The path to becoming the leading provider of sustainable individual mobility is a demanding one. The more our employees help shape this path, the quicker we will advance. We therefore give them on-the-job support and training. At the same time, we want to attract talent – trainees, graduates and experienced experts.
AMAG does a great deal to be an attractive employer for all employees, irrespective of their age or origin. We offer basic and advanced training at the AMAG Academy. Other examples include the AMAG Learning & Development online courses, AMAG’s own CAS Leadership, systematic succession planning, the Young Talents development programme and coaching offerings for digital fitness. We also increased the focus on electromobility in our training and education in 2022, in line with our corporate strategy.
Mixed teams offer a wealth of perspectives and develop better solutions.
Diversity is a top priority for AMAG. Be it gender, age, origin or previous experience, mixed teams offer a wealth of perspectives and develop better solutions. We employed people from 71 nations in 2022. To increase the proportion of women, which stands at 16.7%, we rolled out the “women@AMAG” information campaign in 2022, for example.
The 770-plus trainees in over a dozen apprenticeships, making up around 11% of the workforce, are an important talent pool. Having acquired Helion in 2022, AMAG will also be training young people as solar installers with a Federal Vocational Education and Training Diploma (EFZ), with apprenticeships starting in 2024. We want to continually increase involvement in the area of training. In addition, we are continuing to expand the one-year pre-apprenticeship integration programme, which gives asylum seekers and disadvantaged young people the opportunity to complete a proper apprenticeship. Whereas AMAG provided training for five integration apprentices in 2021, this number had already risen to 11 by 2022. The trainees and many other young employees are from Generation Z, born after 1995. As well as having a deep affinity for all things digital and a high level of environmental awareness, they also attach importance to coach-based training, diversity, social justice, meaningful work and a good work-life balance. AMAG is aware of these needs and incorporates them into working life.
How can employees be brought on board on the road to the future – particularly Generation Z? An interview with Saskia Kamber (19; SK), deputy team leader in the goods inward department at mobilog AG in Buchs, canton of Zurich, and Giuseppe Ferrandino (50; GF), General Manager at AMAG Buchrain, which has 140 employees.
How do you get your employees to buy into the transformation in the mobility sector?
GF: One thing is clear: for this, we need the full commitment of all employees, but particularly the younger generation – they will have a big say in determining how successful we will be on our path. A whole raft of measures is needed to get them all on board for the journey.
Can you give examples of such measures?
GF: We give out a lot of information at the company, including at a regular event where we report on energy supply, green electricity and charging options. It is important to introduce people to the topic of electromobility gradually. We have also made demonstration vehicles available to the employees on several occasions so that they can experience electric vehicles for themselves.
SK: Good communication is very important – not least because there is a degree of uncertainty about the transformation here in our logistics department. As electric vehicles have fewer parts, some are asking whether we will need fewer staff in the warehouse.
How attractive is the automotive industry as a workplace for young people?
GF: Many young people have an outdated image of the industry and AMAG. We see this when we talk with parents and young prospects – in job interviews and in the classroom. I always say to them that environmental protection is very much a thing at AMAG – and that we have a complete disposal system, a biological water treatment plant and a roof-mounted photovoltaic system for supplying power, for example. For many, it is an eye opener – as Generation Z in particular is very eco-minded. They want to have a good future – as do we for our children.
What other messages is Generation Z also receptive to?
GF: Teamwork is important to them, as is respect for their individuality and their commitment. We take account of all of this and more in working life, not least in our leadership work.
SK: I say to all trial apprentices that we often have a laugh together, even though the job is hard.
The strength of difference
“Diversity is unavoidable,” says Dr Jamie Gloor, Assistant Professor at the University of St. Gallen. In a short video interview, Jamie Gloor outlines the role diversity plays today and the positive effects it can have for companies, highlighting how important it is to define realistic goals and how putting corporate values into practice can make an employer attractive to younger target groups as well.
So what do you do specifically for Generation Z at AMAG Buchrain?
GF: If the youngsters think that the working day lasts 10 hours or more, we lose them. That is why we have shortened the working hours at AMAG Buchrain by opening later in the morning and closing earlier in the evening – without losing track of our customer focus, of course. We also offer flexitime, which the teams organise for themselves.
SK: You are right – a good work-life balance is important for my generation. I see that in my own case. I have a dog and am glad when I do not get home too late in the evening. I have also discussed these concerns with my team leader and certainly feel that I have his support.
GF: That is a very good approach. Generation Z, and younger employees in general, attach importance to having a say. That is why I often delegate decisions to the teams.
What is the diversity situation in your workplace?
SK: The automotive industry still has a masculine image. But us women can do just the same jobs as the men. We should have a higher proportion of women at AMAG. A lot is already happening in this respect. My own example is living proof that women have opportunities for advancement and get promoted.
GF: You are right – we become better when there is more of a mix – in terms of origin, education and gender. We want the best person for the job. As a manager, I deliberately influence this right from the start of recruitment. That is how we make progress on our path, implementing a raft of targeted measures in our everyday work to make us more agile and to ensure that we are perceived as a modern, forward-looking company. We’re powering ahead!
