Dr Bernhard Winkler
Dr Bernhard Winkler, photo credit: Trescon
For a better mood in society.
Logo: Schon Genial

#schongenial in conversation with...

...Dr Bernhard Winkler, Managing Partner of TRESCON Personalberatung more than executive search

#schongenial: Dr Winkler, TRESCON Personalberatung is a partner of the world's first "Intercorporate Social Responsibility" initiative, which is committed to creating a positive atmosphere in our society. You yourself have been involved in the project from the very beginning and have thankfully contributed valuable, inspiring ideas to the development process time and again. One of your statements will probably remain unforgettable: "We have forgotten to ALSO see the positive. Which doesn't mean that everything is good or that we should look at everything through rose-coloured glasses. Are you actually surprised that there hasn't yet been an initiative of cross-company social responsibility that puts the common in society before the divisive, that makes the positive visible AND conscious, for the benefit of all?

Winkler: Our society has developed quite differently in recent years, and unfortunately not always for the better. There are clear tendencies towards drifting apart, and the coronavirus has been an additional accelerant here. In addition, all those responsible - whether in business, politics, the social sector or voluntary organisations - have their hands full trying to cope with the dynamic changes of our time. It is therefore not surprising that we have lost sight of the big picture, which makes the #schongenial initiative all the more important!


#schongenial: A central element, the driving force behind #schongenial, so to speak, is genuine appreciation, which, according to Prof Reinhard Haller, inspires creativity, motivation and the ability to build relationships. Qualities that we need more urgently than ever in order to overcome the challenges that lie ahead. In your opinion, how far has the issue of genuine appreciation in practice reached companies? What role does it play in the labour market?

Winkler: Many companies have realised that a truly appreciative corporate culture is very important for retaining existing employees and attracting new ones. Even if the general labour market situation for companies has eased somewhat at the moment, highly competent personalities are always in demand. This makes an appreciative corporate culture a real competitive advantage, which will also have an impact on corporate strategy in the next 4-5 years due to demographics.

#schongenial: Prim. Dr Paul Kaufmann talks about mindfulness being a cultural technique and that mindfulness can be trained. Have you noticed any efforts or concrete implementation/training measures in companies in this regard? Are there differences between industries, company size and whether companies are run by owners or managers?

Winkler: If you focus on mindfulness as a competence, then it has two orientations or perspectives: on the one hand, as a personal competence, i.e. being aware of my own thoughts, feelings and sensations and dealing with them competently; this includes, among other things, consciously concentrating on the present moment and not losing any thoughts about the past or the future. On the other hand, as a social competence or leadership competence, so that the emotions of others are better recognised and understood. This can improve communication and interaction, promote a positive working atmosphere and ultimately also improve productivity. All of this can be developed very well through personal engagement with these skills, but also through coaching and workshops.

#schongenial: In May, a joint event was held by Motiv Personal Consulting, Laura Payer, the Generation Ambassadors and #schongenial at the Innovation Centre of Raiffeisen Landesbank at the JKU. Under the title: "First Intercoroporte Generation Lab World Cafè. This diversity is ingenious!" several companies took part, each with four representatives from generations x,y,z and the baby boomers. The format was extremely well received by the participants and was rated accordingly. What insights did you personally take away from the event?

Winkler: As the title suggests, it was something of a "laboratory experiment" with a limited number of participants, but it was a really good and successful experiment. The feedback after this 3.5-hour workshop was unanimously very good and encourages us to keep going.

#schongenial: the second Intercorporate Generation Lab World Café is due to take place in autumn. Can you reveal anything yet? When and where it will take place? How many companies will be invited?

Winkler: Strictly speaking, it will be the 1st Intercorporate Multiplicity Hackathon, which we are planning for 20 November 2024 in the Nova Zone, Tabakfabrik Linz. The motto of this hackathon is "Experience diversity - strengthen collaboration - improve results" and it will provide the ideal environment for companies and their employees to discover diversity, develop approaches for even better collaboration and thus improve company results. Due to the size of the room alone, there will be a limit of around 20 to 25 teams from companies and organisations with 4-6 people. It will then be possible to register from September.

#schongenial: The activities of #schongenial serve several goals of the UN Sustainable Development Goals and strongly represent the "S" in ESG. In your opinion, what role does the "S" play for companies in the context of environmental social governance?

Winkler: ESG and sustainability encompass many areas of the corporate context, such as environmental protection, dealing with increasingly scarce resources, the physical and mental health of employees, diversity and inclusion, the sustainability of investments and much more. To emphasise the importance of the "S", we at TRESCON have developed the "House of Sustainability in HR Management" and use it to highlight many positive fields of action. At the centre of this is a credible and practised corporate culture with a focus on ecological, social and economic aspects.

#schongenial: Thank you very much for your time and the wonderful interview.

It's nice to see so many positive things:
trescon
Back