Best Practice | Addressing Staff Issues through Employee Experience Managers with Kaufland

Starting in 2018, certified Top Employer Kaufland began operating a network of employee experience managers across sites in Europe.

These are trained HR liaison officers who work to address employee welfare issues, solve challenges that might be putting a drag on business or individual performance. In our latest best practice focus, we are focusing on what brought in these managers and how they’re improving the employee experience for Kaufland workers.

This is just a snapshot of Kaufland’s innovative best practice; you can find the entire practice on our HR Best Practices database, which is exclusively available to Top Employers. Get inspiration and insight into the approach, challenges and learnings experienced by certified Top Employers. Access it now via the Top Employers Programme if you are certified, or learn more about it here!

Why the practice was needed:

It is challenging to keep an eye on employee engagement when an organisation like Kaufland has many employees scattered across many locations.

For this reason, Kaufland introduced ‘employee experience managers’ (a Vertrauensperson, in German): a neutral, trustworthy, and independent liaison for all employees.

How the practice was implemented:

The primary objectives behind Kaufland’s practice of employee experience managers are:

Anchoring of the corporate principles and leadership approach.
Early detection of (potential) disputes.
To better understand the atmosphere/mood among frontline employees.
To provide support to employees in difficult situations.

In the European locations where Kaufland’s employee experience managers are active, every employee can freely contact a dedicated employee experience manager and access contact details for other employee experience managers via a page on the company intranet, should they prefer to speak to someone specific.

Each employee experience manager acts as a confidante for receiving confidential feedback. Employees may remain anonymous if they wish to report a sensitive issue.

Employee experience manager responsibilities:

The main tasks of each employee experience manager at Kaufland are to:

Attend stores daily: talk with employees about their jobs, work-related problems, the store environment, etc.
Use employee feedback to identify work environment issues or business issues that could be improved.
Assist employees in handling issues with co-workers or to tackle personal problems having an impact on their work.
Improve employees’ perception of the company (enhance your employer branding)

The typical employee experience manager:

has an HR background,
is skilled in psychology, mentoring and communication.

Kaufland offers special training, for instance, a mediation training course to support the work of the employee experience managers.

Results

Each employee experience manager has a target number of conversations to be held each month (approx. 300). The rationale behind this (as opposed to a target number of employees to speak with) is that sometimes, one employee may require several conversations to be had until their issue is resolved.

As a result of the work of the employee experience managers, Kaufland has improved many of its operational and work-related issues based on employee feedback.

How Employee Networks Have Become a Growing Practice for Progress in Diversity and Inclusion Efforts

In 2023, Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) networks, formed by employees who advise in areas such as equality, disability, generational coexistence, or LGTBIQ+, are on the rise in top organisations. The use of these employee networks in Spanish organisations is becoming more common, especially among Top Employers.

In this article, we are looking deeper at four Spanish Top Employers, including Zurich, ACCIONA, Michelin, and ILUNION, who are excellent examples of organisations successfully implementing such networks.

80% of Top Employers in Spain have consistently implemented these networks, 11% more than the average of certified organisations at the European level.

Employee networks aim to identify the needs of all groups within the organisation and contribute to considering relevant perspectives and trends in Diversity and Inclusion in all Human Resources processes.

D&I networks can be internal (e.g., women’s networks or employee resource groups) or external (forums on various D&I topics organised by specialised entities).

“These diversity networks, in addition to contributing to a sense of belonging, help prevent situations of discrimination, incorporate inclusive perspectives, and improve people processes such as talent acquisition, leadership, employee engagement, work model, or organisational culture,” emphasises Massimo Begelle, Regional Manager at Top Employers Institute in Spain and Italy.

These networks are integrated into the overall diversity and inclusion strategy, coordinated with other best practices such as diversity champions, who are volunteer employees acting as promoters of various diversities (46% of certified organisations already have them), or leadership training to serve as models for D&I (85% of companies).

Zurich, ACCIONA, Michelin, and ILUNION are excellent examples of organisations that have successfully implemented such networks.

Zurich: A Team of Volunteers for All Diversities

At Zurich Insurance, they are clear: under the motto Brave, proud of their colours and because of this pride, they have developed a strategy based on the belief that a diverse team makes a difference. Following this premise, they are building an open company where all people are welcome, and the well-being of each individual is essential.

As part of this ambition, the people at Zurich have created the Allies Programme, consisting of a team of volunteers from different collectives, ages, and backgrounds.

They have created initiatives for many diversities in their organisation, focusing on four pillars of their inclusive attitude: Gender and Functional Diversity, Pride, and Intergenerational Dialogue.

#IamYourAlly is the battle cry with which they want to be very close to those who need the support of the programme, openly highlighting situations of discrimination.

In addition to being part of the decision-making on the D&I agenda, they regularly meet with the Management Committee to monitor initiatives.

They also actively participate in various events, such as Pride Day, March 8th, or the awareness campaign on unconscious biases.

ACCIONA: Diversity Committees Representing All Collectives

Placing people at the centre and contributing to real transformation is part of ACCIONA’s purpose. Therefore, PEOPLE is the global strategy they have outlined, integrating Diversity and Inclusion as a fundamental pillar and having internal networks to scale this commitment throughout the organisation.

13 Diversity and Inclusion Committees comprise the internal networks that drive best practices and connect people in business and countries.

They are formed by groups of professionals representing all collectives and sharing the mission of collecting information from their environment and generating proposals and initiatives on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

While creating a sense of community and belonging, the committees promote an inclusive workplace aligned with the company’s purpose, values, and objectives.

ILUNION: Networks to Address the Needs of Different Collectives

ILUNION is committed to diversity, demonstrating that it can be profitable and competitive while promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

At ILUNION, they work to promote the employment inclusion of people with disabilities and other vulnerable groups with specific needs related to their sexual orientation, gender, age, origin, etc.

They are proud of their diversity, reflected in all company and business areas.

Companies within ILUNION have Equality Plans that guarantee equal treatment and opportunities between women and men. Also, coinciding with the European Diversity Month in May, ILUNION joins the European initiative with various actions such as training, dissemination, and in-person events on different topics.

They also coordinate with critical networks involved in diversity management, especially in the workplace. Among other actions, these networks identify the needs of collectives and assess how to address them within ILUNION with its policies and activities that directly impact the workforce and other external actions that contribute knowledge and help the diversity management network become increasingly knowledgeable and professional.

Michelin’s Women Forward Network

In Michelin Spain and Portugal, since 2007, they have been committed to diversity and inclusion as a vital element of the People policy, confirmed in 2010 with the signing of their first Equality Plan.

In 2014, the Michelin Group launched the Women Forward network, in which women from all areas of the company participate, sharing their employee experiences and leading initiatives, allowing the visibility of new ways to progress in the field of diversity and inclusion within Michelin: they have significantly increased the presence of women in industrial environments, female presence in management positions has advanced similarly, and they have simultaneously improved the culture and perception of diversity at all levels of the company.

Similarly, as a leading company in the country’s industrial sector, they participate in external networks such as “Women and Engineering” and the “STEM Alliance for Female Talent,” where, together with other companies, they seek to attract young women to STEM studies to highlight the need for female talent in industrial environments.

How to Manage and Succeed with a Multigenerational Workforce

Across today’s modern workforce, many organisations are witnessing a unique blend of generations working side by side. From Baby Boomers and Gen Xers to Millennials and Gen Zs, the workplace has become a melting pot of diverse experiences, perspectives, and work styles.

As leaders and managers seek to create a productive, inclusive and welcoming environment for all these different groups, it is essential to understand and effectively manage this multigenerational dynamic to foster collaboration, innovation, and overall team success.

Cultivating this understanding will help to better utilise everyone’s talents from an individual and a generational level.

What Generations are Currently in the Workforce?

In 2023, there are currently five generations working side-by-side. Those generations are:

The Silent Generation: This generation was born between 1928 and 1945, making them some of the oldest in the workplace. Many have already retired, but many still choose to participate in the labour force. It is estimated that they still make up 3% of the workforce in the USA. It can be easy to underestimate the number of older people still active in the workplace, especially when you consider that according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2030, 11.1% of those 75 and older will still be active participants in the workforce in 2030.
Baby Boomers: This generation was born between 1946 and 1964 and currently makes up around a quarter of the working population in the United States. The youngest members of this generation will start retiring in the upcoming years. Still, some of this generation have already begun retiring, this many because they are further along in their careers and often hold higher positions of power at work.
Gen X: Born between 1965 and 1980, this is one of the smaller generations compared to the ones that came before it and the ones that are coming after it and many in this generation.
Millennials (also known as Gen Y): Millennials are often quite technologically adept because they have lived through some of the most significant technological advancements. They were born between 1981 and 1996, and they make up the biggest group in the workforce in the USA, making them around 35% of the working population.
Gen Z: The youngest generation to enter the workforce were born between 1997 and 2012, and they are remarked to be the first actual tech generation as they have never known a world without the internet. While many are still in university, the first groups are becoming active participants in the workforce. As such, organisations need to learn how to support them.

What are the Benefits of a Multigenerational Workforce?

In many places, we hear about the difficulties of generational differences affecting people’s ability to relate to each other, but there are many benefits for organisations.

Those include:

Skill Diversity: Different generations tend to have distinct skill sets. For example, older employees might excel in interpersonal skills and relationship-building, while younger employees might be adept at leveraging technology and digital tools. This mix of skills can enhance the team’s overall capabilities.
Knowledge Sharing: Older generations often possess valuable industry experience and institutional knowledge, which they can share with younger team members. This knowledge transfer helps bridge the generation gap and ensures that essential insights are passed down to the next generation. Equally, the younger generation can share knowledge that older generations may have previously ignored, making the sharked knowledge sharing a fruitful opportunity.
Diverse Perspectives and Ideas: Each generation brings unique life experiences, perspectives, and approaches to problem-solving. This diversity can lead to a broader range of ideas and solutions, fostering innovation and creativity within the team.
Adaptability: A multigenerational team is often more adaptable to changes in the business landscape. Younger members might embrace new technologies and trends, while older members can provide stability and a long-term perspective during times of transition.
Reduced Bias and Stereotyping: Working closely with colleagues of various generations challenges stereotypes and biases. Team members learn to appreciate each generation’s strengths and qualities, breaking down preconceived notions.
Effective Communication: Interacting with colleagues from different generations can improve communication skills. Team members learn to adapt their communication styles to accommodate diverse preferences, leading to more precise and effective information exchanges.
Enhanced Problem Solving: Multigenerational teams can bring diverse problem-solving approaches to the table. This diversity allows the team to tackle challenges from multiple angles, increasing the likelihood of finding effective solutions.
Market Insights: Different generations have varying consumer behaviours and preferences. A diverse team can help the organisation better understand and connect with a broader range of target demographics.
Mentorship Opportunities: Multigenerational teams provide natural mentorship opportunities. Older employees can mentor younger ones, offering guidance and wisdom, while younger employees can offer insights into new technologies and trends.
Increased Employee Engagement: Recognising and leveraging the strengths of each generation can lead to outstanding employee engagement benefits. When team members feel valued for their unique contributions, they are more likely to be motivated and committed to their work.

How Organisations Can Get the Best Out of Their Multigenerational Workforce

The benefits of having a multigenerational workforce show that having a work environment that is diverse in age range creates a positive impact on organisations and their employees; it is still important to figure out how organisations can foster that environment.

Some of the ways that HR professionals can learn how to manage their workforce to foster collaboration and innovation effectively include:

Embracing Diversity and Inclusion: A multigenerational team offers diverse skills and perspectives. By fostering an inclusive environment, HR professionals and leaders can help team members feel valued and respected regardless of age. Encourage open dialogue that celebrates the unique strengths and experiences each generation brings to the table. They can organise cross-generational mentorship programs to facilitate knowledge sharing and skill development.
Flexibility in Work Arrangements: Different generations often have different expectations regarding work-life balance and remote work options. By offering flexible work arrangements, organisations can accommodate the diverse needs of their multigenerational team. Allowing for flexibility in where employees work, flexible hours, and job-sharing opportunities ensures everyone can maintain a healthy work-life balance.
Continuous Learning and Development: Promoting a culture of constant learning to keep all team members engaged and up to date. Provide opportunities for professional development, training, and upskilling. Encourage cross-generational learning by pairing experienced employees with newer ones to facilitate knowledge exchange.
Flexibility in Leadership Styles: Different generations may respond to different leadership styles. Some may appreciate a hands-on approach, while others prefer a more autonomous working environment. HR professionals should understand these preferences and adapt leadership strategies to manage and motivate their multigenerational teams effectively.
Conflict Resolution and Mediation: Generational differences can sometimes lead to misunderstandings and conflicts. HR professionals and leaders should be equipped with effective conflict resolution and mediation skills to address any issues that may arise. A proactive approach to resolving disputes can prevent them from escalating and disrupting the team’s harmony.

Final Thoughts on how to Manage and Succeed with a Multigenerational Workforce

Managing a multigenerational team requires a thoughtful and inclusive approach. By embracing diversity, fostering open communication, offering flexibility, recognising individual contributions, promoting continuous learning, and adapting leadership styles, organisations wanting to get the best out of their people can work to create an environment where everyone thrives.

Suppose they successfully create this environment by navigating the complexities of a multigenerational team. In that case, they will not only be able to enhance team performance, but they will also be able to cultivate a workplace where everyone feels valued.

T-shaped Skills: A Simple Approach with Big Results with Boehringer Ingelheim

Like many other companies, Boehringer Ingelheim, a certified Top Employer, had to expedite operational changes during the COVID-19 pandemic to meet customer needs while adhering to safety recommendations like social distancing.

Face-to-face meetings were the norm in the pharmaceutical industry, making Boehringer Ingelheim’s transition to remote meetings a significant adjustment. However, maintaining the highest level of service remained a top priority. “As a business we sat down and asked how can we support our customers and patients in the best way possible? That is when we really sped up the T-shape initiative,” Helen Doeswijk-Lindley, People Growth Manager for Boehringer Ingelheim, explained.

Helen and I discussed how a T-shaped approach enhanced company operations and benefited employees as part of our conversation during the 2022 Top Employers Institute Best Practices Week.

In this article, I want to share the wealth of insights we discussed, highlighting how this approach not only enhanced overall efficiency but also empowered employees to recognise and voice their needs effectively.

What is a T-shaped Approach?

The T-shape is a symbol that illustrates an individual’s strengths. The vertical line represents expertise and knowledge in a specific field, while the horizontal line represents cross-discipline competencies and the ability to collaborate effectively with professionals from various industries or roles.

Helen simplified this concept, stating for employees, “The T-shape allows you to understand what general skills you need, the horizontal line, and what you need to be an expert in, the vertical line.”

Boehringer Ingelheim began implementing T-shaped job descriptions with the customer-facing teams. Helen explained that the first step was for everyone to individually consider the skills and competencies required for a specific role.

After comparing notes, they compiled a list of thirty-four competencies. Helen described what happened next to narrow down the list, “We really got crisp. What are we asking our team to do? Where does responsibility start with one team member or one job role and where does it end? We really defined the skills for each role.” They arrived at a final set of fourteen competencies, nine general skills and five unique skills, that everyone agreed fit the respective role.

Their process of individual and team workshops was used throughout the organisation to define roles using the T-shaped approach and followed these general steps:

Employees individually consider the required skills and competencies for specific roles,
Teams gather and discuss the skills and competencies each person identified, and
Teams collaboratively narrow down the identified skills and competencies to one list.

Helen shared that they were pleasantly surprised by this approach’s far-reaching impacts, “What actually came out of those workshops is that we could take the T-shape and really start looking holistically at what we were offering to our employees – all the way from providing a clear job description to assisting with career progression planning to helping us recruit talent.”

Benefits of the T-shaped Approach

The T-shaped approach offers numerous benefits to both employees and the company. Employees are better able to engage in self-reflection with a T-shaped job description. They can evaluate their competencies and have meaningful conversations with their managers about growth opportunities.

Helen elaborated on this benefit, “I can say from [the] feedback I’ve received that the T-shape has given employees clarity. It’s also given them a voice to express where they need support to do their job effectively, whether that’s from an educational standpoint or from a process standpoint.”

Furthermore, the T-shape creates a shared understanding of skills and competencies across the company. Helen explained how this clarity led to the restructuring of various roles, “We actually started to change key processes.

We didn’t want certain roles to have to do certain things anymore because it was slowing them down.”

To support these changes, Helen developed skills-based training tailored for the newly defined roles, which enhanced operations and better-equipped employees for career advancement.

A T-shaped skills approach is a powerful tool for self-reflection. As our conversation concluded, Helen challenged the audience, “Create a T-shape for your role.

Review your job description and ask yourself: Is my role the same today as when I started in terms of the required skills? What is needed for the future? The T-shape is a straightforward way to look at your general skills and expertise and identify opportunities for growth.”

Whether utilised by individuals or organisations, investing in T-shaped skills brings clarity and focus to future development. This approach enhances efficiency and facilitates meaningful discussions, ultimately driving progress.

Inspiring HR Practices from Asia-Pacific’s Top Employers

Are you ready to unlock a world of innovative HR practices and transformative ideas? Look no further! We are thrilled to present our ebook, “Inspiring HR Practices from Asia-Pacific’s Top Employers,”

In this comprehensive resource, we have curated insights and best practice examples from a select group of our esteemed Top Employers in APAC.

These organisations have not only raised the global standard of HR excellence but also set the benchmark for others to follow.

Download the ebook now to uncover valuable insights. Here are some highlights from the ebook:

Diversity, equity, and inclusion – Discover how Avanade partnered with the Autism Resource Centre (ARC) Singapore to train adults on the autism spectrum with digital skills and provide them with full-time technical roles. Learn how this initiative contributes to large-scale digital transformation projects at organisations in Singapore.
People strategy – Explore Boehringer Ingelheim’s cultural framework called FOCUS, which defines their purpose and serves as a guide for their day-to-day work. Gain insights into how this framework supports their business objectives and is interwoven throughout the entire organisation.
Strategic Employer branding – Learn about PUMA’s commitment to creating a premier workplace by developing a set of Employer Values that align with the actual employee experience. Discover how these values contribute to PUMA’s mission of becoming the fastest sports brand in the world.
Purpose & values – Dive into DHL Express’ annual Employee Opinion Survey (EOS), which allows employees to voice their opinions, share feedback and insights, and help shape the DHL culture. Understand how this survey helps create an inclusive and comfortable working environment while also identifying areas for improvement.
Talent acquisition – Explore MCC Singapore’s strategic talent acquisition approach, which focuses on attracting and developing competent leaders, executives, and specialists in alignment with their organisation’s sustainability goals. Discover how this approach ensures a strong leadership and talent pipeline.
Onboarding – Learn about Saint-Gobain Sekurit’s New Hire Orientation programme, designed to help new employees adapt to their roles effectively. Discover the three-phase programme that ensures new hires are ready for the company, its culture, and their specific job requirements.
Organisation & change – Explore Sampoerna’s adoption of a Leadership Model and the Three Hands philosophy, which empower individuals’ growth and support internal transformation. Learn how these approaches create an inclusive working environment and drive high performance.
Learning & Development – Delve into the TCS’s innovative continuous learning culture, designed to empower employees to drive their own career development. Explore the diverse ecosystem featuring various learning formats, democratizing skills and talent, which ensures individuals are not just ready for roles, but are future-ready for evolving careers.
Rewards & Recognition – Discover SAP’s internal Compensation Assistant Tool launched in April 2022, allowing employees in India to view their pay-range. This initiative has significantly boosted employee engagement and trust, clarified compensation paths, dispelled misperceptions about rewards, and reinforced the fairness and equity of decision-making processes within SAP

These are just a few examples of the invaluable insights you will find in the ebook. Download your copy today to unlock a world of innovative HR practices and transformative ideas that will help you excel in the dynamic field of human resources.

Reintegration Programmes for Women After a Career Break

Emerging Practices in Top Organisations

According to data from the Spanish National Institute of Statistics, the chance of unemployment among women increases with the number of children they have. In fact, women with three or more children have an unemployment rate of up to 26% higher than their childless counterparts. There is a clear relationship between childbearing and the decline in the employment rate. However, the opposite is true for men as research shows that their unemployment rate decreases with each child.

“The role of childminding is usually assumed by women. This leads to a widening wage gap. Returning to work after a long absence is often a complicated journey. The longer you stay out, the harder it can be to get back in,” explains Massimo Begelle, Regional Manager of Top Employers Institute in Spain and Italy.

Some of the main problems encountered by women who have put their careers on hold to have a family, or for other reasons, are related to feelings of obsolescence around the current technologies and skills required to reintegrate into the workplace. “They are going to discover a different world than the one they knew,” Begelle points out, “and they may suffer from insecurities after years away from the world of work.

In leading organisations, initiatives to assist women who have taken career breaks to re-enter the labour market are an emerging best practice, with programmes that include ideas such as offering them new work experience (permanent or temporary, to serve as a platform for them to carry out another role), training in new skills, or coaching support.

“The focus of these programmes,” continues Begelle, “is not only to comply with the CSR or diversity and inclusion policies of organisations but as a way to acquire valuable, experienced talent with a wealth of life experience who, aware of these new professional opportunities, participate with a high degree of commitment.

In top organisations, these programmes are complemented by others designed to ensure that women do not have to quit their job when they have children. 74% of Top Employers in Spain already have good flexibility practices in place to adjust working hours in order to accommodate childcare. Moreover, 58% offer special leave to care for children.

Schindler and Banco Santander are two examples of companies with programmes designed for the reintegration of women who have taken career breaks.

Women Back to Business, Schindler’s Talent Recruitment Programme

In 2021, Schindler launched the Women Back to Business programme, aimed at incorporating into its organisation women who had taken a career break of several years for personal reasons, and who, despite being ready to return to the labour market, were facing a number of obstacles to re-integrate. More than a corporate social responsibility project, it was a talent recruitment programme and was approached as such.

After an intense communication campaign lasting several weeks, they set up a web page for the programme and received more than 600 applications from different profiles. They hired nine women from different areas to take on commercial and supervisory positions as middle managers.

Santander Reencuentra, a successful programme

Banco Santander’s Reencuentra (“Reunite”) programme is aimed towards women who left their professional careers for family reasons and is designed to help them re-enter the labour market with a company in their area.

This programme offers participants a professional experience in Santander in an office close to them, formative retraining that includes the completion of an Online MBA and training in digital skills, coaching for employment, and outplacement firm services, all with the aim of finding them a stable job.

In its first edition, the programme had 100 participants, with an average age range of between 38 and 46 years, returning from a professional break of between 5 and 10 years. 84% of these participants managed to find employment during the course of this initiative. Santander plans to launch the next edition of this programme in 2023.