On board via paternoster: Our start at VIG

From an informative e-mail we received in advance, we already know her name, that we are to register with the portier, and that after two hours of "onboarding" we will make our way to our departments. Nevertheless, we still don't have a clear idea of what's in store for us in the next two hours. Do we already have to know something, learn something, sign something? And: Do I have to wear a blazer here every day?

At 8 a.m. sharp, a friendly young lady arrives, introduces herself and takes us on a discovery tour around the building. Within the first few meters, we receive information about everything we see: the entrance, the time recording devices, and how the elevators work. Today, however, we ignore them and are led through a double door to a rarity and special feature of the Ringturm: The paternoster, which is now supposed to take us up in pairs.

Someone voices concerns and is immediately reassured: everyone is allowed to ride, no one has to, and there is no shame in climbing stairs. The bottom line is that we all want to experience the dumbwaiter-like ride experience and, appropriately enough, end up - in one piece - on the 7th floor, home of the company's own cafeteria. A quick exploration round is accompanied by all sorts of relevant information: What's being cooked and when, how to pay and how much. Joy arises among those with an affinity for food: From now on, we will be well provided for in the morning and at lunchtime!

After a quick stop at the company's walk-in clinic, we continue by foot to the Human Resources department where our preliminary destination is located.

Nothing is left to coincidence in the onboarding process, or, as we later summarize quite impressed: Someone really put a lot of thought into this! Exactly three seats in the meeting room are already filled with information brochures and selected VIG goodies, and the coffee arrives as soon as we are seated. Our onboarding captain explains the schedule for the next few hours, and then it's time for the insurance saleswoman to connect online and inform us about our employee insurance conditions. Here, too, we have the good feeling: This is an option, not an obligation. Anyone who is interested will be contacted personally by the employee later; otherwise, the matter is closed.

Apart from our attention, all that is needed from us today is an ID card. While it is being copied, we are given a VIG sports shirt two rooms further on and in the course of this get to know the next HR employee with whom we will get to do business again in the following days - it's nice to know the friendly face behind the e-mails right away.

Now we are really immersed in the VIG universe: we see parts of the company presentation with interesting explanations of history and key figures, browse superficially through the intranet - which is surprisingly clearly structured, especially considering the enormous amount of information it contains - with a special focus on employee benefits, and get lots of tips along the way.

At the end of the precisely timed two hours, we feel informed about everything from ambulatory care to time recording and ready to start work in our departments.
The very next day, a summary of the most important points of our morning together reaches us by e-mail. For the few to-dos from our side there are precise instructions, for the obligatory trainings via internal learning platform we are already sent date suggestions. For the access to the voluntary external learning platform there is already a login, and the e-mail doesn't lack the inquiry whether everything is working and okay so far.

Our trial month has long passed, we are still here, and gladly so. We have to make our own coffee most of the time, but otherwise not much has changed in the way things are handled here: We get the information we need, are kept in the loop about offers and expectations, take advantage of what we want and get done what we're supposed to, sometimes even in blazers. We are fully on board.