00:00Daniel packs muesli at the HeHo factory in LĂĽneburg.
00:04Six years ago he was homeless and using drugs, but the muesli producer gave him a chance.
00:10The company deliberately hires people who otherwise struggle to find work.
00:15At first, Daniel doubted he would really make it at HeHo.
00:22I was afraid I'd fail, that oversleeping once or twice would get me fired.
00:29I didn't trust it at first and kept looking for the catch, but there wasn't one.
00:37At the muesli factory half the employees have life stories marked by setbacks, much like
00:42Daniel's.
00:43Founder Tim Dufner is pushing for a new company culture, one with more togetherness, more openness
00:48about personal struggles and more consideration for one another.
00:52People respond, well, Dufner gets applications every day, he wants his company to be a beacon.
01:02Our goal with HeHo was never to get rich, but at the core of what we do is proving that
01:09a different way of doing business can work, that we can build an economy that includes
01:15everyone.
01:19A core company belief at HeHo is that the strong support the vulnerable.
01:24Yvonne often takes on extra tasks, and even if it's tiring, this remains her favourite place
01:30to work.
01:30I've experienced bullying at other companies, and I never want to go through that again.
01:40I never want to go to work in fear.
01:44And here I know I'm in a protected space where I can simply be who I am.
01:51Many things at HeHo work differently, and yet they've still managed to break even.
01:56Their customers include major retail chains in Germany.
01:59To keep operations running smoothly, HeHo factors in each employee's resilience and abilities.
02:05As a result, working hours vary widely from person to person.
02:12We have a range of work time models.
02:15Some come twice a week for two hours, others work full time.
02:19Some prefer mornings, others afternoons.
02:21Work here adapts to what each employee can handle.
02:27For Daniel, this approach worked.
02:29Today he works eight-hour days.
02:32In the past, other employers let him go quickly, often because he was late, or sometimes didn't
02:38show up.
02:41With HeHo that changed.
02:43They take the time to sit with you and work through problems without fear or pressure.
02:46For the first time, I felt like I truly belonged, and that's powerful.
02:54HeHo's social approach is already inspiring others.
02:58Soon, Tim Dufner will launch a partner company to produce HeHo cookies with employees whose
03:03life stories are similar to Daniel's.
03:05Thank you, Himersa.
03:10You
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