Wissenschaftliche Gerätebau GmbH is one of the 100 best SME employers
Wolfgang Clement to present the Berlin-based laboratory technology company with the "Top Job" accolade in recognition of its outstanding HR management
Berlin - Wissenschaftliche Gerätebau Dr. Ing. Herbert Knauer GmbH is one of the 100 best employers among Germany's small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) according to the results of the latest Top Job survey, a nationwide, corporate-benchmarking competition encompassing all sectors of the economy. The judges in the seventh round of this renowned business initiative were impressed by the company's personalised and successful approach to human resources management. Wolfgang Clement, Germany's former economics minister and mentor of the Top Job initiative, will be presenting Knauer with the prestigious Top Job seal of approval this Friday evening at a ceremony in Duisburg-Nord Industrial Landscape Park.
In making the award, he will be recognising Knauer's achievements in the categories of Leadership & Vision, Family Awareness & Demography, Motivation & Dynamism, Staff Development & Prospects, Culture & Communication and Internal Entrepreneurship.
The company, which manufactures laboratory equipment and analytical systems and employs a total of 80 people, particularly impressed the judges with its systems for ensuring the sharing of knowledge between departments. It has created its own company garden as a means of promoting communication between employees in a relaxed atmosphere. The summer barbecue and the Christmas parties are also used as an opportunity to talk to colleagues from other departments. "This helps people to get to know one an-other, which creates a friendly atmosphere and mutual trust," explains managing director Dr. Alexander Bünz.
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To ensure that all employees are always up to date, there is a monthly newsletter which keeps them informed of news within the company and in the sector as a whole. "We also present our quarterly figures for sales, profit and costs to the whole workforce, and keep them apprised of organisational and process-related projects," continues Bünz. The staff themselves also write their own short reports to keep colleagues and line managers informed of the most important developments in their departments. In this way, internal knowledge is not only shared between departments but also extended at the same time.
To earn the award, the company had to undergo a thorough two-stage process devised by the Institute for Leadership and Human Resource Management at the University of St. Gallen, Switzerland. Led by institute director Professor Heike Bruch, the experts review the management tools used by HR departments of the participating companies and carry out a detailed online staff survey. "Time and time again, the results of our investigations have shown that a strategic approach to HR management is directly reflected in the company's bottom line," says Professor Bruch. "Put simply: Good employers are commercially successful. This correlation will become even stronger in future. Companies that actively seek to make themselves more attractive as an employer will become significantly more competitive." This makes Managing Director Alexandra Knauer all the more proud of her company's success: "Top Job is only open to companies for whom HR management is a high priority. To be recognised as one of the best 100 SME employers within such a competitive environment will really motivate our staff and make us even more attractive to highly qualified employees in future."
More than 212 companies entered the Top Job competition this year. All 100 Top Job companies are featured in the book "TOP JOB - Germany's 100 best SME employers" published by Bruch and Clement, and on the website www.topjob.de. The project is organised by compamedia GmbH, Überlingen, Germany. Interested companies can apply immediately at www.topjob.de. The closing date for entries is 30 April 2009.
Mentor, partners and coordination
The project's mentor is Wolfgang Clement, Germany's former economics minister. Its partners are Gesamtmetall - Arbeitgeberverbände der Metall- und Elektro-Industrie e. V., Akademie für Führungskräfte der Wirtschaft GmbH, HRblue AG, Gallup Deutschland GmbH, Kienbaum Consultants International GmbH, Schindlerhof Klaus Kobjoll GmbH, SchmidtColleg GmbH & Co. KG and Süddeutsche Zeitung. The Top Job project is managed by Professor Heike Bruch, director of the Institute for Leadership and Human Resource Management at the University of St. Gallen. She has earned a prominent reputation, particularly in the fields of change management and leadership.
Organiser: compamedia GmbH
compamedia specialises in organising benchmarking projects and creating networks for small and medium-sized enterprises. From its headquarters in Überlingen on Lake Constance, the company runs the "Top Job - Germany's 100 best SME employers" employer benchmarking project and the "Top 100 - The 100 most innovative companies in Germany's SME sector" and "Ethics in business - pioneers of ethical conduct" projects.
This text is available in digital format from masurat@compamedia.de; photographs of the awards ceremony will be available in the Press section of www.topjob.de from Saturday, 31 January. Your contact can provide pictures of the prize-winning company.
Contact at Wissenschaftliche Gerätebau, Dr. Ing. Herbert Knauer GmbH
Oliver Gültzow
Hegauer Weg 38
14163 Berlin
Phone: +49 (0)30 809727-43
Telefax: +49 (0)30 8015010
E-Mail: info@knauer.net
www.knauer.net
Contact at compamedia
Silke Masurat
Phone: +49 (0)7551 94986-34
Telefax: +49 (0)7551 94986-39
E-Mail:masurat@compamedia.de
www.compamedia.de
Joint press release: Compamedia and KNAUER, Berlin
Date of message: 02/01/2009, 939 words
© 2010 by Wissenschaftliche Gerätebau Dr. Ing. Herbert Knauer GmbH