Future Workshop – entrepreneurial thinking on all levels
Fresh ideas and entrepreneurial thinking are especially important to Hannover Re if it is to enjoy a successful future. Fostering the latter, in particular – among younger employees and not just seasoned staff – was the goal of the "Future Workshop" held for the first time in July 2008. Conducted in an informal atmosphere, the workshop gave 30 individuals who had been with Hannover Re for between two and five years the opportunity to put aside the concerns of day-to-day business and discuss in general terms strategy, the future and Hannover Re as a company.
At the conclusion of the "Future Workshop" the specialists responsible for our strategic objectives – under whose leadership the event had also been held – received direct, knowledgeable feedback from the participants.
In this way, our junior staff were not only able to get to know other areas and perspectives within Hannover Re and hence broaden their own working horizon; with the questions and ideas that they had developed they also seized the chance to make a significant contribution to our company's strategy process – and what is more, they did so in a direct dialogue with the responsible experts.
In view of the success of this concept we shall henceforth hold the "Future Workshop" once a year. Over the medium to long term the purpose of this event will be to establish a group of junior executives. We realise that our younger staff, in particular, can contribute interesting suggestions and a fresh perspective on Hannover Re – one which we would like to continue to benefit from going forward.