"Social engagement fuels my strength – and shows me what really matters."
The #believeinyourself story from Dominik Ehrenberger
Dominik Ehrenberger has been with the Holding for four years, working as an industry analyst for Large Corporates. A passionate powerlifter, Dominik loves his job, but he was also looking for another pursuit with deeper meaning – and found it in social engagement.
Dominik is responsible for the support of the loan application process for major national and international companies in the mechanical engineering sector, along with analysing key industry and market trends. His job requires exceptional precision and dedication.
Dominik, what drives your commitment to social engagement?
At some point, I came to realise how much of my life I had taken for granted. I’m fortunate to have a stable environment, an engaging career and good health. But not everyone is this lucky. Through social engagement, I have the opportunity to support people facing challenging life situations, while also becoming more aware of social inequalities.
Additionally, my personal experience with hearing aids since the age of two has taught me early on how significant support in everyday life can be. This has made me more empathetic towards people who rely on assistance or face unique challenges.
And last but not least, our bank highly values social engagement – a culture that has profoundly inspired me. Our department has deliberately chosen to support social initiatives, engaging directly with people affected by physical or mental impairments or needing extra support due to life-altering events.
How did your #believeinyourself moment strike?
I had the idea of starting a social initiative with my colleagues in the frame of a team event. At the same time, we are totally focused on delivering timely solutions to our customers, and the pressure of tight deadlines and heavy workloads often makes organising social projects difficult. At that point, I found myself wondering if I should scale back my engagement or quit it altogether. I finally asked myself: „Does it make sense to keep investing time in this?“
What conclusion did you come to?
At that juncture, support came from our management, my colleagues and our Time Bank. This gave me the encouragement I needed, and it also rekindled my awareness of what we stand for as a bank and the deep-seated commitment to social engagement that defines our values. This clarified for me that my path was the right one. Empowered by this realisation, I was able to once again trust my abilities and time management skills, which helped me to move forward – with a lot of #believeinyourself!
What was your and your colleagues’ first social engagement experience like?
Over the past two years, we have already completed three projects with a number of different social organisations as Obdach, Caritas and Lebenshilfe.
The feedback from many colleagues was that this experience contributed to their personal development, pushing them beyond their comfort zone and enriching their lives in unexpected ways. For many, giving back to the community was a very powerful feeling, and it allowed us to see new sides of each other – compassionate, open and dedicated. Some even told me that they were so moved by this experience that they are now considering personal commitments to social causes.
Was there a highlight?
Our recent interaction with Lebenshilfe “clients” last November was particularly memorable. Witnessing their joy during a shared museum outing, appreciating the chance to step away from their daily routine and immerse themselves in a new experience, was heartwarming and highlighted the significant impact such initiatives can have.
What stood out in particular was their natural, easy-going manner. They approach others openly, without bias or barriers, which is a refreshing change from our professional lives where we are constantly mindful of our choice of words and behaviour.
What would you like to pass on to your readers? Would you recommend social engagement?
We were privileged to learn how valuable authentic human connections are. Social engagement enriches our professional lives and strengthens our team spirit. For this reason, we wholeheartedly endorse social engagement. We are now working on integrating social initiatives into our department moving forward, creating new opportunities for volunteer engagement.
I encourage everyone to step out of their comfort zone and take action. Even small gestures can mean a great deal to another person, perhaps more than you realise. And who knows – that small act of kindness could spark a #believeinyourself moment for that person.