Report by P. Glaser

Onboarding Seminar as Part of ThyssenKrupp AG's Group Trainee Program

Two hundred years of the exciting history of the group in three days, with ten presentations and discussions, exercises and workshops, 269 rooms at the Villa Hügel, two tents set up while blindfolded, and fifteen new colleagues with varying experience, specializations, issues and personalities – sounds to me like the perfect start to my group trainee program at ThyssenKrupp.
Just what would be waiting for me in an onboarding seminar? The preparation and information received from my advisor at Human Resources did make me very curious about the program, but I had no experience of my own with activities of this kind. I was glad to run into a "comrade" from Career Day in the hotel lobby; we shared the fact that we both successfully beat the challenges of the selection process.

The impression gained in the first few minutes proved to be characteristic of the entire onboarding seminar: Whoever claims that one has to be punctilious and rigidly respect the hierarchy in the corporate groups is way off the mark – at least at ThyssenKrupp. Openness, straightforwardness, friendliness, respect and politeness were not merely qualities of our work together, but were consistently present in the way the speakers, coaches and trainees interacted.

"I see opportunities that no other company could offer me"

The two heads of Group Development and Human Resources made it clear in their presentations and discussion rounds that this open corporate culture was not only something the group's trainees share, especially by being professionally convincing, and personally straightforward, direct and open themselves. The result: Instead of sticking to the superficial matters, the discussion rounds encouraged us to raise objections and respond critically. Both seminar leaders challenged us to maintain this discussion culture, to explore our new positions with curiosity, and to set up a strong network. I came to understand that ThyssenKrupp is not simply looking for short-term changes but has adopted a new, long-term perspective towards its environment that crosses all markets. In my first position in the Business Development section of the Stainless Global Business Area, I am directly connected to the strategic process. I see quite clearly in the discussions and presentations the opportunities that are waiting for me. Opportunities that no other company could offer me.

We as group trainees are also a part of this new and interconnected perspective. My role and the importance of having a strong network both inside the company and externally were made clearer to me during the seminar. The reports of two former trainees in the areas of Steel and Marine Systems underlined this significance in particular. Both colleagues shared their experiences with our group directly and straightforwardly: How do I deal with the fact that no one knows me in the organization at the start? How do I get personal access to colleagues? How do I learn to develop the sensitivity to correctly judge situations and behave accordingly, whether I'm dealing with information or in direct discussion?

"As trainees we have the chance and the task of developing our own profile"

Our questions and the answers we receive seem even more important for the group trainee program because we will meet many new people, including many characters, within a very short period of time. In particular, this means quickly relearning how to find our place, to ask questions, but also to develop our own profiles. The information shared during the seminar was designed to give us the tools to help us in this task and it was purposefully explained that they were not simply "one size fits all".

There were two things I found especially helpful. The first was understanding that people are always behaving within some context, whether it's private or professional. The second is that the development assistance I hope to get by joining ThyssenKrupp is mainly dependent on whether I ask for feedback and what I do with it when I get it. Feedback, I understand, is a critical source of food for my own thought and a starting point for the continuous improvement of my own behavior, work and impact in diverse contexts. I hope I'll remember to apply this newfound knowledge often in my new position.

"We're now part of this exciting group history"

In addition to the specialized insights which I found very helpful, especially at the start, it was the topic of the historical development of ThyssenKrupp that I was looking forward to even before the seminar began. It makes me quite proud to know how long our group has been around, but also what difficulties it has overcome to get where it is today, and to now be an active participant in its development.