Exercise is an essential part of the workday, not only for physical health, but also for mental performance. Regular physical activity can reduce stress, improve concentration and increase productivity.
In addition, exercise helps prevent long-term health problems that can result from prolonged sedentary behavior, such as back pain and cardiovascular disease. An active lifestyle therefore contributes significantly to a balanced and productive daily life.
Companies can encourage employees to incorporate exercise into their daily work routines by offering flexible working hours and break schedules. Partnerships with health clubs provide additional incentives. Programs such as company runs, job bikes, or supervised exercise breaks during work hours can also be implemented.
Providing showers and locker rooms also ensures that employees return to work refreshed and ready to do their jobs. Such measures not only promote health, but also strengthen team spirit and satisfaction within the company.
Arno joined abat a couple of years ago. "Sometimes life has crazy coincidences," he says. A former fellow student approached him and asked if he wanted to change companies. "The moment was right, so I applied." After a brief remote interview, he was up and running soon after, starting his first project as a start-up supporter at Mercedes-Benz.
Arno had previously gained a wide range of professional experience, including sales and traditional management consulting. It was at abat that he first came into close contact with SAP. He has now been supporting a furniture manufacturer for more than two years. "We prepared training courses for a team in the USA, migrated data and supported the sales process for their kitchens.
The most important aspect of Arno's life is his family and their passion for sports. "My children are very athletic, play soccer and love to run. Once you drop the word 'running,' there's no turning back," says Arno. He has run two marathons himself.
Arno combines his passion for running with his work. "It is an ideal balance," he says. Together with his colleague Louisa, he plans to take part in runs in Bremen and the surrounding area, such as the B2Run and the BMW company run. In 2023, a large group took part in the ‘Lauf zwischen den Meeren’, a relay race from the North Sea coast to the Baltic Sea coast. At the time, a colleague asked who would like to take care of the group, and Arno took the job: "Because I really like to organize things." The flexibility and support of the company allows him to plan his participation in the various runs and integrate running into his daily project life. "Running is incredibly easy to incorporate," he says. "All you need is your running shoes and workout clothes - and you're off..."
Louisa has been a permanent employee at abat since 2021. She already worked for us as a student trainee during her master's degree. Her connection to abat began through four different channels: "The first was actually at a New Year's Eve party at my home in Kiel, where I met the tax consultant from abat." Another contact was made via LinkedIn, she also met abat at a university event, and finally she heard about her experiences as a working student at abat from fellow students. These various contacts led to Louisa applying and being hired.
At abat, Louisa works in the SAP TM team, which deals with the planning of truck, rail and ship transportation. She is currently working on a project for a car manufacturer, which includes the planning of empties. Her job comes with a lot of responsibility, as she points out: "There are actually quite a lot of empties in circulation, you wouldn't think so".
What Louisa particularly appreciates about abat is the flexibility and the opportunity to combine her passion for sport with her work. "I have even jogged to work. That's possible because we have a shower you can use at any time," she says. Working at abat gives her enough freedom to pursue her hobby and even inspire other colleagues to do the same. This is also an important part of her commitment to the activities within the abat group, which she plans together with her colleague Arno. "I think he knows very well that I really enjoy exercise and that I'm always happy to motivate as many people as possible."
For Louisa, the values of personal responsibility, flexibility and freedom are crucial to her satisfaction at abat. She appreciates the common sense that prevails in the company and the trust that is placed in the employees. "I believe that common sense is our greatest asset, because everyone here feels that they are trusted," she says. And Louisa believes that trust plays a central role in both her work and her hobby of running.
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