“We don’t just invest in technology – we invest in our people.”
Interview with Sandra Schengen from Spuerkeess
Sandra, Spuerkeess is known for stability and tradition. At the same time, you focus heavily on innovation in your HR strategy. What was the reason for rethinking the topic of internal mobility?
Sandra: Spuerkeess has always successfully adapted to changing market conditions. However, in today’s working world, it is not just a question of adapting, but of actively helping to shape things. The impulse came from the realization that our greatest potential lies in the people who already work for us. If we help them to develop further and explore new paths within the organization, we not only strengthen employee loyalty, but also the innovative strength of the entire bank.
You have decided to work with Zortify. What convinced you to integrate this particular technology into your HR processes?
It was important to us that any technological solution reflected our values: human, ethical and future-oriented. Zortify convinced us with an approach that combines personality diagnostics with scientific depth and ethical AI. It’s not about automating decisions, but about empowering people to understand themselves better – and to develop career prospects that suit them.
You once said that your aim is to shape internal mobility as a “culture” and not just as a “process”. What exactly do you mean by that?
A process is something you carry out. A culture is something you live. We wanted to do more than just publish internal job advertisements. We wanted our employees to develop the courage to try out new things, see themselves differently and perhaps discover unexpected talents. The job fair was a catalyst for this, Zortify a mirror. Together, a space was created in which development was possible – at eye level and with appreciation.
How has the combination of AI diagnostics and human interaction changed the role of your HR department?
Our HR department has become more visible, more strategic and stronger as a result of this project. It now acts not only as an administrator of resources, but also as a partner at eye level – for executives, for talent and for management. The use of technology in combination with our human-centered mindset has given it new weight. You could say that HR has become an enabler of transformation for us.
You are now also using Zortify in other areas. How is this changing your HR practices?
Zortify provides us with new perspectives in the selection of talent, in high-performance teaming, and in leadership development. The objectivity of the data helps us to make better, more holistic decisions. And it helps our employees to think about themselves in coaching sessions or development meetings – in depth, not just on the surface.
Many companies are discussing the use of AI these days. What advice do you have for other managers when dealing with this topic, especially in the HR context?
My advice would be: don’t see AI as a trend, but as a tool. And don’t use it to replace people, but to strengthen them. The technological solution must fit your corporate culture, not the other way round. At Spuerkeess, technology is a means to enable more humanity and individuality, not less.
What surprised or impressed you most in this project?
The openness of our employees. Many of them took the opportunity to reflect with great curiosity. They showed the courage to think about new roles and develop themselves further. This has shown me once again: If we trust our people and have confidence in them, they grow beyond themselves. And that is exactly what a future-proof organization needs.
How Spuerkeess is rethinking the role of HR in banking
Putting people at the center with AI
With a bold, technology-supported approach to internal mobility and people development, the bank Spuerkeess is setting new standards in employee retention. At the heart of this is an HR initiative that has not only changed processes, but also created a new culture.
“Our vision was clear: internal mobility should not just be an administrative act, but a living part of our corporate culture,” says Sandra Schengen, Head of HR & People Management at Spuerkeess, describing the motivation behind the project. The aim was not only to give employees transparency about open roles. But also to show them real development opportunities regardless of their current position.
A first milestone on this path was the bank’s internal job fair launched in 2024; over 250 employees, 25 participating departments and more than 30 workshops turned the event into a lively marketplace for exchange, inspiration and perspectives.
Linking existing potential and roles with the help of AI
A central element of the project: employees were able to use AI-supported personality diagnostics to gain new insights into their individual personality traits and corresponding skills. Characteristics such as resilience, agility, self-efficacy and entrepreneurial thinking were made visible, not as an assessment but as an invitation to reflect. Many participants took the opportunity to compare the results specifically with career paths within the bank. Employees found the combination of technological precision and an open and engaging exchange to be particularly valuable.
The new strong role of HR
However, the initiative not only had an impact on employees. It also strengthened the HR department itself. It is now more visible, strategic and modern than ever before. The systematic integration of AI has enabled HR to position itself as a partner at eye level for managers and employees.
From trade fair to approach
What began as a one-off event has become the starting point for a broader change. Today, Spuerkeess uses AI-based personality diagnostics in key areas: in the selection of new talent, in leadership development and in coaching. What is important here is that the technology is used responsibly and in line with the bank’s values. That is: data protection-compliant, ISO-certified and EU-hosted.
Technology that serves employees
What Spuerkeess is showing with this initiative can also serve as inspiration for others. It’s not about digitalization and AI for its own sake. It’s about using the right tools and the right attitude to create a more human, appreciative working environment in which people can make the most of their personalities and skills. “When we give our employees the right tools, they not only discover new roles, they also discover themselves. And that’s where the real potential of our time lies,” says Sandra Schengen.
What companies would never learn about their employees without AI
What really motivates employees? – This question is more relevant today than ever, especially in industries such as consulting and financial services, which rely on trust, expertise and personal relationships and are also under high pressure to innovate.
73% of all talents are ready to make a move – but only if you do!
The shortage of skilled workers is reaching new record levels: according to a study by ManpowerGroup, 86% of German companies are struggling to find talent. When promising candidates suddenly drop out or are lured away by counter-offers, it’s not only frustrating but also expensive. Unfortunately, this is exactly what often happens
Personality vs. hard skills
Why companies often make the wrong decisions despite knowing better?
A new study of 110 HR experts clearly shows that the majority of companies are aware of the importance of personality and soft skills in recruiting. Many HR professionals are also aware of their own shortcomings when it comes to finding the right talent for the right positions.
What companies would never learn about their employees without AI
What really motivates employees? – This question is more relevant today than ever, especially in industries such as consulting and financial services, which rely on trust, expertise and personal relationships and are also under high pressure to innovate. Traditional employee surveys often only provide superficial answers. A study from the manufacturing industry clearly shows how companies can use AI-based Natural Language Processing (NLP) technology to delve deep into the actual experience of their employees – and gain concrete ideas for action.
The study: 40,000 open answers, intelligently analyzed
In a large-scale study, Zortify and Great Place to Work analyzed over 40,000 open-ended text responses from employees at industrial companies using NLP technology. Unlike multiple-choice questions, open answers allow an unbiased view of what is really important to employees. NLP makes these answers measurable, comparable and structurable in terms of content – e.g. via semantic cluster analyses.
The result:
Employees with low loyalty to the company speak significantly more often about poor leadership – even more often than about salary. Highly committed employees, on the other hand, mainly talk about team culture, appreciation and meaning.
The real game changer: experience as a management parameter
The key finding from the study:
“The employee experience must become the starting point and benchmark for all transformation activities.”
Marcus Heidbrink, Co-Founder and CEO of Zortify
With the help of AI, this experience can be systematically recorded and incorporated into decision-making processes for the first time. Companies can use an NLP tool to analyze tens of thousands of responses on the emotional state of employees and extract the most important topics, problems and moods from them. In terms of the diversity of opinions, this corresponds to the input from a large number of focus groups, the implementation of which would entail enormous costs.
Active listening with AI offers three key advantages, particularly in industries such as finance and services, which are experiencing major upheavals and a growing shortage of skilled workers:
1. Understanding instead of assuming
NLP tools not only recognize whether someone is dissatisfied, but why – in the employees’ own words. This enables differentiated, target group-oriented measures.
2. Culture as a lever for loyalty
The perception of values such as appreciation, innovation or tradition differs significantly between loyal employees and those who are willing to change jobs. Targeted action here strengthens emotional loyalty.
3. Shaping transformation effectively
The study highlights cultural factors such as participation, autonomy and communication quality as key retention factors. NLP technology helps to identify these in employees and turn them into strategic control variables – especially in hybrid, dynamic working environments.
Employee satisfaction in the financial sector: no reason to be complacent
At first glance, the financial sector performs well in recent studies when it comes to employee satisfaction – top 10 at kununu and at the top of the Pens Study 2024. The sector scored particularly well for corporate culture (4.26/5), working environment (4.22/5) and diversity (4.40/5). However, as is so often the case, first impressions can be deceptive. This is because the scores say nothing about increasing polarization within the sector:
- Job security in private banks is only 49% (vs. 70% in public sector institutions).
- Management deficits and work intensification are increasing despite rising salaries.
- Over 80 % of institutions report a shortage of skilled talent.
Conclusion
At a time when talent is more selective than ever and work pressure is increasing in many areas, it is no longer enough to conduct a survey once a year. If you want to retain your employees, you have to listen continuously. NLP technology makes this listening efficient, scalable and intelligent.
Employee retention starts with genuine participation – and AI provides the key.
You can download a detailed summary of the study from Zortify and Great Place to Work here.
73% of all talents are ready to make a move – but only if you do!
The shortage of skilled workers is reaching new record levels: according to a study by ManpowerGroup, 86% of German companies are struggling to find talent. When promising candidates suddenly drop out or are lured away by counter-offers, it’s not only frustrating but also expensive. Unfortunately, this is exactly what often happens
Personality vs. hard skills
Why companies often make the wrong decisions despite knowing better?
A new study of 110 HR experts clearly shows that the majority of companies are aware of the importance of personality and soft skills in recruiting. Many HR professionals are also aware of their own shortcomings when it comes to finding the right talent for the right positions.
Recruiting in transition: Why “Hire & Pray” is no longer enough
It is said that diamonds are only created under pressure. We wouldn’t agree with this saying when it comes to recruiting. Under pressure, our judgment suffers. Under pressure, suitable candidates are more easily overlooked or applicants are hired overhastily who later turn out not to be suitable. The cost of bad hires runs into the hundreds of thousands.
