Potsdam, May 2022: Interlake is celebrating the company’s 25th anniversary and is taking this as an opportunity to celebrate the Interlake DNA.
Where we come from: the origin of the Interlake DNA
Interlake was created 25 years ago by founders Stefan Salzbrunn and Sven Slazenger. Since then, the company has grown tremendously and the focus lies on working together in a small team with the founders. As the company grew, so did the number of employees. However, there was still a desire to continue to have direct exchange among everyone.
In addition to the establishment of OKRs, active work on the corporate culture also began in 2019 – prior to the start of the pandemic. At that point in time, there was already a brand analysis from 2010 that had been drawn up together with all employees. It dealt with the brand essence of Interlake and provided the ideal launch pad for the Interlake DNA project.
In 2019 and 2020, the core values of Interlake were developed in various groups and formats. With the result being that Interlake cannot be pinned down to one or two terms, because we thrive off of our diversity and contrasts.
The Interlake DNA creates Identity
The timing has never been better. In 2020, at the start of the pandemic and working from home, we already had an active exchange about the Interlake value foundation. Since, we have built up and expanded it within the company and are using the 25th Interlake anniversary to carry our DNA to the outside world.
In times of remote work and few personal meetings, the cohesion is supported by our common understanding of “How we work together”. Fundamental values and our collective understanding of them help to build bridges and continue to help Interlake grow steadily.
Interlake elebrates 25 years and Gives an Insight to its DNA
Because of our diversity and differences, Interlake is lively. Even after 25 years, some days can feel like a start-up. Today we can proudly share our identity. However, it is not so easy to put these values into words. Maybe it is unnessecary, though, because actions that align with our values are what is essential. Nevertheless, we have based our Interlake values on the three pillars: head, heart, and soul.
Our heads allow us to be analytical and down-to-earth people.
The Interlake team uses their heads to be logical, organized and humble in the workplace. With every new idea we explore, we always use our practical, analytical sides. This helps us not to follow every trend and thus take the road less traveled when it comes to innovation. For our customers, it is essential that our heads are there. At a consultation, you can rely on us to figure out what our customer really needs.
The Interlake heart beats in partnership and collaboration.
Collegiality is not just important to us internally. The Interlake team helps and stands up for one another. Everyone is a valuable part of our team and we trust each others abilities. Even when we look outwards, we feel that our hearts are in it. We see ourselves as equals, both with our customers and our partners. We are not just service providers. We support the people we are in contact with. Our ideology “help others for self-help” contributes to this.
The Interlake soul – always searching to experiment with new things.
The Interlake team likes to think outside the box. There’s a lot to discover. And we like to experiment with new things – curious to try them out. However, we don’t just decide which trends to follow based on a gut instinct, we evaluate them realistically before we dive in. The Interlake soul is, thus, closely connected to the head. The conscious timelines that we set for ourselves when experimenting also contribute to staying realistic. They help us critically question trends, ideas and impulses.
Learn More about the Interlake Team
Our values as well as shared understanding of teamwork help us in our daily responsibilities and everyday lives. Would you like to find out more about the Interlake team and get to know the employees better? You can find more interviews here: https://interlake.net/unser-team/
