Chemnitz gives its employees a voice

The city of Chemnitz is the first major city in Germany to successfully introduce an employee app, thus honouring its title of "City of Modernity". All employees can download the employee app onto their own smartphone and find all relevant information for their day-to-day work as well as the latest news from the city administration.

They can also use the app to communicate with each other via chat, share pictures on the online pinboard and comment on them. The City of Chemnitz employee app is called "SVC2go".

The initiative to digitalise internal communication arose from the desire of the city leadership to provide all employees with up-to-date and relevant information. As an employer, the city is also interested in the feedback and comments of its employees. The usage figures prove that this is met with enthusiasm by employees: Since the app was launched at the end of August 2019, around 1,500 people have already registered. This means that around a third of the city's employees can be reached reliably - from nursery school teachers and office staff to firefighters, everyone is included.

This communication platform is particularly important for those employees who do not work at a computer workstation. Another aim of the app is to inform employees about current topics before or at the latest at the same time as the press.

"We want to reach all employees with the app, from our young trainees to our long-serving team members. With the SVC2go app, our employees have modern access to all city topics, which is very well received by many," reports Barbara Ludwig, Mayor of the City of Chemnitz. "We are delighted that the app is being used by employees in so many different ways. I think it's wonderful that this idea, which we had together, has been realised so quickly."

The software for the app comes from Chemnitz-based start-up Staffbase, which was founded in 2014 and has since established itself as the market leader in the field of employee apps.

CEO and founder Martin Böhringer explains: "The digital transformation has fundamentally changed people's expectations in this country. They expect fast information and easy-to-use platforms - whether it's for calling a taxi, a delivery service or a daily news overview. And this expectation applies not only in private life, but also at work. Staffbase ensures that people also benefit from the many advantages of apps at work. We call this an optimal 'employee experience', i.e. the focus is on the well-being of employees." The multi-award-winning employee app platform Staffbase recently secured capital totalling 20 million euros from a renowned US investor in a financing round.

The Mayor for Human Resources, Sven Schulze, emphasises why it was so important for the city to implement the idea for an app within a very short time: "With the employee app, we can not only disseminate news quickly and directly among employees, but also offer our employees the opportunity to network with each other and express their opinions. This was previously not possible with our traditional internal communication measures. This dialogue option has been well received and has already led to some interesting discussions."

The newsfeed, chat function and event information are particularly popular with employees. René Kraus, Head of the Chemnitz Fire Department: "Our firefighters are on the road a lot, the app offers opportunities for mobile networking within the team and is a great information platform."

There is also a public area in the SVC2go app. This means that anyone can download the app to their own smartphone and read it. Among other things, you can find information about the bid to become European Capital of Culture 2025, job vacancies and other news about Chemnitz. The SVC2go app can be used on various devices such as smartphones, tablets and as a web version, so it can be adapted to the needs of different users.

About the city of Chemnitz

As a modern industrial city, Chemnitz can look back on an impressive past. Today, it is one of the fastest-growing cities in Germany and a candidate for the European Capital of Culture 2025. With its 250,000 inhabitants, it is the third-largest city in Saxony and a technology centre with a focus on the automotive and supplier industry, information technology and mechanical and plant engineering. With the Technical University, many research institutions such as the Fraunhofer Institutes and a successful SME sector, Chemnitz has the best prerequisites for an economic success story. Tradition and modernity are also reflected in exciting urban contrasts. Unique examples of Bauhaus and New Objectivity or the Kaßberg, one of the largest contiguous Gründerzeit districts in Europe, delight architecture fans, as does Chemnitz city centre, which has been redesigned over the past 20 years by internationally renowned architects such as Helmut Jahn, Hans Kollhoff and Christoph Ingenhoven. More information at chemnitz.de.

About Staffbase

Staffbase is the world's leading provider of apps for improving employee communication in large and international companies. The mobile channel of an app allows employers to reach their employees worldwide in a secure way - whether in the office, on the shop floor or on the road. The app gives employees better access to company information and tools for the digital workplace, including existing intranets. Headquartered in Chemnitz and with offices in New York, Amsterdam, London, Munich, Dresden and Cologne, Staffbase enables internal communication that reaches all employees. This is confirmed by more than 350 customers worldwide - including DHL, T-Systems, Viessmann, Adidas, Paulaner, Siemens and Audi. More information at staffbase.com.

Press contacts

City of Chemnitz
Matthias Nowak, Press Spokesman
E-mail: matthias.nowak(at)stadt-chemnitz.de

Staffbase GmbH
Dr Juliane Kiesenbauer, Head of Marketing & Communication DACH
E-mail: juliane(at)staffbase.com