Hannes integrates new employees

Hannes' company has now undergone its fifth reorganisation process in the last three years. Organizational charts have been redrawn, structures and strategies redefined and at the end of the day, the result has always been the same: costs are optimized.

The latest decision is also aimed in this direction. The departure of a department head is used to merge two departments. The staff of 15 people in the department without a manager is integrated into Hannes' department.

This is a new experience for Hannes. Until now, he was always the one who had to save his "store" healthy. Now he gets an extra 15 people in one fell swoop. The integration of existing employees from a dissolved structure into another existing department is demanding. He knows this from experience, training courses and relevant specialist articles.

Hannes leafs through the book "Leadership in three hours" and gets stuck on the passage "Integration of departments". That is precisely his topic. The crucial thing, he reads, is to establish a new culture right from the start. Neither the culture of one department nor that of the other should apply; a new culture must emerge. After all, it is a merger, not a takeover.

The integration concept
He also knows from group dynamics that the human component has to be right. A team spirit should emerge. Team spirit - that's what matters, Hannes thinks enthusiastically. He writes down the word "integration concept" in his still empty Word document. The aim is to develop a new, shared team spirit.

He is almost bursting with pride at having once again found the right words, which are sure to make an impression even on the higher levels of the hierarchy. But how does he manage to establish a new team spirit? Now ideas are needed.

The team building workshop
He Googles "team building workshop". A huge offer pops up in front of him. Snowshoeing in Greenland and/or up the Matterhorn, or even in the snow and ski hall in the summer in Dubai. Another is to brew beer together, to plant vines. Even fermenting a whiskey together is supposed to strengthen the sense of community, according to the organizers. The classic abseil down the north face of the Eiger is certainly a good idea. It's an experience, and no one leaves the other hanging. This analogy is also always good to use in everyday life.

Hannes is still undecided about how to transfer whiskey into everyday work. "Observing the maturing process together" can also be misinterpreted. Even "we don't let anyone fall off the mountain" does not reveal from the outset to what extent this is comparable to back office work. It is not yet a matter of falling into the depths of a valley.

Or then a suitable motto?
Hannes changes the level. A step away from concrete experience towards intellectuality? A common motto perhaps? That could work better. He already has the brilliant idea: We are ONE - one team, one spirit, one force, one chief. This would also ensure that one day he would not be given an additional boss. However, mottos remain empty if they are not concretized. So let's get going. Hannes hammers the implementation goals into the keyboard like mad: "We are a team, we care for each other, we help each other, we all strive for success, we accept everyone in their personality.

Hannes is proud of the fireworks of innovative vocabulary he has belted out and is convinced that the new and old crew will find it just as great as he does. And if they don't? Then the team spirit is gone before it was born.

Then a thought crosses his mind: He could have the people look for a suitable team-building measure together? That would also be a kind of integration? You can still drink the whiskey instead of letting it ferment in the bucket ...