When talking about CSR, one of DB Schenker GBS’ targets has been to create a sustainability action plan that all our employees can get involved in. It’s our purpose to create a community in which members share a sense of social consciousness and understand the necessity of getting involved in growing the quality of life for all citizens.
Independent of our company’s strategy, SGBS already is a great community of more than 1000 people willing to get involved in CSR initiatives for 2 main reasons: to make a change that impacts the society positively and to have a great time with other colleagues while developing interpersonal skills.
Our commitment on sustainability, according to our organizational culture, is to create the proper context for our community to raise awareness and to stimulate responsible behaviors. Therefore, we thought about starting from the center – focusing on our employees. We took into account their needs and lifestyle preferences – correlated with the fast-paced environment of the 21st century and laid the foundation for a well-being program.
Working on Well-being Laboratory (WOW Lab) was designed at the end of 2017 as a result of Life @ DB Schenker panel, a project dedicated to measure the employees’ perception regarding the working climate. One of the main aspects identified during the panel sessions was a need for enhancing the already existing well-being behaviors and activities.
With the help of a WOW Ambassadors group, DB Schenker GBS hosts each month a mix of workshops, cultural and social activities based on a formula developed with the contribution of the employees. Since its launch, WOW Lab has developed into a benchmark program for the organization, based on a holistic approach aligned with the overall strategy.
Some of the most covered topics were: social responsibility, personal growth, eco-friendliness, sports & nutrition and relaxation. We hosted workshops about perfect spots for bird watching in Danube Delta and curiosities about our urban ecosystems, we learned mindfulness technics and how to be fully present and aware of ourselves, we had a great time playing with soap bubbles and meditating, we organized debates about self-kindness, openness and acceptance, as well as the necessity to remain curios all the time. These social events gathered employees in informal set-ups and encouraged a high-level of interaction outside the traditional working framework.
Talking about the engine behind all these great initiatives, WOW Lab is an inclusive program developed by the team members for the team members. Through their involvement, both as ambassadors and participants, employees are actively engaged in designing new traditions together. Moreover, these activities cover holistic and relevant themes that address the real interests of team members. As an active social hub that encourages open communication across departments, DB Schenker GBS works on creating a working space of well-being.
WOW Lab generated positive reactions within SGBS, more and more employees getting involved in the activities from month to month. WOW Lab program was monitored continuously since its start through feedback forms sent to participants following each event. The below testimonial probably describes in the most conclusive way how WOW Lab is perceived at SGBS Bucharest: “WOW LAB got my attention through its diversity of activities and made me want to be part of them, because everything I have seen involved passion, dynamics and taking on challenges. Thus, thinking good thoughts and doing good deeds will lead to an increased and sustainable performance, growth from within, and overall content, as all of them play major roles in having a healthy organizational work environment.” It is only one of the many positive feedbacks we received from our employees.
Since its launch, WOW Lab has grown into a well-being program that employees relate to and look forward to being part of. The working environment has turned into a vibrant one, offering the right framework for personal development, exchanging experiences and discovering new ways to increase satisfaction at the workplace. WOW Lab activities contributed to the creation of an internal social hub of employees open to find their well-being formula and, the most important – it represents an essential pillar that conducts to a solid organizational culture.