The parent network of the HDI Group - Parents@HDI

Making life easier in challenging situations by finding constructive solutions is not only my personal passion, but also my professional one.

In the Group People & Culture department, I organise projects in the areas of family, career and social affairs: from measures to help employees balance family and career to cooperations for holiday care for "HDI offspring" and support services for caring for relatives.

Not least because of the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic, I know the limits parents face when childcare cannot be reliably supported by several shoulders. When I was asked whether I wanted to take on the project management for the construction of a company kindergarten for our headquarters in Hanover, I didn't have to think twice. I had respect - it's not something you do every day. In the end, it became my favourite project.

I like working for the Talanx/HDI Group because I really appreciate the mutual understanding, tolerance and trust. The opportunity to work from home and flexibly is also very important to her: "At certain times, we are only available in a double pack.

I work in online marketing at HDI AG, am married and the proud parent of two children aged 7 and 12.

I benefit from the introduction of home office today, especially with a primary school child and a child in 6th grade. Digital marketing is a complex working environment that requires constant learning. The fast-paced nature and rapid pace of technological development means that you always need to keep up to date. Instead of rushing between the office and parenthood every day, it is now possible to respond flexibly to these challenges and master them.

HDI endeavours to protect the interests of parents, but there is still room for improvement. Especially in the area of parental leave for fathers, there is a need for action, both socially and within our organisation. In my opinion, this is only possible if managers lead the way and create a climate that makes it easier for employees to take on parenting responsibilities.

I started at HDI (HDI next) directly after my parental leave with 1-year-old twins - so the topic of "compatibility" was an important criterion right from the start.

During my training period (the first 6 months at HDI), I realised how well and flexibly my colleagues responded to the challenges of being a parent. I often had to breastfeed, change nappies or prepare meals during the working day, as I started almost directly during the corona period and thus during the time when the daycare centre was closed. We managed everything together.

As a mother of two little boys, I went through all my professional stages afterwards, whether as an office manager, scrum master or IT manager. My experiences and involvement in diversity projects led me to found the Parents@HDI parents' network. We now have over 60 members who are actively involved in developing an attractive workplace for parents.