BMW Group HR Policy: thinking of tomorrow today / Package of measures to meet demographic challenges

Munich. The BMW Group is already taking steps to counter the effects of
the demographic development with a comprehensive package of measures
focussing on five main points. It is question of ensuring that the
company remains viable for the future, i.e. on the one hand making sure
that employees remain employable; on the other hand, it is important to
continue being able to offer models for retirement on a specific basis.
"If we wish to achieve a consistently high level of performance
with an older workforce, we must adapt the work structures and
framework conditions", stated Ernst Baumann, Member of the Board
of Management of BMW AG. "By bundling together these activities,
we are creating a decisive competitive advantage for ourselves."
The five areas of action are qualification, health, the working
environment, retirement models and increasing awareness of demographic
changes. Qualification as the precondition for competitive companies
The 'qualification' area of action is based around the need for
life-long learning. Irrespective of the ageing workforce, increasing
competition and changes in technology mean that staff have to take on
new activities or work contents more frequently than before. However,
qualification should also be seen in the context of increasing
awareness of the challenges and opportunities of an ageing workforce
and of their own ageing and its effects. Managers and staff are given
training on these matters in seminars. Health and preventive care
Topics centring on health and preventive health care form a second main
point. The BMW Group is continually improving its working conditions.
Fitness facilities and physiotherapy services on the company's own
premises are part of the preventive health care plan. In addition,
comprehensive medical support and programs on health-related topics are
provided at all BMW Group locations. Ergonomic working environments
for longer productive efficiency Ergonomic work stations in offices and,
most particularly, in manufacturing help to prevent physical stress
from occurring in the first place. As part of the start-up of the new
BMW 3 Series, over 25 million euros were invested in the Munich plant
alone in the design of ergonomically optimised workplaces. Retirement
models to suit every need are still required In spite of all
precautionary measures, not every employee can carry out physically
demanding activities into old age. Legislators should therefore avoid
generalised standard solutions when defining the age limits for being
granted a pension and alongside the standard retirement limit, should
also basically continue to allow early retirement pensions. The goal
of the BMW Group is to continue in the future to offer their employees
programmes which allow early retirement. The main criterion for
solutions of this type will be - in addition to the statutory pension
access options - whether they can be financed. A first step was taken
this year: in collaboration with the Works Council, funds were
separated out, by restructuring the BMW profit share scheme, to obtain
financial leeway for early retirements. This "future contract for
young people" creates a foundation for being able still to take on
young people to replace older employees who are leaving. To ensure
success of these measures, everyone has to pull together here:
companies are called upon to take measures to maintain benefits for
their employees. Employees in turn must take responsibility for their
health and their suitability for employment in the future far more than
they have in the past.