Digitalization, services, and diversity in HR management
Christof Baumgart, Head of Global HR & Organization
The products we sell are our services. What is special about this compared to “products you can touch”?
Christof Baumgart: Around 700 customers count on Leadec employees to know what they are doing, and they entrust us with the heart of their production. And rightly so: the Leadec teams’ many years of experience result in routine procedures and processes while the exchange of information and specific training courses keep their knowledge up to date. Leadec is responsible for providing qualified employees at the right place at the right time for every customer order. And as a global HR department, it is our job to actively contribute to this and give impetus.
Do you have any specific examples of this?
Yes, for example the Leadec Campus, our central training and development program. We all have to keep learning, the world around us is changing rapidly. We help our employees to keep their fingers on the pulse of time. We need to build up knowledge of topics that are new to our customers – and therefore to us too. The use of our digital business platform Leadec.os is one example of this.
What does it take for employees to feel at home in a large international company like Leadec and not just like a small cog in a big wheel?
Our corporate culture is decisive. As a service company, we often experience a lot of pressure in our daily work. This is precisely why Leadec wants to stand for respect, team spirit, and variety. There is often a feeling of togetherness in our daily work. Our people can also experience the direct impact of what they do. We want to demonstrate these advantages of our corporate culture even more strongly to help retain our employees. Because we need all three steps: fast recruitment, intelligent training and, above all, long-term retention.
What role does diversity play at Leadec?
Diversity has many dimensions. You can look at diversity in terms of age, length of service, or education. At Leadec, we focus on the dimensions of internationality and gender. We are already doing quite well in terms of internationality, but we want to do even better when it comes to the proportion of women in management positions. We are convinced that diverse teams achieve better results and find more creative solutions. We are therefore actively committed to making our workforce more diverse and creating a place where everyone feels valued and accepted.
You have been responsible for global HR at Leadec since 2017. What was your most difficult moment and what are you proud of?
Professionally, the most difficult moments occurred in the HR digitalization project, the development of HR connect. Finding a common denominator with added value for everyone was a real challenge. But that’s precisely what I’m proud of (almost every day): that we at Leadec often make the impossible possible – for our customers, but also in our internal collaboration.
You may also be interested in the following articles:
All
Video03/12/2024How Leadec is Shaping Digitalization
How are Leadec.os, digitalization, new business models and Leadec's future readiness related? The video on our digital capabilities is all about that! Find out first-hand from colleagues how Leadec is transforming the factory of today and tomorrow with digitally driven service solutions.
Interview01/25/2024Digitalization, services, and diversity in HR management
Currently, more than 24,000 Leadec specialists work for over 350 production sites. In this interview Christof Baumgart, Head of Global Human Resources & Organization (HR), talks about Leadec as a “people-centric business” and how targeted HR work can contribute to the company's success.
Article12/19/2023Global Collaboration: The Pulse of the “HR Digi” Project
When teamwork for an IT project overcomes all boundaries, the outcome speaks for itself. This was the case with the "HR Digi" project at Leadec 2023.
Video12/13/2023Leadec Factory Talks – Episode 7: Health & Safety
What influence do new production methods and technologies, increasing digitalization and incentive systems have on occupational safety? Find out in episode 7 of our Factory Talks.
Interview11/08/2023Hundreds of Thousands of Vehicles in Focus
Leadec employees ensure that each vehicle arrives at its destination on the factory premises after production as part of "Vehicle Processing". They are supported in this by Leadec's own software Leadec.os. In this interview, Gareth Crawford explains the application and why this development project was a very special one for him.
Article11/03/2023Project: Sustainability Made Globally
The “Global Cleanup Week” at Leadec was born out of a small project idea. The aim was to offer employees an opportunity to get actively involved in the area of sustainability. And this happened with great success.
Video10/25/2023Leadec Factory Talks – Episode 6: Waste Management
Waste management is no longer just about the disposal of waste. It has evolved from just dumping and burning waste to separate collection, sorting, and recycling to the circular economy, which sees waste as a resource. Find out more in episode 6 of our Factory Talks.
Interview10/16/2023“The Complete Automotive Industry is Transforming”
Manufacturers are working to make the transition to electric vehicles. Leadec is right in the middle of it. In this interview, Alexander Doebelin, Vice President E-Mobility in Global Business Development, provides insights into the business and explains where Leadec’s strengths lie in this area.
Interview09/05/2023“Standard Processes Are of No Use to Us in European Semiconductor Manufacturing”
The semiconductor industry is growing strongly. Manufacturers have their sights firmly set on Europe. And technical services for the fab have a special role to play. In this interview, Dana Nikolaj, Business Director Semiconductor, provides insights into the business and the opportunities for Leadec.
Interview05/10/2023“The Future Belongs to Integrated Facility Management"
Integrated Facility Management (IFM) is more than a trend. It is the next evolutionary step to ensure that facility management in companies is optimized, adding real value. In this interview, Dr. Christoph Jaschinski, responsible for Global Business Development at Leadec, explains why.
Interview04/04/2023Carolin’s Journey: from working student to IT project manager
Carolin has been working in IT at Leadec in Germany for four years. She started as a working student and now manages IT projects independently.
Interview03/31/2023"Our Strength is Our Responsiveness"
Ulrich Haas is the managing director of Leadec’s newest subsidiary in France. In this interview, he talks about the opportunities and challenges of the market and where the company’s focus lies.
Video01/29/2023Experts in the World of Manufacturing: Leadec Factory Talks
Do you know our interview series “Factory Talks”? Leadec experts around the world talk about topics that are affecting factories and production (plants).
Interview12/19/2022Asra’s Journey: Growing Responsibility
Asra has been responsible for various financial topics at Leadec in England since 2019. The opportunity for personal development is a high priority for her.
Video11/22/2022Leadec Factory Talks – Episode 5: Sustainable production
How does a factory become climate-neutral? And how can manufacturers and service provider work together on the zero-emission factory? Find out in episode 5 of our Factory Talks.
Interview10/10/2022Wei’s journey: from controlling manager to finance director
Wei from China started her career in the controlling department in 2013 and since 2020 she has been finance director for China with a team of 10. She particularly appreciates the open communication.
Video09/29/2022Leadec Factory Talks – Episode 4: E-commerce industry
Online retail is booming and with it parcel shipping. Worldwide, this has led to many challenges for the (express) parcel industry – delivering more with less. What solutions are there and where is development heading in the future? Find out in episode 4 of our Factory Talks.
Interview08/24/2022Safety at Leadec: Interview with Gordana Djurdjevic
Gordana Djurdjevic is Corporate Environmental Health and Safety Manager at Leadec for the USA and Canada. In this interview, she reveals her philosophy and talks about the role played by occupational safety in the modern production environment.
Interview08/22/2022Anagha’s Journey: from administrator to Assistant General Manager – HR & Admin
For Anagha, the journey at Leadec started in Pune, India, in 2009, where she initially assisted in setting up the new site and has since built up and continuously expanded her knowledge and passion for HR.
Video07/28/2022Leadec Factory Talks – Episode 3: In-plant Logistics
Logistics is a broad field and from the gate onwards, inside the factory, it becomes really exciting. How digitized and automated is the tracking of goods? How do you rule out errors and how can you ensure that production doesn’t come to a standstill but continues through?
Video05/18/2022Leadec Factory Talks – Episode 2: Factory Planning
State-of-the-art factories are expected to run more efficiently and place new demands on their operators. From networked production processes and a high degree of automation to close cooperation with customers and suppliers. What does this mean for the field of production planning?
Video03/22/2022Leadec Factory Talks – Episode 1: E-Mobility
Alternative drives and, above all, electromobility are the automotive industry’s innovation drivers. Battery production is one of the biggest challenges in this regard. What solutions are there? Find out in episode 1 of our Factory Talks.
Interview02/24/2022Interview: 60 Years of Leadec
In 2022, Leadec will celebrate its 60th anniversary. In an interview with Markus Glaser-Gallion, CEO of Leadec, we talk about the past years and how he sees the future of the service specialist for the factory.