A department becomes a team – How a regulars’ table brings the team closer together

published on 26 october 2021

by Anastasia Rech

MORE THAN JUST A DEPARTMENT – WE ARE A TEAM!

Starting a new job is never easy. The fact that Corona forces humanity into isolation and mobile work doesn't make things any easier. Quite the opposite. Is it even possible to find a good connection to the team, to colleagues and to the company if you are in the office less often? The management and IT consulting of Rödl & Partner in Nuremberg has its own methods for mastering collaboration and team building in spite of this.

New start, but how?

There is a great danger in the job in particular, one that I was personally afraid of when I started as a working student for marketing and communications at Rödl & Partner's management and IT consulting in Nuremberg: Would I even get to know the team properly or see every member every two months? And what would the atmosphere in the office be like in that case?

Many questions that cannot be answered by thinking too much. Accordingly, I was nervous on my first day at work – not only with a new job, but also for the first time ever in an office.

Responsible team building

And what can I say: The Nuremberg team likes to eat. The Nuremberg team likes to eat well. On the first day, we had lunch together right away, and I got to know everyone as well as one can imagine, given the current situation. Colleagues try not to break former habits too much, and despite all the hygiene measures, everyone in the office manages to do so, because a great and positive working atmosphere is simply important.

The fear that the personal will fall by the wayside is only understandable after the big change we all had to get used to. But with the Nuremberg team, you can go to work with peace of mind. We keep our distance, follow all the rules and test ourselves regularly. Nevertheless, we go to lunch together; nevertheless, the office doors are always open and nevertheless, we pay attention to good teamwork. Mobile working can't be avoided – that's why time in the office has to be made special and enjoyable.

Team & Work

In the midst of all the fun in the office, you mustn't forget that you're there to work. What the Nuremberg team manages to do really well is the balancing act between professionalism and relaxedness. Some days are more stressful than others, especially at the beginning of the month when new projects are due.

But even that passes at the regulars' table on the first friday of the month. In this case, I agree with Paracelsus, who said that “beer is a divine medicine” – although I myself am the answer to the team's question about what kind of person orders sweet wine spritzers. Sometimes you just have to let work be work and get to know each other without having to talk about your current to-dos. After all, I also want to get to know my colleagues a little better in private.

The monday after speaks for itself: On the one hand, there's an exuberant mood in the office, on the other hand, everyone is much more concentrated and the company's internal interaction and communication works better. But that's not just down to the idea of going to the regulars' table together – people came up with that 200 years ago, too. It's probably more down to the Nuremberg team, which is made up of really great, open and warm-hearted people – a team that you just love being part of.