Vienna/Berlin, April 23, 2018 – On Thursday evening, RHI Magnesita was awarded for its innovative employee app “MyRHIMagnesita” at the renowned Intra.NET Awards in Berlin. In the category “Best Collaborative Tool”, RHI Magnesita took second place.
Employee app as an important driver for open, collaborative corporate culture
The employee app of the world market leader in refractories was launched in October 2017 in time for the merger of RHI and Magnesita and plays a key role in the change process and in the cultural transformation of the company.
Stefan Rathausky, Senior Vice President Corporate Communications at RHI Magnesita, on the importance of the app: “Our employee app has become the central information and communication platform for our 14,000 employees worldwide. It promotes direct communication, openness, interaction and collaboration and is thus an essential driver for cultural change.”
Katharina Skarabela, Team Lead Digital & Online at RHI Magnesita, accepted the renowned award at the two-day Intra.NET conference in Berlin, one of the largest events for corporate communications and digital workplaces in Europe. “Our objective is for everyone from Brazil to Austria to China to know what is happening in the company. However, the app is not a one-way communication tool; everyone has the opportunity to share and exchange their successes and projects. Communication in a truly global company of our size must be dynamic and interactive. As the technology leader in our industry, with the employee app we also want to take a pioneering role in communication,” Skarabela describes the objectives of the employee app.
Positive response from employees
Another key benefit of the employee app: Around 60% of RHI Magnesita employees work in production and therefore have no access to the company’s intranet or e-mail system. “The app enables us to reach these employees quickly and digitally and to give them a voice,” Skarabela explains. On a voluntary basis, employees from production can download the app to their private smartphone and thus gain access to the company’s digital communication network.
Today, five months after the launch, more than 40 percent of the employees are registered in the app, 70 percent of them are active users, with an upward trend. In addition to Corporate News, the content of the app includes a CEO channel in which Stefan Borgas reports on his business trips, local channels for all locations as well as useful information such as menus of the local canteens, press reviews, fact sheets on the company, various brochures, forms for event registrations, feedback and important guidelines. The feedback from the employees is positive, especially at RHI Magnesita’s 35 main production sites, people are impressed by the new communication options. Based on this feedback from employees, further tools and channels are already being planned and developed.
About RHI Magnesita
RHI Magnesita is the global leading supplier of high-grade refractory products, systems and solutions which are indispensable for industrial high-temperature processes exceeding 1,200°C in a wide range of industries, including steel, cement, non-ferrous metals and glass. With a vertically integrated value chain, from raw materials to refractory products and full performance-based solutions, RHI Magnesita serves more than 10,000 customers in nearly all countries around the world. The Company has broad geographic diversification with more than 14,000 employees in 35 main production sites and more than 70 sales offices. RHI Magnesita intends to use its global leadership position in terms of revenue, greater scale, complementary product portfolio and diversified geographic presence around the world to target opportunistically those countries and regions benefitting from more dynamic economic growth prospects.
Its shares have a premium listing on the London Stock Exchange (symbol: RHIM) and are a constituent of the FTSE 250 index. For more information please visit: www.rhimagnesita.com
Enquiries:
RHI Magnesita N.V.
Stefan Rathausky, Senior VP Corporate Communications
Tel +43 50213-6059
E-mail: stefan.rathausky@rhimagnesita.com
