Seizing the moment
Most probably, we will remember 2020 as the beginning of the Corona pandemic which will divide the era into a before and after. While we often hear and read discussions about cuttings into our individual freedom, we at A1 see this year as a milestone in the expansion of our flexible working methods. In an interview, Marcus Grausam, CEO of A1 Austria, describes our takeaways from the crisis, both personally and as a company.
Even before March 16th, 2020, more than half of the A1 Team in Austria had the possibility to do mobile working and used it in different ways. During the last months, we have intensively familiarized ourselves with different practices on how teams can collaborate virtually in an optimal way: from stand-up calls to video conferences, the appropriate selection of tools and a common set of rules. Marcus tells us more about the background and expectations of New Work @A1 and how he personally deals with it on a daily basis.
How does a week of our A1 Austria CEO typically look like? Where are the New Work methods noticeable? We joined Marcus and took some notes:
MONDAY
6:30 a.m. Whether I spend the day at the office or in the home office, a cup of coffee guarantees a good start into the day for me.
2:00 p.m. Some things are not yet possible via videoconference, but require a personal meeting. This remains our motivation to further digitalize Austria.
TUESDAY
10:00 a.m. New Work doesn´t only include flexible working hours, but also flexible tools. With MS Teams we have the basis, now I’m also curiously testing where the optimal application possibilities for my needs lie. Our internal MS Teams Info Hub is a great platform for exchange and inspiration.
3:00 pm In between, a personal exchange is both good and necessary. Fred (note Mahringer, Head of Human Resources at A1 Austria) keeps me up to date on the latest developments and HR trends, also on the subject of New Work.
WEDNESDAY
11:00 a.m. It´s interesting to observe that in the past, we used to meet almost exclusively in person for meetings, whether internal or external. Today, we use communication tools such as Skype for external calls or now MS Teams internally, as if we have never done anything else.
5:00 p.m. On most days we have our stand-up meetings with the A1 Austria Leadership Team. We started this even before Corona. The discipline to be on time in the call is noticeably higher than in the office. Traffic jams and subway disturbances are no longer excuses ;-)
THURSDAY
10:30 a.m. During Corona, I went online weekly or biweekly with a live streaming on our internal social media platform. I appreciate the direct, open exchange with the A1 Team on current topics and listening into the organization. That was something new and very well received internally and I definitely want to continue this format.
3:30 p.m. What I appreciate about flexible working is that I can use the time between appointments to clear my head while cycling. While working out, I often have a clear view on complex situations and fresh ideas have the chance to emerge.
FRIDAY
12:00 a.m. As far as possible and depending on appointments, I make sure that I take the time to eat (at home) and that I am not disturbed. Also, make sure that you do not contact your colleagues if you are “absent”.