A recipe to combat the shortage of skilled workers: Einhell focuses on the development of young staff
The issue of the shortage of skilled workers is a hot topic, and is one of the greatest challenges to both businesses and the economy. According to the recent "Skills shortage 2024” study, 82 percent of businesses in Germany are struggling to fill job vacancies (source: ManpowerGroup Germany). The German Chamber of Industry and Commerce (DIHK) currently estimates that there are approximately two million unfilled job vacancies. For Einhell Germany AG, however, the current shortage of skilled workers is less of a ticking time bomb and more of a challenge and opportunity for the further development of its staff team.
When skilled workers are hard to find: focus on staff development
Einhell Germany AG is also feeling the current shortage of skilled workers: The number of applications it has received has fallen in recent years. The choice of potential candidates is increasingly limited, especially in the field of new technologies. At a company like Einhell, there are generally only a few positions that don't have to be filled by a "skilled worker". Skilled workers at Einhell include the forklift driver in the shipping department, who needs to be able to handle hundreds of pallets with flawless precision, the stock controller, who assesses the value of the inventory according to international accounting standards and the engineer, who develops a battery-operated device while taking the strictest safety regulations into account.
And the company has developed its own recipe to successfully address the shortage of skilled workers. "For the HR department, the current situation on the labor market means that we have to look even more closely at people's qualifications for current and future jobs," explains Hans-Peter Rostan, Director Group Human Resources at Einhell Germany AG. "If we aren't able to find the ideal candidate in the tight job market, we have to have a broader perspective. In other words: If the required specialist is not available, the human resources department has to identify people, within our company itself or externally, who have the potential to develop into the skilled worker that we need. When hiring new employees, it is of course essential to integrate them quickly and smoothly into the respective departments. Detailed induction processes, which also consciously include looking beyond a person's own department, not only convey the task, but also its positioning in our value chain.”
Einhell focuses specifically on young staff
The company has established three ways to do this: Firstly, its young staff are given intensive training and education through the dual system or as dual students. Secondly, its existing employees are given the opportunity to develop further within the company. And thirdly, new employees in the respective roles receive training through individual induction and qualification processes.
The HR department at Einhell is currently responsible for approximately 40 trainees and dual students at the Landau an der Isar location. The company has been focusing on the skilled workers of tomorrow for several years, and guarantees that almost 100 percent of its trainees and students are offered a job. "We want to create a home for our staff, we don't want to encourage competition between young workers. This means we can make positive arguments to first jobbers,” explains Hans-Peter Rostan. "Anyone who is really motivated and wants to work at Einhell will find something suitable for them after their training or studies.”
In fact, the development opportunities for trainees and dual students in the company are considerable. Many former trainees are now managers. Chris Bayer began his training as an industrial clerk in 1988 and is now Director Sales Germany & Austria with a team of almost 100 employees and responsible for sales in Germany and Austria. Holger Hagn, who joined Einhell in 1997 as its first dual student, is now responsible for the purchasing and procurement department. And Miriam Zollner, the company’s first ever trainee, is now Global Supply Chain Director. The requirements for such career paths are regular training and further education opportunities as well as support for individual training as a business administrator, business economist, technician or the completion of a master's degree. "To ensure that the step from colleague to manager works, our aspiring managers are actively supported in our management development program," says Hans-Peter Rostan. The basis for ensuring the staff gain the qualifications they require in the future is the company's Einhell Academy.
Mentoring and coaching for the next career step
The development of staff into specialists and managers means more than just qualifications, it also requires mentoring and coaching: In the mentoring programs, knowledge and experience are passed on within the company, while the coaching supports the optimum further development of the employees. "The active management development program at Einhell not only offers support to new managers but also 'old hands' in the dynamic economic environment. The 'active, goal-orientated communication' training module with Generation Y and Z is a real hit with managers,” explains Hans-Peter Rostan.
“Being a skilled worker doesn’t necessarily mean you need to have an academic background. Qualified shipping employees and electricians aren’t easy to find either due to the strong competition,” says Einhell HR Manager Hans-Peter Rostan. “In this area, we score points with our normal shift patterns, which have clear advantages over the three-shift system in terms of work-life balance. We also have a positive and inclusive corporate culture in which our employees feel comfortable.” In addition to this, a strong team spirit and good cohesion among employees encourage loyalty to the company. The hierarchies are flat and the hurdles between the managers and teams are low. The corporate goals are communicated transparently and openly.
Managers as company ambassadors
The recipe to combat the shortage of skilled workers at Einhell Germany AG includes other ingredients in addition to the content orientation: A wide range of external recruitment and communication channels are used, both in the digital and analogue environment – such as cooperating with schools and universities, actively attending trade fairs and consistently developing employer branding. The company also increased its training quota and expanded the number of apprenticeships to include e-commerce clerks, retail clerks in plant outlet sales and IT clerks.
Managers such as CFO Jan Teichert and HR manager Hans-Peter Rostan also have a personal role as company ambassadors: They work as lecturers at various universities. In this respect, Hans-Peter Rostan was a lecturer in the "HR Management" master’s program at Deggendorf Institute of Technology (THD) until the winter semester of 2024 and at Regensburg University of Applied Sciences until 2023. Jan Teichert works as a lecturer at the THD in the master’s program on International Controlling.
About Einhell Germany AG
Einhell is a leading manufacturer of state-of-the-art tools and devices for the house and garden and will be celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2024. From its headquarters in Landau/Isar (Bavaria), the internationally successful company has continuously expanded its innovative rechargeable battery platform Power X-Change and is now the market leader in the area of cordless tools and garden devices. For many years Einhell has set new standards in terms of endurance, performance, and safety. Einhell customers appreciate the freedom of cordless operation for all their DIY projects, as well as the excellent value for money that Einhell products represent and the first-class customer service offered by the company.