Promoting the health of employees is the goal of Health Manager Alexandra Teßmer. At the MediaMarktSaturn Retail Group, she is responsible for controlling occupational health management. Musculoskeletal disorders account for most sick days among her staff. In an interview with Humanoo, she describes the means she uses to master these and other challenges and how she manages to strengthen cohesion among employees at the same time.

Hello Ms. Teßmer, why don’t you tell us something about yourself and MediaMarktSaturn, or rather the departments in which Humanoo was introduced there?

MediaMarkt and Saturn are probably familiar to everyone – the two electronics retailers belong to the MediaMarktSaturn Retail Group, Europe’s leading retailer of consumer electronics and related services. I am responsible for managing the occupational health management system at our company’s headquarters in Ingolstadt, Bavaria.

Particularly in the area of administration, it was a special concern for me as a health manager to make colleagues aware of topics such as exercise and nutrition. After all, it’s a sad fact that back-related illnesses are at the top of the health statistics, especially in office jobs. With Humanoo, we can take targeted countermeasures here.

What was your first thought when you first came into contact with Humanoo?

It was quite clear: I want to have that, I want to make health management visible at our company!

What attracted you to the product?

I was particularly impressed by the option of loosening up in case of pain and relaxation. If you select a focus here, the application offers targeted and helpful exercises.

What did you want to achieve with Humanoo in the workforce?

Health promotion starts with each individual! Humanoo helps to sensitize other employees to this important topic.

How did your employees react to the introduction of Humanoo?

Very open-minded and positive! And many were directly motivated by the first planned company challenge.

Which features are particularly well received in the office?

The challenges are particularly popular, but topics such as relaxation and counting steps are also very well received.

In your opinion, has anything changed among the employees since the introduction?

Quite a few things! More and more employees are going for walks during their breaks. And I’m particularly pleased that when a Challenge takes place, you notice how the cohesion within the workforce grows! In addition, some colleagues proudly report how they have lost weight.

Tell us something about the corporate culture at MediaMarktSaturn. Has Humanoo been able to fit into your culture?

Digitization is a big issue for MediaMarktSaturn, especially for our business and of course for our employees. And a modern health app fits in perfectly with that, of course. Humanoo has therefore also managed to establish itself as a topic of conversation within the company.

What are the biggest challenges you face in recruiting new employees and what sets you apart as an employer?

The health of our employees is very important to us – and we want to communicate this both internally and externally!

Was Humanoo helpful in this respect?

I feel it has. In the next step, we will certainly be able to measure this even more clearly as we expand our licenses.

How active were your employees in sports before the introduction of Humanoo? Has anything changed in their routine?

Many of our employees were certainly already active in sports, but Humanoo has definitely inspired more employees to do something for their fitness and health.

And your personal work routine? Have you noticed any changes in yourself?

Sure, I implement the health courses. And I recreate many a healthy dish.

Why did you choose Humanoo from the wide range of health management tools on offer?

We were particularly impressed by the holistic approach. It’s also great that everything is bundled in one app. And the fact that courses can be billed to health insurance companies. In my opinion, this concept has a real future!

So from your point of view, the introduction of Humanoo was worth it?

Yes definitely, that’s also one reason why we’re doubling the licenses.

Last but not least: What does OHM of the future look like in your opinion?

From my point of view, it is strongly digitally influenced and is controlled from the background. In addition, there are info events where “groups” meet. Like-minded and together it simply works better!

Thank you very much, Ms. Teßmer, for the fascinating interview and the many insights into the day-to-day work of MediaMarktSaturn employees!