At the start of 2009, Bosch employed a global workforce of around 281,000. The demographic developments place great demands on our strategic HR planning.
Last year, the number of associates in Germany alone rose by more than 1,800, with figures for the global workforce up 10,000. Since the start of the 1990’s, our workforce has grown by around 100,000 associates. This growth has taken place almost exclusively outside Germany. For many years, we received large numbers of outstanding applications in reply to advertised positions. However, for some time now we, too, have noticed that the labor market seems to be slowly drying up. That is why we have intensified and internationalized our HR work. Our international HR strategy focuses on the following issues:
- Recruiting young talent – we have developed international standards and expanded our junior executive programs worldwide.
- Education and lifelong learning – we operate a systematic competence management scheme and are increasing the number of associate training programs.
- Associate loyalty – we integrate our associates around the world into the corporate culture described in our House of Orientation and create new international development programs.
- Equal opportunities for women – we consistently promote employment and development opportunities for women.
- Harmonizing career and family – we are offering more options for harmonizing career and family life – for both mothers and fathers.
- Generation 50plus – we are helping to boost the health and performance of older associates and are supporting them in career changes.
