Interview: Bosch as an employer in Germany

What does Bosch stand for as an employer?

Winter: “At Bosch, everybody contributes to improving quality of life with products and services, and to conserving natural resources. Bosch is technology “Invented for life.” Our associates shape our products and services with their ideas and expertise – and have been doing so for more than 130 years. We value the diversity of nationalities, ages, genders, and working models among our associates. And we encourage international career paths. What makes us different from others is that we strive to take on social responsibility instead of simply generating short-term profits. Bosch is a financially independent company; the Robert Bosch Stiftung, a charitable foundation, holds the majority of our capital shares.”

What role does employer appeal play for Bosch?

Winter: “Any company that, like Bosch, is striving to be a technological leader with its products and services in a connected world of work requires highly-qualified associates. This is why we want to be one of the world’s leading employers in our markets. Especially in Germany, highly qualified young people have their pick of employers, and many specialists and graduates are headhunted early on. In order to gain the best, to inspire them, and retain them in the long term, we are continually improving our appeal as an employer. In particular, we want to recruit more women for technical professions and have been creating attractive working conditions for years in this respect. At Bosch, applicants won’t just find an exciting workplace, but also identification – more than 80 percent of our associates are proud of the work they do for Bosch.”

What kind of person makes a particularly good Bosch associate?

Winter: “At Bosch, the right people are the ones who want to make things happen and want to help shape the future of the connected world. Spheres of life such as mobility, living, work, and energy supply are becoming increasingly interconnected. On the internet of things, objects and devices, entire houses, and ultimately cities and power plants will be communicating with one another. Our specialists are working on automated driving just as they are on wireless power transfer in power tools, or on robots for the home that interact with occupants. We are looking for associates who work independently and who are open to new ways of working to take on these tasks in department, specialist, and transnational projects.”

What kind of development opportunities are there at Bosch?

Winter: “With subsidiaries and regional companies in around 60 countries, Bosch provides development opportunities all over the world. There are three career paths open to our associates, which are all equal: specialist, leadership, or project career paths. Change is not just possible, but is also encouraged. This means that at Bosch, you can even change the industry you work in without leaving the company. Whether you're a fan of start-up culture or the traditional corporate model, we have long-term development prospects for both. Bosch also promotes life-long learning. We recently invested around 250 million euros to educate and train our associates. We are committed to developing our associates and regularly review their potential. Bosch utilizes standardized instruments that ensure the objectiveness of human resources and management thanks to the principle of multiple control.”

What is Bosch’s attitude toward work-life balance?

Winter: “At Bosch, a flexible, family-conscious work culture promotes work-life balance and improves associates’ satisfaction and creativity. This is an important component of our innovative strength. We are committed to results, not rigid rules about physical presence. At the same time, we appreciate family duties and professional commitment equally. For this reason, family time – such as parental leave or a care period for a family member – can be recognized as a career component so that the associate can reach the next rung on the career ladder. We also support more than 100 different work models – from part-time to working from home to job sharing. This is another expression of our diversity strategy, which views individuality and diversity as advantages. This means that associates can contribute their skills in every life phase as best they can.”