Collaboration platforms

Lively culture of innovation

To facilitate faster implementation of ideas and improvements, Swiss Post provides collaboration platforms for its 60,000 employees, exemplifying the principle of “together, we can do it better.” Here's how it works: if an employee has a business idea, they can record it in the CO-STAR Creator web application and invite selected colleagues to contribute. People work on the idea whenever they have time and wherever they are, and share ideas with each other. Promising projects are passed on to the next stage of the innovation process. Since 2009, over 80 new ideas at this stage in the process were reviewed, and around 25 percent were put into practice. With the “Postidea-Kampagne” web application, line managers and project managers direct questions at employees they feel may have valuable input.

Both collaboration platforms bring employees together, promoting a sense of togetherness across units, irrespective of hierarchy. “This has lent our culture of innovation added momentum. The quality of the ideas submitted has improved and the pace of implementation has increased tremendously”, points out Pierre-Yves Caboussat, Head of Innovation Management. Swiss Post promotes innovation with a budget of 1.5 per thousand of the Group's expected turnover per year. All of the tools in the innovation management system have been well received: in 2013, staff submitted a total of 2,500 ideas, projects and innovations.

Swiss Post also encourages team spirit offline. With modern work spaces, it offers places for networking and creativity. Inspiring meeting and interaction zones, for instance, facilitate dialogue and the sharing of knowledge. These innovative approaches to interior design are being tested by Swiss Post in a range of pilot projects. The findings will be incorporated into the future headquarters.