11.10.2024 Christin Müller 3325

A day of extremes: this was Health Day 2024

Yesterday, the third pme Health Day took place live from the pme Academy in Hamburg. The pme Health Day - a holistic experience of health - authentic, informative and entertaining right up to the last second.

This year, the first-class health event once again offered four hours of exciting entertainment via livestream. Health Day 2024 offered over 7,000 viewers valuable keynote speeches from top-class speakers, interviews and small hands-on sessions.

That was Health Day 2024

After a warm welcome from moderator Jessica Mina-Knopp , Alexa Ahmad, CEO of the pme Familienservice Group, first addressed her short keynote "Why is the caring company the future?" to the HR managers in the audience. Everyone now has benefits, and now it is important to look after people in all situations.

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pme CEO Alexa Ahmad opened the Health Day again this year.

This includes taking into account the greater need for security and a sense of belonging among younger employees, as well as being there for all employees in acute crises - whether that is with a loan for financial emergencies or with life coaching. "If the company is there for the employees, they are also there for the company," says Alexa Ahmad. Her appeal: Let's be a family in the company too!

André Wiersig: The power of perseverance

Extreme swimmer and marine ambassador: André Wiersig has many adventures to tell.

André Wiersig took us on an adventurous journey through the world's oceans. The man, who has swum through all seven of the world's straits, inspired the audience with his great passion for the sea. He gave a vivid account of the many dangers of swimming in the sea: encounters with sharks, dangerous jellyfish, waves as high as a house and currents that make him swim on the spot. "You can cope with that better if you're a director instead of falling into a victim role," he says.

Getting involved, staying committed and having a purpose is also better in working life than just being the recipient of a paycheck. André Wiersig is now an honorary ambassador for the UN Decade of the Sea and is committed to protecting the oceans.

Nathalie Stüben: Alcohol consumption is romanticized

Nathalie Stüben explained the dangers of excessive alcohol consumption.

The 38-year-old journalist Nathalie Stüben was addicted to alcohol. She has now been abstinent for around seven years and is considered an expert on alcohol addiction and abstinence. At the Health Day, she spoke very openly and honestly about her own alcohol addiction and how alcohol consumption gradually darkens her life. She gave a vivid and scientifically sound explanation of what happens in the brain when we consume alcohol and dispelled the myths surrounding alcohol - such as the myth that alcohol helps us relax and ensures a good night's sleep. On the contrary, alcohol has an effect on the psyche, making us sad and dissatisfied. And at some point, everything without alcohol no longer seems worthwhile.

The good news is that the brain can regenerate when you stop drinking and natural feelings of happiness return. Her conclusion: "There is a lot to be gained by giving up alcohol, the best thing to do is to start today."

Dr. Eva Elisa Schneider: We are the pilot

Dr. Eva Elisa Schneider gave lots of practical tips for less digital stress.

In her presentation, Dr. Eva Elisa Schneider gave valuable tips on how to better deal with digital overload. The expert in mental health in the workplace recommends, for example, switching off notifications and sounds on your cell phone and deliberately placing the device out of reach, as our concentration suffers when it is within reach. Useful apps such as "Forrest" can help us stay focused, while time limits for social media and black and white mode help us to manage our behavior more consciously.

She also emphasized the importance of "honest breaks", free from digital distractions, as well as the role of exercise as the key to a balanced life. On the subject of artificial intelligence, she advised seeing AI as support: "We are the pilot, AI is the co-pilot".

Samuel Koch: There's no such thing as impossible!

Samuel Koch touched the audience with his wit and charm.

The participants were deeply impressed by Samuel Koch, the actor and bestselling author, who has been paraplegic since an accident in 2010. He described his return to life after the traumatic accident with great depth, emotion and humor. His central message: "I can be valuable, even if I don't achieve anything." People like his drama professor, who told him: "So Samuel, we'll just get on with it now," helped him to regain his courage. His story about his father's unconditional love, which gave him security from an early age, was particularly touching.

For him, the focus is always on what is possible. It drives him on when others say: "That's not possible!" On happiness, he said: "I find happiness's big sister more interesting: contentment". Because contentment helps you to find inner peace.

Dr. Eckart von Hirschhausen: Health doesn't start with a pill

Dr. Eckart von Hirschhausen shows how much our mental health depends on our environment.

Science journalist Dr. Eckart von Hirschhausen, who broadcast his impulse from his studio in Bonn, is not only one of Germany's most popular doctors, but also a passionate environmentalist. With the establishment of his Healthy Earth - Healthy People Foundation he has taken on a major challenge. In his impulse, he showed how closely our personal health is linked to that of our planet. 

Using many current examples, he first described the diagnosis - and then suggested therapies for physical and mental health. His conclusion: "Health doesn't start with a pill, an operation or an MRI. Health begins with the air we breathe, the water we drink, delicious plants, a tolerable temperature and peaceful coexistence".

Save the Date - The Health Day 2025

Make a note of the date for the next pme Health Day now. The livestream will take place on October 9, 2025. 

What is the pme Health Day?

The pme Health Day took place as a livestream for the third time in 2024 (2021 still as "Digital Health Day"). In recent years, it has established itself as an important event in the field of workplace health promotion. Over 27,000 viewers benefited from the inspiring impulses of renowned speakers and industry professionals.

These speakers have already been guests at our Health Days: Dr. Eckart von Hirschhausen, Samuel Koch, Dr. Johannes Wimmer, Dr. Leon Windscheid, Steffi Jones, Michael "Curse" Kurth, Patricia Cammarata, Nathalie Stüben, Bastienne Neumann and many more.

Companies throughout Germany have the opportunity to book this offer for their employees in order to provide them with valuable impulses for their health. Would you like to know more? Further information on the topics and registration can be found on the pme Health Day landing page.