one: Sonja , Sabine, you have been with the REWE Group for 27 and 40 years respectively, and have changed departments several times within the company. What keeps motivating you, what have you taken away from these experiences, and how have you given back to the company? And last but not least: what advice do you have, particularly for colleagues who have been with the company for many years?

Sonja: I am able to learn and I want to learn. That’s why my main motivation for every change of job is this: I want to work somewhere where I can learn something, where the subject matter interests me. The changes themselves were for different reasons. Sometimes I no longer felt I was in the right place. Sometimes there were external reasons, such as when a department was closed down.

Sabine: For me, it was often down to chance. I worked as a buyer for many years. Then life happened: children, a reorganisation and returning to work part-time. A part-time buyer – that was unthinkable back then. Thankfully, things are different today. So I became an assistant. Later, when my children didn’t need me quite so much, I felt the urge for a change again and discovered quality management. When I got a call from them saying, ‘We’re looking for a consultant – would you be interested?’, I naturally wondered: am I too old, being in my mid-50s? Can I still get to grips with something completely new? After an initial chat with my line manager, it very quickly became clear: this is the right fit. And I’m getting to grips with the job. Like Sonja, I’m someone who can and wants to learn.

Sabine: Butmy strength isn’t just my willingness to learn new things. It’s also, and above all, my existing knowledge of how the company works, as well as the network I’ve built up over the decades.

Sonja: I’d like to pick up on that. For many years, my main focus was on adding value to the company, learning, performing… There’s no question that a willingness to perform and adaptability are important skills – life demands them. But what I only realised in my mid-40s was: All credit to my drive to learn, but I mustn’t leave myself – as a person, as an individual – out of the equation. When I moved to Lekkerland, everything fell into place: here, I can just be myself. But let’s be clear: I wouldn’t want to have missed the journey that brought me here, but today I feel more at ease.

Sabine: To pick up on Sonja’s point: I think we could pay even more attention to this here: who has which strengths, and where are those strengths best utilised – both for the company and for the employees themselves.

Sonja: Anyone who wants to move to a different role within the company needs to be noticed. But many people don’t showcase their strengths at all, or feel that they’re not being seen. But how do we make ourselves visible? By showing what we can do. Just do it…

Sabine: … and perhaps we could integrate that even more into the potential development conferences…

Sonja: …especially given the complexity of the RWE Group. Is an employee’s potential really recognised at every SGE? I was thinking the other day: AI puts together my holiday plan individually for me, so why not find the right internal job too? Couldn’t we provide an AI system where I enter my strengths, skills and preferences – and it then makes suggestions? After all, precisely because we’re currently focusing more on staff retention than on recruitment, we should address those who are already here in an even more targeted way, based on their strengths – regardless of gender, age or willingness to change jobs.

Sabine: Personally, I’m the sort of person who thinks long and hard about the risks before making a change and comes up with reasons why staying put might actually be better: the working atmosphere is pleasant, the project is interesting… Nevertheless, it would never have been an option for me to sit at the same desk forever. But of course there are financial constraints or external circumstances that make a move or a fresh start more difficult…

Sonja: I understand that many people are currently reluctant to make an internal move. We’re living in turbulent times. But I’m not a fan of staying stuck in one situation. That rarely ends well. Some of my moves were a 2 plus, others probably more of a 3 minus. But the REWE Group is big enough; another move is possible – there’s always a Plan B. That’s my experience from 27 years with the company. Of course, it’s work: polishing your CV, drafting an application… But we spend so much time at work. Work doesn’t have to make you happy. But you should at least be satisfied.

Sabine: After a long time, I’ve moved from purchasing to quality management. Now I understand why processes work differently there and are sometimes more complex. It’s important to recognise that. Because if I know and understand several areas, that also benefits the company. Anyone who changes roles always brings with them the perspective of their previous department, and that leads to better mutual understanding. That’s why, in my view, it’s important for senior managers to let good people move on from time to time.

Sonja: Anyone who changes roles clears away obstacles, networks, builds contacts, and develops and fosters an understanding of other departments. Your perspective on the employer broadens and deepens. You become a bridge-builder.

GO! (Group Opportunities) raises awareness of internal job opportunities within the REWE Group and supports staff in their professional development. The aim of GO! is to provide guidance to these staff members, highlight career prospects and facilitate internal job changes. After around two years as a project, GO! has now been rolled out as a permanent service since July and is thus an integral part of the STEP up cultural initiative. Find out more on the Step up Portal.

For all REWE Group employees:

• #jobtasting: #jobtasting offers a no-obligation insight into the variety of job roles within our Group in a lunch-and-chat format.
• #jobcompass: This internal SharePoint site provides guidance on the RWE Group’s job landscape and helps with your own career planning.

Exclusively for Talent Pool members:

• Talent Pool: Enables employees to express their interest in a career change within the REWE Group during their STEPs review.
• Check In Talent Pool: A personalised consultation offer for Talent Pool members to provide career guidance and help refine their personal GO! profile.
• Internal Sourcing: Talent sourcers approach Talent Pool members specifically regarding selected internal vacancies.