A new works agreement (abbreviated to “BV” in German) allows Traton SE employees in Germany to work remotely up to 100 percent, giving them maximum flexibility in organizing their day-to-day work. The new regulation, which was agreed upon by the company management and the Works Council, enables employees to work from any location not only in Germany, but also in other European countries. By permanently anchoring mobile working in its work guidelines, the Company is taking on a pioneering role regarding modern working models and positioning itself as a top employer.
Traton promoted flexible working models and enabled employees to work remotely even before the COVID-19 pandemic. The BV now further develops the already existing, employee-oriented “FlexWork” working model and permanently anchors it in the company regulations of Traton SE starting from April 1, 2022. Around 300 employees in Germany will benefit from this.
Bernd Osterloh, Chief Human Resources Officer of Traton SE: “During the COVID-19 pandemic, FlexWork was essential to protect our workforce. During this time, we were able to gain important experience with mobile and digital forms of collaboration. Experience that showed us all that mobile working works better than assumed before the pandemic.” While it was still possible to ensure productivity and collaboration, employees also appreciated the benefits of increased flexibility: “Surveys and workshops have confirmed employees’ desire for more flexibility and individual solutions when choosing where to work. I am pleased that we are responding to these needs with our new, forward-looking working arrangements and offering our employees the greatest possible flexibility. Our arrangement thus fits in perfectly with the requirements of the modern working world and enables our employees to achieve a good work-life balance,” explains Bernd Osterloh.
The aim of the new agreement is to enable mobile working whenever this makes sense and is desired and feasible. Traton relies on a culture of trust and leadership going hand in hand in order to implement the new regulations successfully. Employees coordinate closely with their manager to plan the days on which they work remotely. Mobile working is also possible for interns, working students, and doctoral candidates. Within Germany, FlexWork is not limited in time per se, but can be restricted by operational requirements, e.g., if attendance is essential due to project-specific concerns. Employee appraisals should also be conducted on the job and in person as a matter of principle. “I am particularly pleased that we are even giving employees the opportunity to work remotely from other European countries at times,” says Osterloh.
He adds that interaction in the office — and thus the opportunity to live and nurture the corporate culture — remains an important part of the new work guideline. “With the new works agreement, we are laying the foundation for the hybrid working world of the future. We want to enable employees to enjoy a working day that is tailored to individual needs and takes into account the interests of both employees and the Company,” Osterloh says.
The new BV was also drawn up in preparation for relocating the Company’s headquarters to a new office building in Munich, which is planned later this year. It therefore also contains guidelines for everyday office life in the new working environment. “It is important to us that all employees continue to have an attractive workplace in the office and thus have the opportunity to work on site at any time,” explains Osterloh. He adds that the new office is intended to serve not only as a place to work, but primarily as a place for collaboration and social interaction. For this reason, more flexibility in the form of a free choice of workplaces and a range of diverse, innovative spaces will also be part of everyday office life. For example, this can make collaboration in cross-departmental project teams easier and more efficient.
To get the groundbreaking regulations off the ground, the “The way we work” guidelines were developed to guide and support employees and managers in implementing them. Since the beginning of the year, a comprehensive hybrid training program, the Leadership Transformation Journey, has also been in place for all managers. Here, all the knowledge and skills required for a successful transition to a modern, hybrid working world are taught. Additional training courses on information security awareness and comprehensive information events for all employees ensure that all open questions can be discussed and answered.
SOURCE: Traton
