“Crises are always events from which we can learn something”

The first weeks at a new company are usually all about initial training. But hardly anything was “usual” this year. How was your start at Bauerfeind?

I had imagined it quite differently, you’re right. But hardly anything could be salvaged of my plan to spend the first six months gradually getting to know the organization, products, customers, and subsidiaries abroad. I just about managed some product training at the Academy and some customer visits in Germany. Next on my list would have been visiting the first subsidiaries abroad, but then everything came to a halt. Apart from three companies in Austria, Switzerland, and Benelux, I haven’t been able to see much of international business.

The IT failure happened three weeks after you started, and the company entered into crisis mode for the first time. What did you notice during this situation?

What happened there was an exceptional attack on our company’s security. But thanks to the pro-active and expert measures introduced by the IT Department, it was possible to prevent any major damage. Then our colleagues – particularly in the Production, Logistics, and Customer Service departments – were very quick to process the backlog that had accumulated, meaning our customers barely noticed anything. They dealt with these problems remarkably well!

And then the coronavirus appeared. How do you feel looking back at spring? 

Spring was all about establishing the appropriate labor-law foundations in the company as quickly as possible so that we could weather even long dry spells. We had never needed short-time work arrangements before this. All our employees signed the required agreement very quickly. I was really pleased with that, because it showed how much trust they have in our company. I feel that, overall, we proceeded very systematically and with a great deal of coordination. It wasn’t just a collection of coincidences, it took a number of decisions at different levels that were made correctly for the most part. In hindsight, we dealt with the situation much more effectively than I thought in April/May.

What should our colleagues be prepared for over the coming months?

The first quarter of 2021 will still be fully dominated by the coronavirus crisis. I think that we won’t really notice any relief until early summer. Perhaps in Fall 2021, normal life and the usual work processes will be possible if vaccination programs are successful. A complete return to normal is more likely in 2022. Nobody knows how early or late this will be.

Will work at Bauerfeind go back to “the way it was before” then, i.e. everyone returning from home to work in the office?

I don’t think so. That would mean all the experiences from this year would pass us by without making an impact – you could almost say in vain. Crises are always events from which we can learn something. And we have learned a lot about how to work together sensibly and successfully. I think there are opportunities here. We will have to consider how to maintain the current organizational work structure, to a certain degree. Working from home has become completely normal and this is a very positive development, especially for employees who live further afield.

I would also like to point out the social component, which is very important to me. Work is much more than just getting things done. You can have a chat with colleagues over breakfast or meet people in the canteen. These moments, this type of informal communication, establish a lot of team spirit at a company. To a large extent, this determines the quality of our cooperation. This will remain true in the future. We now have to try to find the right balance between working from home and spending time in the office. Each employee’s particular responsibilities will most likely be a determining factor, and we will try to arrive at sensible arrangements and structures together with our employees and their supervisors. So far, we have managed successfully in a crisis with a bit of external pressure. Why shouldn’t we be able to continue this in the future? I also believe this will generally increase our company’s appeal, it’s a good sign for many people that Bauerfeind lets you split your time between working from home and working from the office.

From the very beginning of the crisis, you relied on internal communication. Why is that? 

I believe that employees need to see the bigger picture, know the context, in order to understand what is important. That’s why clear internal communication is important, to give them the chance to understand what is happening on a larger scale.

Do you feel that you’ve “settled in” at Bauerfeind? 

Yes. But it takes a while for your soul to catch up when you change locations yet again. It’s a process, and it’s not the same every day. Sometimes, I drive home and I’m the happiest person because I felt that something went really well, I managed to achieve something. There are other days when I drive home and feel terrible because something has really upset me. And everything in between. That’s life. After being here for a relatively short time, I wouldn’t go so far as to say that I’ve fully absorbed the Bauerfeind culture. It’s not something you can just put on like a coat.

Where do you get your composure from? Even in crisis situations, you always seem calm and composed.

I don’t know (laughs). I don’t think about it.

What went well in 2020? And what do you want to tackle in 2021? 

I believe that the crisis in 2020 has brought us closer to our customers in Germany again. On the one hand, we created the coronavirus package for our medical retailers with specific assistance during the crisis. On the other hand, we simplified and adjusted our BQP system a little. And we launched b:joynz. Those were three positive highlights for me. The further development of our international business fell by the wayside though. That sort of thing cannot be negotiated in a video conference and will definitely be a focus for 2021. And then there’s digitalization, which we will continue to advance.