Digitalisation and the increasing flexibility of the world of work have led to profound changes in recent years. Employees no longer need to come into the office every day and can work just as effectively from home or on the move.

These developments have also fundamentally changed the requirements for offices and working environments. Flexible, collaborative and inspiring office concepts are required to meet the needs of employees and promote their health and productivity.

After 14 successful years with our tried and tested office concept, the management team decided to make some changes to the working environment at Draiflessen. Especially after the period of the Corona pandemic, the decision was made to maintain mobile working and to equip Draiflessen with flexible workspaces.

Today’s office furniture is not only aesthetically pleasing, but also mobile and multifunctional. The need for new furniture arose mainly because the very beautiful but also very large desks could not provide enough workspaces. These became necessary when our subsidiary Mettingen Grundbesitz GmbH & Co. oHG moved into the Draiflessen site. New furniture has been used to create new spaces with trendy colours and thoughtful design. The decommissioned furniture, which no longer found a home, was offered to the Mettingen houses for further use.

The office refurbishment was planned and designed in collaboration with Münster’s long-established company “Projekt K”. New height-adjustable desks with power sockets for laptops and office chairs that can be adjusted to suit different users were chosen. As well as providing a pleasant working light, the built-in motion sensors ensure that the lights switch on and off automatically. The furniture design features a fresh and modern colour scheme, motivating employees to choose one of the inspiring workspaces.

Workspaces are organised in advance using the iotspot app, an intelligent workplace platform that supports hybrid working. This was provided by IT specialist Thomas Wendlinger. This gives people the freedom to decide when, where and with whom they want to work in a room. The positive feedback from employees shows that the concept has been well received. A dynamic working environment and contact with other team members encourages creativity and a sense of community.

Qualified employees are a scarce and sought-after commodity these days. In order to succeed, the traditional methods are no longer enough. Successfully recruiting the right candidates therefore requires a new perspective and new skills. In addition to traditional channels, e-recruiting is becoming increasingly important. But personal commitment remains important for Draiflessen. Here are two of the pillars of our recruitment strategy.

ETO PROFILING

As part of its human resources strategy and development, Draiflessen aims to find suitable employees and retain them for the long term, especially in view of the current shortage of skilled labour. In order to successfully meet these challenges, a strategic partnership with eto Personalmarketing GmbH from Bremen was established in April 2023. They are distinguished by their ability to combine proven HR and recruitment methods with innovative approaches, always with the aim of acting in a contemporary and targeted manner.

The main focus of our process was to optimise Draiflessen’s positioning in the labour market so it is perceived as an attractive employer and to target potential candidates. We have learned that it is important to have a profile of the ideal candidate.

During the partnership, internal and external activities were analysed to identify areas for improvement. Discussions with employees provided a realistic assessment of the current situation and formed the basis for appropriate measures for future recruitment.

The job advertisements developed in collaboration with eto are always targeted and placed according to the type of person we are looking for. The professionalisation of the recruitment process led to an increase in the number of qualified applications. Draiflessen has thus taken a big step towards efficient and targeted recruitment.

Technology

Innovations for a modern Draiflessen

Brighter light, less energy
Lighting renovation

Conventional lighting systems consume too much energy and drive up electricity costs. In addition, they often do not meet current standards, require extensive cleaning and maintenance, and often provide only moderate lighting levels. Our technology team undertook a major lighting upgrade in 2022.
These efforts continued in 2023 with the implementation of three more major projects. The new lighting was designed, installed and, where necessary, programmed in-house.

Upgrading of lighting in seminar rooms and lounge

Step 1 was to replace fluorescent lighting with modern LED technology. Not only does this use significantly less energy, but the
bulbs previously used are no longer approved in Germany. The lighting inserts were custom-made by a specialist lighting manufacturer. This allowed the upgrade to be carried out without replacing the existing recessed ceiling lighting tracks. While this may seem costly at first, it ultimately results in significant cost savings and also contributes to sustainability. The use of advanced DALI dimming technology now allows flexible dimming of individual lights as well as entire lighting strips. These advanced technologies result in overall energy savings of around 40%, contributing to more efficient use.

Refurbishment of the lighting in the technology centre and chair storage area on the

In this area, around 90 existing fluorescent lamps were replaced with modern and energy-efficient LED lights. This measure was not only necessary because of the ban on fluorescent lamps, but also resulted in energy savings of around 30% while increasing lighting levels.

U1 corridor lighting refurbishment

40 existing recessed downlights (using compact fluorescent lamps) were also replaced with new modern LED downlights, reducing energy consumption from 60W to 30W per light. At the same time, the busy corridor is now more evenly and brightly lit. The newly installed lighting is characterised by its dimming function, which makes it possible to enjoy more comfort and flexibility at events.

In summary, this strategic investment in the modernisation of our lighting infrastructure has positioned us at the forefront of environmental sustainability and efficiency. We are proud to have been able to contribute to sustainability and cost efficiency through self-implementation and innovative technology.
It encourages us to look to the future with confidence and to continue our commitment to advanced, sustainable technologies.

Monumental

Installation of a work of art in the park

The work carried out by the technology team to install THE MIRROR OF PEACE in the Draiflessen park has been monumental in every sense of the word. Dutch artist Renee van Bavel’s installation was presented in collaboration with the Draiflessen Collection at the Arte 2022 Biennale in Venice. The viewer looks into the mirror and is confronted with the message: “This is what people living in peace look like”. Thus, THE MIRROR OF PEACE conveys the insight that living in peace is not a given and that we must act consciously to maintain peace.

Introducing the operational team

Verena Alkemeier

Since 2017, Verena Alkemeier has been working part-time as head of operations management at Draiflessen. To ensure that everything runs smoothly, she is responsible for planning, coordinating and organising various internal and external building management processes. She also co-ordinates building work and claims with our Head of Technology. In her spare time, she enjoys travelling with her husband and three children, doing Pilates or jogging in the woods. She is also active in the children’s gymnastics club, entertaining children of all ages.

Christa Baune

has been working part-time as an operations assistant in the Draiflessen team since February 2020. As part of her role, she is responsible for handling orders and invoices.

She has lived in Mettingen for 35 years, has two grown-up children and a granddaughter whom she often looks after at weekends – much to her delight. In her spare time she enjoys cycling with her husband. She is also involved in ecumenical work as a volunteer in the Protestant community.

Caroline Hertel

has been part of the Draiflessen team for eight years. As well as managing the housekeeping of our guest house, she is also responsible for purchasing and managing the museum shop. Since the beginning of 2023, she has also taken on various operational roles.

In her spare time, she enjoys gardening, cooking with her family and staying fit at the gym whenever possible. Live music, reading and theatre are also among her interests.

Events

A record year for Draiflessen Conference

… and another new record for the Draiflessen Conference: Never before have there been so many events and guests at Draiflessen. The events team, along with colleagues from the technology team, service and the kitchen, have risen to the challenge, especially in view of a vacancy. We are proud of 215 event days with 186 events and a total of 5,219 guests. We are delighted with the positive feedback from our guests and take it as motivation for everything to come.

Events Internal

The events area has organised a total of four Open Days and B-Meetings, during which the team closely coordinated and cooperated with the Mettingen houses this time. In 2023, the committee members only met virtually in January, with all other meetings taking place at our Draiflessen location: the OV & Conferentie Dagen in April, June and November, and the B-meeting also in November.

One of the biggest challenges, but also one of the highlights of the 2023 event year, was the Aspirants  Weekend. A very unusual set-up was required, with challenging changes to be made within a tight timeframe. Everyone worked hand in hand to ensure that the wishes of the Family Human Resources Office were fully met. But this time it wasn’t all work and no play: The disco in the foyer with drinks and a DJ was a big hit. All the catering for the event was prepared in the Draiflessen kitchen.

The Family Human Resources Office (FHR) Amsterdam, which organises training and development programmes for young family members, has been restructured. Therefore, there was a desire to meet and discuss cooperation with Draiflessen.
A kick-off event was held in Draiflessen in November. Here, the teams were able to introduce themselves, get to know each other and explore the many event opportunities the house has to offer.

EVENTS in the MUSEUM FOYER and the museum café

Several events took place in the museum’s café and foyer. External guests enjoyed the exhibition previews, and in-house after-work parties were held in the foyer. A minor refurbishment has made the museum café even more welcoming: Red sofas from the Draiflessen product line invite you to linger – and make coffee and home made cake taste even better.

For the first time, the opening of the “Threads” exhibition was entirely in-house, with all catering provided by Draiflessen.

The events team organised over 30 events and the supporting programme for THE STATE OF THINGS exhibition. These included lectures, workshops and guided tours. But there was also a lot of renovation work to be done. The engineers pulled off an amazing feat by moving the entire museum café into the exhibition area. The highlight of the exhibition was an after-work party. Uniquely, it was a party for both invited guests and staff. About 70 people joined the party in the exhibition area.

The Draiflessen Coffee Meetings have made a name for themselves and are becoming increasingly popular. Numerous arrangements were booked, including large groups of over 40 people, often on days when other events were taking place – a great challenge for the kitchen, which rose to the occasion. Again, our student helpers have been wonderful.

EVENTS FOR EXTERNAL CLIENTS

For the first time, the Mettingen ophthalmic practice held a training day with a special supporting programme at Draiflessen. All participants were so enthusiastic that they immediately booked again for 2024.

We were delighted to welcome the Coppenrath & Wiese confectionery from our very own neighbourhood for the first time. They ran a management workshop followed by a museum visit at Draiflessen. It seemed to be a success, as the new event offer was taken up readily.

In October, the District of Steinfurt presented the district yearbook 2024 at Draiflessen. A special honour: The two communications officers from Conference and Collection have published an article about Draiflessen. The event involved seating 160 guests at tables and organising a musical programme. Everything went very well, and the participants were delighted with the success of the event. Particularly noteworthy is the voluntary support provided by members of local heritage clubs during the event, from cloakroom service to the preparation of Weggen with butter and cheese.

There was a very special format in November. At the invitation of the family, the event “At home with the Brenninkmeijers” took place. This was the first time that external guests had stayed at Draiflessen as part of an event, and close cooperation was maintained with the Mettingen houses network and the guest house. In addition to workshops and lectures, a tour of Mettingen was organised. The Svevia Trombone Quartet provided the musical programme for the evening, which was well received by the audience. The perfect mix of business and music proved its worth. Our team was responsible not only for catering and service, but also for organising the entire travel management.

Finally, C&A Extended Leadership held its Team Day with around 70 guests at Draiflessen. The conference took place in Hall 1 with various setups, and after work the party continued in the foyer, where a DJ and a fantastic live saxophonist created a great atmosphere. And once again, our head chef Martin Laubrock and his hardworking helpers pampered everyone with full catering, including a grab-and-go dinner with healthy and tasty snacks for the bus ride home.

MEETMUSIC CONCERTS

Last year’s meetMUSIC concerts were once again a successful blend of tradition and innovation, reflecting the diversity of our cultural offering. A wide range of musical performances were on offer, from classical to contemporary. The growing number of visitors shows that our world of music is attracting more and more fans. A little respite for the heart and soul at Draiflessen.

The basis for a successful concert is that the artists feel comfortable at Draiflessen. As a result, the artists’ dressing rooms have been freshened up. They now feature the fresh, vibrant meetMUSIC Open Air design. A wrap with the charming characters on the walls of the changing rooms creates a feel-good atmosphere.

MARCH

Subtle, soulful and deeply relaxing
Joel Lyssarides Trio from Sweden

The damp, cold, snowy weather that accompanied the journey to the meetMUSIC concert on 9 March was forgotten the moment the Joel Lyssarides Trio played the first notes. Joel Lyssarides on piano, bassist Niklas Fernqvist and drummer Rasmus Blixt captivated the audience of around 200 from the very first moment. At first with astonishment, then with growing enthusiasm, the audience perceived the exquisite sense of timbre, subtle harmonies and vivid phrasing in the playing of the three Swedish musicians, who were in constant dialogue with each other throughout the nearly two-hour concert. Together the trio moved through space and time, subtly, soulfully, totally laid-back and relaxed. The ease of their performance and their willingness to communicate with the audience quickly transferred to the auditorium, creating an atmosphere of warmth and togetherness.

Confident, intense and with deep conviction, the artists performed at their first gig in Germany. Remarkable were the different moods of the compositions, sometimes wild and unleashed, sometimes gentle and quiet, and often changing quickly. The endings of the pieces were particularly noteworthy: no grand finale, but always quiet and restrained, which the audience acknowledged with smiles and sighs of relief. A standing ovation marked the end of an evening that made both audience and performers happy. Even those who weren’t avid jazz fans left in high spirits. The three Swedes were deeply moved by the unforgettable welcome they received in Germany.

April

Easter Monday festivities Concert by the Svevia Trombone Quartet in St. Agath

For the second time, the Svevia Posaunenquartett was a guest at meetMUSIC. The four musicians were members of the Stuttgart trombone class, the “Stuttgart Trombone Consort, SPC”. In the solemn atmosphere of the parish church, the audience listened rapturously to highly professional trombone playing, with youthful fire and musical curiosity.

The young ensemble performed works from the Renaissance to the present day, giving an impressive and atmospheric demonstration of the trombone’s wide range of musical expression. The audience was treated to an enthralling performance that impressively demonstrated the quartet’s artistic maturity and dedication to music.

JUNE

Big painting event in Mettingen
Children from Mettingen design the poster for the family concert at the meetMUSIC Open Air

It wasn’t really a concert, but a wonderful preparation for the open air: meetMUSIC had called for a big painting event in Mettingen’s kindergartens and primary schools. Under the motto “Oops, Chief Elf Gisela has run out of paint! – Please help her!” we invited children to design the poster for our family concert “A Midsummer Night’s Little Dream” on 20 August.

The response overwhelmed the event team, with more than 130 children taking part and creating beautiful pictures. As a result, the multi-member judging panel had a hard time choosing the winners – the drawings were all undoubtedly winners in the hearts of the judges.

First prize went to 7-year-old Amelia from the Paul-Gerhardt School in Mettingen, and we also awarded prizes for 2nd to 10th place. Amelia’s poster became our official promotional poster, but we also displayed all the pictures submitted as part of this musical story in the Draiflessen park for our guests to see. The winners received free tickets and proudly presented their work to their families in the open air.

AUGUST

meetMUSIC open air festival A feast for the eyes and ears, and taste buds

In seven concerts, 19 incredible artists enchanted around 600 guests over three days in August! A new record at the 2023 meetMUSIC Open Air. For the third time, the Draiflessen Conference team and the two musical directors, Katharina and  Anouchka Hack, have put together a varied musical programme. There were performances by cello and piano, trumpet and guitar, jazz, drums, an experimental crossover quartet and dance. With irresistible charm and great wit, host Malte Arkona led the guests through the days, engaging them and even making some of the artists laugh.

Anouchka & Katharina Hack’s programme “Dancing Duo” performed musical pirouettes, swayed in waltz time and stomped their feet. With cello and piano as dance partners, the artists told stories of dances from around the world, old folk tunes and the Argentinean soul. A new and fascinating dimension was added when internationally renowned dancer Kat Nakui joined the group to interpret the music in her own style. A beautiful performance, once again accompanied by delicacies from our chef Martin Laubrock.
On Saturday afternoon, the young French artists Lucienne Renaudin Vary (trumpet) and Raphaël Feuillâtre (concert guitar) enchanted the audience under the title “Classical meets Jazz”. In the evening, the band UWAGA! set off fireworks on stage. The quartet, consisting of a virtuoso classical violinist with a love of Eastern European music, a jazz violinist with punk rock experience, a masterful improvising accordionist with Balkan sounds in his veins and a bassist who is at home in symphony orchestras, jazz combos and funk bands, grooved through classical repertoire with great experimental enthusiasm.

Funky, melodic, exhilarating – Sunday brought The Jakob Manz Project. The four excellent musicians allowed their audience to experience both the depths of modern groove and soul music as well as the magical and tranquil flow of contemporary jazz. A direct and clear sound, rich dynamics and emotional depth are the outstanding aspects of their music. The meetMUSIC jazz community thanked them with a standing ovation.
At the family concert on Sunday afternoon, the children made themselves comfortable on large cushions with ice cream and pretzels.

Fascinated, they listened to the humorous narration of “A Midsummer Night’s Little Dream” by and with Anna-Maria and Malte Arkona, accompanied by the Glemser piano duo. But the guests were invited to dance again and again, so young and old never stayed seated for long.

The stage was also once again graced by two incredibly talented and charming young men who had won first prizes in the national “Jugend musiziert” competition: Jan Hauf in the drumset pop category and Gabriel Husson in the piano category. In keeping with tradition, Draiflessen has once again awarded these special prizes to the two national winners of age group V. Not only the audience but also the meetMUSIC team were enchanted.

Once again, the beautiful Draiflessen park captivated everyone, not only the guests, but also the artists and not least the event team – the participants merged into one big, happy unit. A few raindrops on Saturday afternoon couldn’t change that. Tall trees, comfortable chairs at the tables, cool drinks and small snacks invited everyone to listen, watch, taste and chat with their table neighbours. An impressive stage and, above all, highly professional sound and lighting – especially in the evening hours – created a setting that delighted everyone – a “successful total work of art”, as the press put it.

November

What a concert | what a pianist | what an orchestra!

Around 400 people enjoyed a great evening in the great hall of Draiflessen on 4 November. World-famous pianist Iiro Rantala performed a virtuoso concert with the Münster Symphony Orchestra, bringing the audience to their feet with applause.

Sixty musicians, a pianist and conductor Henning Ehlert enchanted the audience with Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 21 in C major, original compositions by Iiro Rantala and works by Finnish composer Jean Sibelius. Sometimes with a touch of melancholy, but always full of joie de vivre and sprinkled with humour, they allowed all those present to immerse themselves in another world for almost three hours. meetMUSIC would like to thank Münsterland e.V. and feels honoured to have been able to host this special concert as part of the Münsterland Festival 2023.

This is Iiro Rantala’s third visit to meetMUSIC and Draiflessen – and certainly not his last. We look forward to seeing him again.

DEcEMBER

Advent at Draiflessen
An extraordinary experience with Sky du Mont & Mirror Strings at “In the Mirror” (“Im Spiegel”)

The Advent season in Draiflessen shone in a very special light this time, as meetMUSIC was delighted to welcome Sky du Mont and the Mirror Strings for the adapted Christmas-themed programme “In the Mirror”. Contemporary music and literature came together in this unique performance.
Together, the five artists presented the diversity of the 21st century. Sky du Mont read amusing texts in his inimitable way,  accompanied virtuously by guitars and cellos that combined classical chamber music with pop, rock and minimal elements. Under the programmatic title “In the Mirror”, musical emotions were reflected in prose, and soulful words seemed to resonate in sound. Over 350 enthusiastic guests, young and old, enjoyed a magical evening.

Not everyone has this: Lift and aerial work platform licence

Health and safety measures are always high on Draiflessen’s agenda. In 2023, the focus was on the correct operation of lifts and aerial work platforms, a task that carries an enormous responsibility for the safety of all involved. Due to their high hazard potential, these technical tools are some of the most demanding in our technology team’s working environment.

Persons performing this activity must have not only the necessary practical skills, but also a solid background knowledge of how they work, as well as the basic knowledge required by law. Special attention is paid to the rules of the professional association. In this context, operator instruction and training on the platforms is required. On successful completion of the course, participants are awarded a licence which must be renewed annually.

A special course was therefore organised at Draiflessen in September. The participants were trained and tested by an experienced course instructor for occupational and fire safety from Dirksmeyer in Ibbenbüren. Congratulations, you have all successfully completed this course and are now proud holders of your lift and aerial work platform licence! This makes the team much more independent of external service providers when it comes to carrying out work at Draiflessen, especially in the exhibition area.

BetrSichV (Ordinance on Industrial Safety and Health), DIN VDE 0105-100 (Standard for the safe operation of electrical installations) and DGUV (German Statutory Health Insurance) = Annual training for

As part of our operational responsibility under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, BetrSichV, DIN VDE 0105-100 and
DGUV Regulation 1, colleagues from the technology team also attended the annual training course for electrical specialists last year. This obligation applies to all persons working in the field of electrical engineering and must be supervised by a responsible electrical engineer (VEFK).

The central aim of electrical training is to identify electrical hazards at an early stage. This is to prevent potentially life-threatening electrical accidents such as electric shock or arc flash. A comprehensive understanding of the safety aspects of working with electricity is essential to ensure the highest level of occupational safety.

We are pleased that our colleagues Johannes Büscher, Manuel Papke and Philip Tospann have successfully completed the
electrical training.

Fire safety

In October, Benedikt Meyer, Draiflessen’s fire safety officer, attended a further education course at the DEKRA Academy.

Successful team building

Workshops and Christmas party in Münster

The 7th of December was another day for and with the whole Draiflessen team. With great anticipation, almost the entire staff accepted the invitation to the stylish Factory Hotel in Münster. The day included workshops on personality recognition and teambuilding activities, once again organised by the Dr. A. Kitzmann Management Institute. This event was a follow-up to the Team Day held in October 2021. Dr Patricia Hagedorn again took on the role of facilitator.

The aim of the institute is to provide employees with key teamworking skills in a practical way. The underlying philosophy emphasises that human skills are of central importance even in performance-oriented and competitive situations, which is also the focus of Draiflessen’s human resources policy.

Participants were divided into five teams. In five playful exercises, the focus was on getting to know colleagues better, tackling team tasks together and developing solutions. On a broader level, there was a discussion about the mission of our team, why our team exists in the first place and what goals we are working towards. Of course, strengths and weaknesses became apparent in the process. The aim was to identify values and rules and set clear objectives. “Personality in Action”, “Team Charter”, “Tangram”, “Future Design with Lego” and “Warp Conference/Speed Dating” exercises enabled all participants to learn a lot with great commitment and fun. The Team Day was a successful and motivating event that not only strengthened the team spirit, but also developed the individual skills of the employees. Draiflessen’s management supported the activities by supervising some of the workshops.

The Christmas party was the highlight of the evening. In true Draiflessen style, the festivities took place in the impressive premises of Café Grisu in the Old Fire Station in Münster. After an emotional and motivating review of the year and a forecast by Martin Rudolf Brenninkmeijer, the anniversary was once again honoured. Alongside delicious food and refreshing drinks, DJ Peter kept the party going and the dance floor full – typical of the Draiflessen team.

A special highlight was the impromptu short concert given by a waiter who got his accompanist from the university library. After a few songs, the programme ended by collectively singing the Christmas song “Feliz Navidad”. The successful performance was rewarded with enthusiastic applause from the audience.

 After a more or less long night’s sleep and a hearty breakfast, it was back to Mettingen by bus in an environmentally friendly way. The take-away from the day was: Once again it was wonderful to spend time together!

10 years of Draiflessen

Congratulations to those of us celebrating an important anniversary: Friederike Menschel has worked for Draiflessen for ten years as a fully qualified lawyer. Initially, she was a member of Dr Renate Büsselberg’s “Carlsplatz Team”. Since July 2018, she has been advising the management teams of the two Draiflessen companies on all labour law matters, as well as issues from adjacent areas of law such as occupational safety, data protection and social security law. She is also responsible for the management and leadership of the Mettingen guest houses in these areas.

About us

The team