youtu.be/GOgz_Hk-YW0

I understand that the comment was somehow ... "meant to be funny"... But it's really the opposite of helpful here.

Thanks Jessy for this comment! I can understand the frustration: The hard work takes place in the stores and warehouses, that's quite clear, while we sit in front of our MacBooks in the Carlswerk or in the home office. But you can't do it without IT. Good IT specialists are rare and can easily be poached by the competition. It is therefore a (sad) reality that such events are necessary, among other things, to strengthen employee loyalty. Because if REWE doesn't do it, the competition has been doing it for a long time.

I think it makes sense to mention once again that the event and especially the external presentation (YouTube, Twitter etc) have a strong recruiting character. Of course, things like fun and good food are emphasised in particular. And ja!, the event was great and I would wish any other employee the same, but I think it's a shame that it sometimes gives the impression that the work of the participants only consists of singing and clapping. You can't ignore the fact that there were teams and individuals who worked far more than the usual 8 hours at the keyboard. In the end, in addition to the recruiting mentioned at the beginning, it's also about hard-hitting innovation that makes work easier for all of us or increases efficiency. "Pick by Light" comes to mind, for example, which makes the job of the pickers in the FFCs easier. Some of the features that we can offer our customers today also originate from this type of event. When I started at REWE digital, there was the opportunity to do a "mini internship" with the delivery service, so other colleagues and I definitely have an insight into the work "out there" and know how incredibly strenuous it can be. That's why we appreciate the colleagues who drive out to customers, pick tours and fill shelves in stores and warehouses all the more. They have the most direct contact with customers and shape the external image of REWE Group, while "we" (the colleagues in IT and administration) work a little further back at our desks.

Of course, office work is not as physically demanding as working directly with the customer or the goods, but after a day full of deadlines, changing roadmaps and requirements, implementing new features, fixing bugs, designing more efficient IT architectures, planning strategies for the coming years and much more, we too are exhausted and look forward to finishing work. What I want to say is that we are all parts of a very large and complex machine and equally important for smooth operation. Of course, the cogwheel on the left sometimes lacks transparency as to what the crankshaft on the right is actually doing, and I think it's up to all of us to talk about it. This is the only way we can get rid of the prejudices ("They only sit in their home office and work two hours a day anyway" or "Apart from driving forklifts and carrying boxes, they can't do anything anyway") and meet as equals.

So in future, please invite the people from the warehouses and the markets. I think it would be very exciting to spend a week with the people who use our products or produce the data

@Kerstin: Thank you for the apt questions and words. A little more down-to-earthness is probably in order here. I've just watched the YouTube videos advertised. That must be a nice (working?) life in Cologne's Karlswerk.

Dear Felipe, I agree with you that an appreciative approach is important. Appreciation also includes respectful interaction and mutual recognition - including where and how the money has to be earned in many places in this company. Perhaps such actions can also be done on a smaller scale. Does it really have to be a whole week? Do we have to buy and distribute jackets and T-shirts while we wait years for work clothes at Penny? That sounds like envy. Maybe it is. But it also hurts me when I have to cut hours again while money doesn't matter elsewhere.

Hello Jürgen, I think it's immensely important to treat each other with respect - even between different organisational units. I understand your displeasure, but an event like this is much more than just "splashing around and eating". In recent years, colleagues from the warehouses and stores have taken part from time to time; this year, unfortunately, it wasn't possible for various reasons. And by the way: some REWE Systems colleagues recently had an experience at the store in Grevenbroich one.rewe-group.com/magazin/magazin-artikel/item/Article/showMag/eine-hochmotivierte-truppe. And in general, we all work hand in hand and very often in the stores and warehouses. On that note: have a great week!

You want more employees to take part? Then why don't you invite 500 people from the stores or warehouses? We also want to splash around and eat, don't you? Then why don't you send your people to our warehouses or areas for a week? Then you'll see what work means.

Dear Martin and Adrian, thank you for your comments. Of course, a week like this is anything but a matter of course and can only take place because you do such a great job in the warehouses and markets. But of course we also use events like this to develop new ideas that make life and work easier for you and us. If you're ever at Carlswerk, we can set up the paddling pool again and have a splash. Have a great weekend!

It's no different for us in the camp. We'd also like to have time to put our feet in the paddling pool when it's so hot outside.

It's great that you can celebrate such parties during working hours. Unfortunately, we can't do that at the store and struggle for every extra hour we get.