Human Resources 2025 – Further information

Is experience in psychological safety, diversity, or compliance required?
Because discrimination is an extremely sensitive issue, we expect a solution that specializes in psychological safety, diversity, and compliance.

What integration and connectivity requirements exist?
The reporting platform must be quick and easy for all employees to locate. Integration with everyday communication tools—such as MS Teams or MyHR—is therefore desirable. We welcome your insights on best practices for company‑wide roll‑out.

Which languages should be supported?
Although DB’s corporate language is German, our teams are now international. To ensure no information is lost to language barriers, we require a fully multilingual service.

Must employee anonymity be guaranteed?
Employees should have the option to report discrimination either anonymously or under their real identity.

Can we offer added value beyond a simple reporting system?
Absolutely. We’re looking for a solution that not only serves as a reporting channel but also supports education, prevention, and—where appropriate—analysis and reporting.

What must be demonstrated within 100 days?
We want to provide employees with a single hub for all things discrimination‑related. This hub should help employees help themselves (through education and awareness) and, when discrimination occurs, seamlessly direct them to the appropriate reporting channel.

Do all employees have a device?
Yes - every member of our field operations teams has access to a digital device (smartphone and/or tablet).

What currently prevents employees from using their mobile devices for work?

• For many operational staff, the smartphone is not an integral work tool; they mainly use it for private purposes.
• Corporate channels (e‑mail, Teams) are checked infrequently because device usage isn’t yet embedded in daily routines.
• High time and organizational pressures in day‑to‑day operations mean employees prioritize tasks that directly ensure operational continuity.
• There is also a cultural perception that “being on the phone” distracts from work.

As a result, critical corporate communications may reach mobile staff late—or not at all.

Which languages should be supported?
While DB’s corporate language is German, our teams are international. To prevent information loss due to language barriers, we require a multilingual service.

What must be demonstrated within 100 days?
For a limited user group, prove that mobile‑device usage increases. Show that employees recognize the added value of actively using their devices—and ideally that they’re not just satisfied but genuinely enthusiastic about the application.

What are the essential or absolutely necessary features?
By “knowledge transfer” we mean (1) documentation & digitalization of knowledge as the first and fundamental step, (2) verification as the second, and (3) dissemination of knowledge as the third and final step. We are seeking an end‑to‑end solution that covers all three areas.

What type of knowledge is involved here?
Much of our knowledge already exists in the form of process steps, guidelines, etc. Our focus, however, should be on tacit knowledge—experiential know‑how that currently resides only in our employees’ heads.

How frequently should knowledge be captured, verified, and made available?
Our goal is to build a kind of “DB memory.” We need a solution that strikes the sweet spot: prompting for and digitalizing knowledge as regularly as necessary, yet as efficiently as possible.

What must be demonstrated within 100 days?
Over the first 100 days, the focus will be on project‑management knowledge for major renovation projects. We want to show how each project can become smarter - and therefore better - than the last, how learnings are captured and codified, and how insights are passed on to subsequent teams and colleagues. Demonstrate that knowledge capture and sharing are not merely time‑consuming chores but value‑creating contributions to project success.

What survey data are we talking about?
DB conducts an employee survey every two years. The results are distributed to the respective managers, who vary widely in age, skill level, and leadership experience. We want to empower managers to derive improvement potentials and corresponding actions for both their teams and the wider organization.

What should be done with the survey data?
We need to support managers in translating survey results into concrete measures and tailored action plans.

Is this about leadership development?
Leadership development is certainly important—but here we seek a solution that goes beyond a pure learning platform, one that translates team‑level feedback into actionable guidance for managers.

What integrations are required?
Our surveys are run on Qualtrics. We’re therefore looking not to replace our survey tool, but to complement it. A user‑friendly interface for managers may, after a PoC, require an integration.

What must be demonstrated within 100 days?
Show that managers from diverse areas, teams, and experience levels can convert employee‑survey feedback into actionable plans.

For which topics should explanatory content be created?
We’ve rolled out a new survey tool. Currently, only a small group can create surveys. We want every team to be able to create and run their own surveys. The explainer content must show how to use the tool and set up a survey.

What types of explanatory content are desired?
We’re open to all suggestions—surprise us. Our current thinking leans toward easy‑to‑produce, AI‑assisted explainer videos.

Which features are absolute must‑haves?
Although DB’s corporate language is German, our teams are international. We need a tool that supports multilingual creation and consumption.

What must be demonstrated within 100 days?
Prove that explanatory content can be produced quickly and easily, and that it empowers employees to use our survey tool independently. Furthermore, demonstrate that your solution works for other use cases as well—for example, explaining collective‑bargaining agreements and policy changes.

Is on‑site presence required for the PoC?
You’re welcome to use our Berlin co‑working office during the 100 days, but it’s not mandatory. However, certain events do require presence in Berlin: the Selection Day in September, the Onboarding Week in October, and the Finals in February 2026.

What are the next steps and the start date for the 100‑day PoC?
You may apply for the HR Program 2025 until August 3. If your application is successful, we’ll invite you to our Selection Day on September 23 in Berlin. There, you’ll pitch to our expert jury—and they’ll decide on the spot who advances. The 100‑day PoC then runs from mid‑October 2025 through February 2026.