imc’s Diversity & Inclusion programme.”

Our week of special events was a fantastic opportunity to learn more about the cultural identities of our people – as a by-product of getting together and having fun. Eating together is, after all, one of the most fundamentally unifying of human experiences.

Here’s another prime example of how corporate learning can be integrated into a team event: the Learning Days run by our marketing and newsroom team in Saarbrücken. Themed ‘YouLearn’, the Learning Days are where the members of the team undertake professional development on a self-selected topic and then share their learnings with the whole team. This sharing takes place in a fun, informal setting, both during a shared office lunch and at after-work drinks. “As well as professional development on self-selected topics, our Learning Days are a welcome opportunity to get the whole team together at the office”, says Kerstin Steffen, Director Brand Strategy. It’s all about learning together and spending time together.

We also have something for all those of us who prefer virtual events: our imcINSPIRE sessions, aka ‘espresso webinars’. These brief morning sessions offer a daily infusion of new ideas on a whole range of topics, all served up by top-notch speakers. So far, we’ve raised a cup to all kinds of topics – everything from diversity and health management to teambuilding. And like a good espresso, these sessions provide a big hit for minimal input. They are another great example of packaging knowledge transfer in an inspiring event format to create a fun shared learning experience.

So, what’s the verdict? In short: fun, entertaining events and corporate learning are not mutually exclusive. Quite the contrary, in fact. Our mission was to find event formats that enable us to learn with and from one another in a way that is rich in entertainment. Learning should not feel like learning, and we believe our new event formats deliver on this. Even so, we will continue to try out and test various formats, to see which ones we should take further, and what improvements are required. Exciting times! Where will our journey take us next?

It takes a lot to build a strong brand. You need fresh and appealing brand visuals, a corporate design that’s modern and to the point, and an identity that’s bold and a little out of the ordinary. And, not least, you need employees who are engaged and totally on board.

Your employees influence your brand, both directly and indirectly, and help shape its external impact across all touchpoints, from initial customer contact to the actual product. Ideally, you want each and every employee to be a multiplier, positively representing your brand in dealings with friends and relatives, when out at a restaurant or at a party and, most importantly, on social media.

This all sounds nice, but how to achieve it? The answer is brand training. Many of our customers have been asking us about it, so we’ve decided to take a closer look, using ourselves as guinea pigs. In this article, we describe our own new brand training course, the rules we followed in devising it, and why we believe it is a worthwhile investment.

When it comes to the values behind a company’s brand, the first step is for everyone in the company to get back to the basics. What are the brand’s origins? What are the principles that underpin it? What is the company’s purpose? By learning about these things, learners become aware that everyone in the company can play a part in realizing the values and goals of their brand. And because brands change over time, the learning needs to be ongoing.

imc is no exception. We have changed a lot over the years – and will continue to do so. As well as relaunching our brand, we want to achieve greater momentum on issues like new work, diversity and inclusion, and our own transformation. Consequently, the objective of our new brand training course is to communicate this culture shift and the underlying values in a way that is readily accessible so that we can instil in our employees a strong emotional attachment to our brand.

Learning objectives set out the areas and levels where change is to happen (understanding, thinking, action, etc), so it is important to define them right at the start of the brand training process.

A company’s fundamental values and culture are reflected in virtually everything it does and therefore need to be understood and actively supported by its employees. New hires, in particular, must be able to rapidly internalise what their new employer’s brand means and stands for. They applied for the job out of an initial attraction to the brand, and it is now up to the company to build that attraction into a genuine relationship.

A successful onboarding journey is vital to this because onboarding is the first step towards brand loyalty. For this reason, companies should proactively offer onboarding experiences that are consistent with and support their brand promises.

That’s why the completed brand training course at imc was specifically developed for our new onboarding journey and designed to fit into our onboarding storytelling. It also works as a stand-alone training course for established imc employees.

Emotional branding is very powerful. It’s the art of connecting with people by tapping into their feelings. But how do you translate this emotional aspect into online training? One very effective approach is to use elements of branding that have high recognition – such as logos, brand visuals or mascots. You can generate very strong emotional appeal by incorporating these elements into storytelling as a way of communicating your brand message.

We (almost) always follow our own advice, so we chose storytelling for our own brand training course. The narrator is our mascot, Max.

In our case, the right tool for creating the brand training course was Articulate Rise. It allowed the team to get involved and help shape the course right from the outset. The necessary expertise in didactics and form was provided by our inhouse instructional designer Oliver Steinhilber. “Brand training courses are very much in demand from our customers at the moment,” he says. “Everyone’s looking at learning on topics like onboarding, change and new work, and the people responsible for it in HR, marketing and internal communications want to make sure their learning content is authentic and has emotional appeal.”

Simple: because brand training content with emotional appeal makes it easier for employees to identify with the brand. This sense of identification improves employee motivation and therefore has a direct effect on their day-to-day work. By using brand training content that has emotional appeal, a company can also create brand ambassadors from among its own ranks – employees who will champion the company brand to both internal and external audiences.

Deep understanding of shared company values and genuine buy-in to the company culture lead to better communication and collaboration, as imc Director of Brand Strategy Kerstin Steffen explains: “Brand training is effective if afterwards everyone feels confident they have chosen the right employer, and all learners feel positive and excited. Effective brand training turns employees into role models who are happy to be ambassadors for the company spirit and brand message.”

The Roman poet Juvenal had it right with “mens sana in corpore sano", a proverb commonly translated as “a healthy mind in a healthy body”. In other words: our mental wellbeing and physical health are closely intertwined. And these days, both are sorely tested as we strive to reconcile the chaos and competing demands of our professional and personal lives. Increasingly, stress and overload seem to be baked in, and our health is the poorer for it.

Here at imc, we believe this needs to change. As part of our transition to hybrid working, we decided we wanted to offer support to all employees when they need it. We wanted to tilt the overall balance more towards health.

So, what tools did we come across in our mission to improve the health of our employees? And what other offerings did we choose in order to further enhance employee wellbeing and satisfaction? Read on and find out in this, our latest move! article.

Whether it’s hectic schedules, demanding work commitments, or social crises, there are many sources of stress and strain in our personal and professional lives. And everyone responds differently. While some of us cope with – or even thrive on – these demands, others can feel overwhelmed.

“Not that it took a pandemic for us to know that the wellbeing of our employees is very important to us, but now, with the introduction of our hybrid work model, everyone has the ability to structure their working day around their personal needs and commitment,”’ says HR manager Jennifer Wilhelm. “The aim of this newly won flexibility is to help improve work-life balance and reduce stress levels.”

But we’re not content to stop just there. We want to take it a step further and offer a range of health benefits that actively promote job satisfaction, motivation, and mental health here at imc. In doing this, what we want is for our employees to enjoy working at imc and be able to achieve their potential, both professionally and personally, without it costing them their wellbeing.

My7Steps is for anyone who needs short-term support for difficult life situations or personal crises. It puts people in need of help in touch with qualified psychological counsellors.

The second platform, voiio, gives employees access to online support for all life situations and phases. Its comprehensive offering deals with self-care, pregnancy and childbirth, relationships, jobs, caring for family members, finance, and much more, so people looking for help are sure to find what they need.

That all sounds good in theory, but what do imc’s employees think of these offerings, and are they even using them? We asked around, and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.

Zrinka Prša, a junior software developer at imc, had this to say about her initial experience of the courses offered by voiio: “When I found out about it, I was particularly taken with the mindfulness courses. Most of them are held early in the morning or later in the evening, which is great because they don’t take up much time, and I can try them before or after work. I can use them for an early-morning energy boost to start my day feeling focused, and at the end of the day I can use them to de-stress and unwind.”

Communications manager Nadine Kreutz is also a voiio fan. She uses it to help build a little physical movement into her day. “Like a lot of people, probably, I don’t get as much exercise as I should, particularly exercise for strengthening and mobilising my back. And I have zero interest in pre-recorded workouts of the kind found on YouTube, etc. So, I jumped at the chance to sign up for a few online back exercise programs on voiio, where the trainers model the exercises live and can even provide personal feedback on your technique, if you want. The sessions are only 15 minutes long, so you can easily fit them into your routine, whether you’re in the office or at home.”

The increasing focus on mental health at imc is also due in no small measure to the efforts of our employees themselves. Within our organisation, there has sprung up a small grassroots movement of individuals who are proactively championing and re-imagining health and wellbeing and helping to develop creative new approaches. Learning strategy consultant Katharina Kunz, for example, offers regular mini yoga sessions that have been very well received by her colleagues.

“I think we sometimes forget how beneficial a few minutes of calm breathing and conscious movement can be when we are feeling stressed and unfocused”, Katharina says. “That’s why I offer my Focus&Flow sessions. They don’t require any equipment, and they provide regular opportunities for fellow imc employees to consciously take time out to work on their health. And, of course, yoga is more fun in a group.”

The importance of mental health and work-life balance has also been highlighted in team-specific sessions. Product marketing manager Carlotta Pudelek welcomes this development. “I’m very pleased to see that imc is discussing this subject so openly and encouraging employees in need to accept help. In work contexts in particular, many people are reluctant to talk about mental health. And yet issues with mental health are so common, and talking about them in the open can be such a big help to those affected.”

All these initiatives are supported by our brand ambassador programme, where members are invited to get involved and promote employee health in the new “imc Care” pillar.

Because health is paramount at imc, we want to go further than these two offerings and proactively raise awareness of (mental) health. We don’t want to give too much away just yet, but it’s safe to say there will be an imc Health Week featuring various special formats dedicated to health and wellbeing.

The line-up includes everything from keynote addresses to sports sessions, to information resources featuring all manner of practical tips, so there’s plenty for all of us to look forward to. We sincerely hope everyone will get on board with this and invest in their long-term wellbeing.

And on that note: take care of yourselves and stay healthy!

Why organisations should promote psychological safety

Psychological safety sounds like a fluffy feel-good topic: all employees should feel safe. But there's more to it than that. Psychological safety is a basic requirement for any organisation wanting to develop positively.

What are learning organisations?

What does this have to do with psychological safety?

(Self-)awareness is the first step to improvement

How do we achieve psychological safety?

A topic that hits a nerve

The author: Carlotta Pudelek

How brand training affects employee loyalty

What Tinder and Netflix have to do with the future of learning

Equality and new work concepts as a formula for success

Stepping out of the comfort zone – Wine-growing entrepreneurs, part-time managers and working dads

Part-time manager: Career with time for family

Working dad: Co-parenting as a family model

Between the office and vineyards: 2 jobs, 100% satisfaction

Self-reflection at the core of the imc diversity programmes

Members of the imc Diversity Movement Gather to Celebrate Successful Year

Diversity and Inclusion at imc: How We Are Continuing to Walk the Talk

Contact person

Best of 2022: Milestones of the New Work Transformation at imc

Taking stock after 12 months of New Work

New Work one year on – Our verdict

Welcome on board – Our new onboarding journey

New from old – Our new workspaces

Rethinking communication and collaboration

Health awareness: imc Cares

Brand-new: Our workation model

Still a long way to go: Looking ahead

New Work – New Office?

Why intercultural exchange is crucial for New Work

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New Work – New Office?

New from old: How we’re rethinking our workspaces here at imc

New Work also means new office spaces

The perfect mix: Global, but with a local touch

No New Work without new offices

Come on in: Our entrance areas and foyers

Coworking space or private space?

Touchdown areas: Perfect for work and after-work events

Teamwork makes the dream work

Why personal encounters and intercultural exchange are crucial for new work

Choosing Where We Work: More Space for Creativity with New Work

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imc around the world: Why personal encounters and intercultural exchange are crucial for new work

A very special journey on the occasion of our 25-year anniversary

Remote work is not the be all and end all

Good vibes only – Welcome down under

Intercultural exchange is crucial for new work

Our conclusion: Personal encounters and positive emotions are invaluable

New work at imc: Shaping the work culture of tomorrow

Choosing Where We Work: More Space for Creativity with New Work

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Preventive Wellbeing for a Healthy Workplace

imc Cares: Health Awareness Month at imc

Good health in the workplace is more than just a nice-to-have

Short and sweet: Ideas and tips from experts from around the globe

Stay fit! Keeping fit and active at work

Collective help through local initiatives

And the verdict? Let’s do it again!

New initiatives for (Mental) Health and Happiness at imc

Choosing Where We Work: More Space for Creativity with New Work

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Choosing Where We Work: More Space for Creativity with New Work

How our employees’ daily routines have changed after eight months of hybrid work

Suwhathi Sutheswaran

Suwhathi Sutheswaran: Setting each day up for success with positive morning rituals

How has your working day changed since the introduction of hybrid work?

Your preferred work location is ...

What’s your secret to productivity and creativity in the new work model?

What would you like to see happen going forward?

Adam van Winden

Adam van Winden: Little things that add up to a big improvement

Has there been any change to your working day since the introduction of hybrid work?

Your preferred work location is ...

And what’s your secret to productivity and creativity in the new work model?

Hand on heart now, what do you like best about the new work model?

Jessica Kliesch

Jessica Kliesch: How planting virtual trees can help you stay focused in your work

In what way has the introduction of hybrid work changed your working day?

What is your preferred work location?