With the help of the KICKBOX program, Swisscom’s Ayla Aberion and Krenare Jerlija are developing Meet the family – a way for families to connect in a society where isolation and social disconnectedness have become the new norm. After seeing multiple posts and comments on social networks, by parents who had either relocated within Switzerland or were new here and were looking to establish social connections for their kids, an idea was sparked. The duo set out to create an online platform that would help families form authentic relationships as they journey through similar phases of life and face a lot of the same challenges.
The KICKBOX program by rready has helped the two intrapreneurs along by offering a way in which to develop and conceptualise the idea further. Ayla, as a Startup Customer Consultant herself, and Krenare, a Sales Consultant, say that through the KICKBOX process, they have learnt to engage in design thinking practices and be challenged to think in a way that allows for more flexibility and channels creativity and open mindedness
Along the way, the main concept has been customized for company use. Ayla and Krenare are now working on creating a platform for Swisscom employees. The platform is meant to be an information hub and a contact point to support employees and their families as they navigate different phases and circumstances in their lives, as well as establish genuine connectedness between colleagues. It also highlights the role of Swisscom as a family-friendly employer and both Ayla and Krenare hope that this will set an example for other companies to follow.