How does it feel to be part of a team working together for a good cause? How does it feel to man a hotline and not know what surprises the next call has in store? How does it feel to be a part of something really big?
These were just some of the reasons behind my personal motivation to actively support the donation hotline for the “Ein Herz für Kinder” donation gala which was broadcast on ZDF last Saturday December 5, 2020 alongside 1,900 other Deutsche Telekom colleagues.
For many years, Deutsche Telekom has supported the BILD hilft e.V. “Ein Herz für Kinder” charity organization. For many of the Group’s employees, it has become a tradition to volunteer their time in the run-up to Christmas to support this campaign by manning the donation hotline. And I really wanted to take part this year. When the first appeal for help went out over our internal social networks in October, I applied right away. Everything got really exciting when the preparatory communication was sent out. Training dates were offered, FAQ material and social media kits were provided, and the IT systems that we were to use on the evening of the donation gala were presented.
Special challenges and special emotions
Even though the organization of such an event has been established for many years in terms of the technology, there were some special challenges to be overcome due to this year’s coronavirus pandemic. Training sessions took place online rather than face-to-face. I was first able to appreciate just how big this whole thing is when I saw that hundreds of colleagues were in the training WebEx. A further challenge was getting the majority of colleagues who were working remotely from home up to speed in order to man the hotlines and also making sure everyone felt well looked after. The in-house donation TV channel, excellent accompanying communication, and several chatrooms ensured that there was an excellent team spirit, even though the majority of people were working from their homes.
I also took calls on my home workstation. Equipped with vitamin-rich food, drinks, and a big portion of excitement and anticipation, it all began at 8:15 p.m. And how! There was barely time to take a breath until the end of the event...and even beyond. I spoke with 40 dedicated people. Children, families, young people, old people. It was an indescribable feeling to hear the desire in their voices and chats to do something good, to help children who are not doing so well, who are needy, and who are suffering. It goes without saying that it was difficult for me to come back down from my emotional high when the program ended at around 11:30 p.m. Going to sleep was out of the question.
What will stay with me?
- I am immensely proud to work for a company that supports good causes and gives their employees the chance to get involved in such initiatives.
- It is a wonderful feeling to have the same motivation as 1,900 employees to volunteer for a good cause.
- I have real respect for our service unit and all technicians that got this complex infrastructure up and running.
- I am sure that I will #takepart again next year.
