Dear Niko, you made use of our mobile working abroad option. How did it go?
An absolute win in every respect! Together with my family, we wanted to spend the holidays and the New Year in the Netherlands. The fact that we at Commerz Real can work abroad in Europe was a great fit: I didn't have to choose between “taking a holiday” and “going away”, but I was able to combine both. Driving forward exciting and sometimes time-critical projects during the day, then savouring the trip together at the end of the day. This, in turn, also had an impact on my morning motivation: work was even better when breathing the Dutch air.
You are the Global Head of Technology and Innovation – a division head of a large team. Can managers use this option in the same way as junior staff? How did it feel for you not to be more accessible in an emergency?
Exactly, mobile working abroad can be requested by all our employees after consultation with the respective manager. In principle, we at Commerz Real are used to working remotely – and we are particularly familiar with this in our team. Our T&I team is represented at both locations in Wiesbaden and Düsseldorf, which is why team meetings almost always take place virtually. So if an emergency should arise – we’ve learned how to solve it remotely. In the end, this is also a question of management within a team. Almost half of our management team in T&I works part-time (80 percent), and we are now doing very well despite the many tasks.
Have you brought anything back to your desk at home from working abroad? Perhaps a special inspiration?
I didn't really bring anything back, but I learned to appreciate the opportunity to go out into the fresh air in my lunch break and have a good run. Especially when working abroad, this is a nice way to combine exploring the new environment with work. And it’s also a good idea to clear your head for 45 minutes at home. This is mainly thanks to the flexibility of our working hours, which is always a top priority at Commerz Real.
