Annual Report 2012 - Knorr-Bremse AG.

Report
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Staffing levels also decreased in the Asia/Australia region. While the Group had 5,039 employees in
the region at the end of 2011 (3,823 excl. leasing), on December 31, 2012 it had a workforce of 4,684
(3,762 excl. leasing). This represents a reduction of 7.04%. The proportion of the Group workforce
employed in the Asia/Australia region dropped to 24.5% (2011: 25.1%).
Knorr-Bremse works on becoming a more attractive employer
A look at new jobs in the Knorr-Bremse Group reveals a significant increase in the number of white-collar
jobs and engineering and service positions. This increase in qualified staff indicates the attractiveness
of Knorr-Bremse as an employer. At the same time, it underscores the need to further intensify
efforts to recruit engineering graduates. In Germany, Knorr-Bremse is pursuing this objective by partnering
with universities, offering work-study programs, expanding marketing activities aimed at students
and sharpening the focus of its employer branding.
Positions for qualified professionals are not only created in Knorr-Bremse’s central divisions, but at its
various locations as well – in keeping with its commitment to sustainable local development in the
regions where it does business. For example, a new Knorr-Bremse Technology Center is to open for
business in Pune, India. By 2015 this joint product development center for the Rail Vehicles Systems
and Commercial Vehicle Systems divisions is planning to employ a total of 200 development engineers,
who will contribute their knowledge and expertise to the overall success of Knorr-Bremse.
Human resources planning and management optimized
In 2012 most industrial enterprises saw an increase in their personnel costs due to collective bargaining
agreements in several industrialized nations and in particular to wage increases in the BRIC nations.
In addition, increasing competition for qualified professionals and managers have made it necessary
to adapt to the prevailing market conditions. To reward good performance and stay abreast of
the changing parameters of the labor market, in the year under review Knorr-Bremse reviewed job
classifications and pay grades for management positions around the world. In addition, human resources
planning and management were optimized, with worldwide employee fluctuation recorded
on a monthly basis, starting in February 2012. This makes staffing levels more transparent and allows
for more efficient management of future requirements.
Human resources development
Focus on professional and personal goals
Shared success calls for dialogue – a trust-based exchange between supervisor and employee. Dialogue
is essential not only for giving feedback and making certain that everyone is on the same page,
but also for recognizing previously untapped potential, identifying new development opportunities
and working together to achieve professional and personal goals. This is the objective of Knorr-
Bremse’s Staff Dialogue, which provides a framework for an annual, comprehensive, one-on-one discussion
between employees and their supervisors.
Knorr-Bremse improves career development
To better identify employee potential and support the career development of junior managers, in
2012 the Staff Dialogue was expanded to become a standardized Group-wide performance evaluation
process. The employee perspective is brought into the dialogue in the form of a self-assessment
as well as employee suggestions for setting targets. In the performance appraisal, performed by the