People & Culture

People are the central success factor in any company: good leadership, HR expertise, and a culture of respect have a direct impact on performance and make lasting success possible.

Untersicht auf mehrere Menschen, die sich an den Unterarmen fassen und einen Kreis bilden

Employees are a key resource

As your company grows, the demands on leadership, responsibilities, and collaboration increase.

Clear responsibilities, reliable workflows, and effective cross-departmental collaboration reduce friction, relieve the burden on managers, and strengthen your company's performance. This creates the foundation for sustainable growth, stable results, and high competitiveness.

Developing HR work with clear structuresDeveloping HR work with clear structures

HR work is only effective when tasks, responsibilities, and processes are clearly defined. What often develops informally in small companies requires reliable structures as the business grows.

Recruiting, onboarding, professional development, employee support, and administrative HR processes must interlock and align with your company's strategic direction.

Clear responsibilities provide daily guidanceClear responsibilities provide daily guidance

Who does what? Who decides? Who develops employees? Clear answers to these questions provide daily guidance and take the pressure off managers. The result: HR work that grows with the company and its challenges, ensuring clear responsibilities, greater transparency, and better decision-making within your organization.

You can find examples of our successful "People & Culture" projects further down on this page.

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People & Culture

People Management Maturity Model

Our experience shows that even a few targeted steps toward more professional HR work create noticeable improvements within a company.

Clear structures, responsibilities, and processes ensure greater transparency, better decision-making, and stronger support for company goals.

The development of HR work progresses through various levels of maturity. The following overview illustrates how HR can evolve from a predominantly administrative function into a strategic success factor for the company.

Level 1

HR as a necessary side task

  • The essential HR basics are covered
  • HR work is not highly valued within the company
  • There are no clearly defined processes or structures
  • HR decisions are made ad hoc by management

Steps to Level 2: Steps to level 2:

  • Creating a structural framework for actionCreate a structural framework for action
  • Defining and staffing relevant HR rolesDefine and fill the relevant HR roles

Level 2

HR as Administrator & Service Provider

  • HR acts as the custodian of personnel records
  • There are some initial simple processes, but HR work is largely performed manually
  • HR decisions are made by management and communicated by HR
  • Managers are the primary point of contact for their teams

Steps to Level 3:Steps to level 3:

  • Expanding HR tasks and the HR teamExtend the HR remit and the HR team
  • Establishing essential structures and processes to be automatedBuild the essential structures and the processes to be automated

Level 3

HR as Organizer & Coordinator

  • There is an HR team with clearly defined responsibilities
  • The focus is on administrative and organizational tasks
  • HR prepares the foundation for management decisions
  • Core processes are automated
  • There is capacity to take on additional topics

Steps to Level 4:Steps to level 4:

  • Expansion of HR tasks, roles, and competenciesExtend the HR remit, roles and skills
  • Expansion of HR structures and systemsBuild out the HR structures and systems
  • Digitization of processesDigitalise the processes

Level 4

HR as a co-creator

  • Administrative tasks are given the same priority as topics throughout the employee journey
  • HR topics are shaped and delivered proactively
  • There are clear HR structures with largely digitized processes
  • HR acts as an advisor and partner to management and line managers

Steps to Level 5:Steps to level 5:

  • Positioning HR work on par with all other management functionsPosition HR work on a level with all other leadership functions
  • Assuming responsibility as a strategic business partnerTake on responsibility as a strategic business partner
  • Maximum digitization of all HR processesDigitalise all HR processes as far as possible

Level 5

HR as a driver of transformation

  • The HR team is positioned at the leadership level and operates according to advanced principles
  • HR is involved in every strategic decision that affects the people in the company
  • HR drives change and innovation proactively
  • HR processes are digitized and optimized wherever possible
Open-plan office with rows of desks, monitors, and office chairs
Leading companies successfully

People & Culture

Digitalisation & AI in HR

The bottleneck in HR work today is rarely the technology. The challenge lies in connecting processes, systems and people in a sensible way. Most digitalisation and AI projects do not fail because of the technology. They fail because of unclear processes, missing standards and an inadequate data basis. Digitalisation creates the foundation that allows AI to become effective in HR at all. Only when processes are properly set up, data is reliably available and responsibilities are settled do digital solutions deliver value in everyday business.

Skills and qualification management

Growth, digitalisation and succession all raise the same question for companies: do we have the right skills on board? Skills and qualification management creates clarity about the know how that is available and where gaps are opening up. That lets you develop your people deliberately, make better use of their potential and secure successions early. The result: skills are not left to chance but built up exactly where the company needs them to succeed.

People development & learning culture

Training alone does not develop a company. What matters is that learning pays into the company's goals. Managers and employees share the responsibility for building and developing skills systematically. A learning culture that is actually lived creates the conditions for putting new knowledge into practice quickly and for delivering change successfully. The result is not a set of isolated training measures but the continuous development of people, teams and the organisation.

Systematic remuneration & pay transparency

As the requirements for pay transparency rise, many remuneration models that have grown up over time reach their limits. Salaries, career levels and responsibilities have to fit together and be understandable for employees. A systematic pay structure provides orientation, strengthens confidence in salary decisions and makes prospects for development visible. The result: remuneration that combines fairness, competitiveness and company culture.

HR compliance / governance

With every additional location or country, the demands on steering HR work increase. Differing processes, systems and local rules make transparency, comparability and decisions harder. HR governance creates clear standards for roles, responsibilities, processes and data structures across countries and sites. At the same time HR compliance makes sure that employment law and regulatory requirements, from data protection through working time to health and safety, are firmly anchored in the HR processes. The result is HR work that can be steered across locations, scaled digitally and relied on legally: clear responsibilities, uniform standards, dependable decisions and an HR organisation that effectively supports the company's growth.

Workforce planning

Which people and which skills does your company need to reach its goals? Structured workforce planning creates clarity about future staffing needs and takes growth, retirements, turnover and new requirements into account early. That way you take staffing decisions on a sound basis rather than under time pressure. The result: the skills your company needs tomorrow are available in good time, through targeted development, internal moves or new hires.

PROJECT EXAMPLES

People & Culture

Select a topic area

Systematizing compensation & development

Industry: Mid-sized retail company

Our role: Consultant, process facilitator, project manager

Project objectives

  • Modernizing remuneration structures to increase transparency and fairness
  • Strengthening competitiveness through pay that is comprehensible and future-oriented
  • Avoiding dissatisfaction and staff turnover through clear criteria and guidance for employees
  • Meeting legal requirements such as pay transparency obligations

Key results

  • A transparent salary structure with comprehensible criteria for all employees
  • Binding remuneration principles as a cultural and strategic point of reference
  • Internal imbalances reduced and employee retention improved
  • Increased appeal as an employer through modern and fair remuneration models
  • Efficient steering of people development through clear career paths and prospects for salary growth

Approach

  • Analysis of the current situation: survey of existing remuneration models and identification of ambiguities and areas for improvement
  • Benchmarking: comparison with other companies and industries to derive best practices
  • Definition of guiding principles: clear rules for fair and transparent pay (e.g., performance, market comparison, responsibility)
  • Introduction of a grading system: job profiles, career levels, and skills models linked to salary bands
  • Review of existing target and bonus systems: alignment with strategic goals and their impact on motivation
  • Structured delivery: development and adjustment of job descriptions, allocation to job families, and communication of the new remuneration logic

Professionalizing HR work through the introduction of an HR management system: SAP SuccessFactors

Industry: Mid-sized textile services company (manufacturing)

Our role: Functional Project Lead, Group-wide Project Lead

Project objectives

  • Standardising and unifying HR processes across sites in three countries and mapping them in SAP SuccessFactors
  • Phase 1 will see the introduction of the Employee Central, Recruiting, Onboarding, and Learning modules
  • Implementation of all country-specific regulations, compliance, and data protection requirements within the system
  • Integration of SAP SuccessFactors into the existing system landscape as the leading system for HR master data, featuring the modules EC, Onboarding, Learning, Compensation & Benefits, Performance & Goals, People Analytics, Success & Development, as well as the Centric add-ons Document Builder, Employee File, and Concludis as the central recruiting tool
  • Significant reduction of manual tasks
  • Compliance with legal requirements such as pay transparency obligations
  • Development of an HR governance model and an operating model, including product ownership
  • Scope: All employees (100%, including both administrative and industrial staff)
  • Introducing the Employee Central, Recruiting, Onboarding, and Learning modules in phase 1
  • Implementing all country-specific rules, compliance, and data protection requirements in the system
  • Integration into the existing system landscape
  • A significant reduction in manual work
  • Meeting legal requirements such as pay transparency obligations

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Key results

  • Process unification: HR processes harmonised across all sites
  • A group-wide HR management system creating a standardised, efficient way of working and transparent data, for example for people analytics
  • Accompanying change management, firmly anchored with local change agents in every country

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Approach

  • Setting up and executing project management across all three countries
  • As-is analysis of existing processes and systems and definition of process requirements, including system interfaces
  • Clarifying requirements and the scope of the purchased product
  • Assembling the project team and aligning the project plan
  • Establishing continuous change management, including the introduction of change agents at all locations
  • Execution and planning of system tests
  • Planning and supporting the implementation of SAP SuccessFactors in three countries, including the setup of an operating model
  • Close stakeholder management and steering committee reporting
  • Introducing a ticket system and providing all communication and training materials
  • Clarifying deviations from the standard and verifying change requests
  • Risk management
  • Budget management
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    Replacement & introduction of an HR system

    Industry: Mid-sized service company

    Our role: Consultant, Project Manager, Process Facilitator

    Project objectives

    • Replacing the legacy HR system & implementing a new HR management system
    • Mapping the HR processes in the new system & integrating the new system seamlessly into the company's existing process landscape

    Key results

    • Personio implemented as the company's HR management system
    • Successful migration of all relevant data
    • Smooth process flows assured within the system and through interfaces to other systems

    Approach

    • Definition of the general requirements for the system and of the processes it has to map
    • Definition of the technical requirements including the interfaces needed to other systems
    • Comparison of various HR management systems & selection of Personio, taking the relevant factors and the budget into account
    • Setting up the project management: framework, roadmap and a communication concept
    • Preparing and carrying out the data migration: master data, company data, process data, and mapping the necessary HR processes, roles, access rights and automation in Personio
    • Testing all functions before the system went live
    • Supporting the rollout with professional project management, communication measures, and training

    Implementation of workforce planning

    Industry: Construction company

    Our role: Consultant, process facilitator

    Project objectives

    • Analysis of the current situation and implementation or further development of strategic workforce planning to achieve company goals.
    • Development of a roadmap for establishing an annual strategic workforce planning process, securing the necessary skills, and anchoring the process within the company's existing structure.

    Key results

    • Strategic workforce planning embedded in existing company processes, securing the skills needed to achieve medium- and long-term company goals.
    • The workforce planning process is anchored in existing structures and processes, ensuring seamless communication between production and HR.

    Approach

    • Current situation analysis:
      • Is there any strategic workforce planning in place?
      • What are the company's medium- and long-term goals, and what personnel and qualifications are required to achieve them?
      • What is the current turnover rate, and what is expected in the coming years (due to retirement, etc.)?
    • Development of a strategic process for regular staffing needs planning
    • Development of necessary measures and detailed design of actions resulting from the process, in collaboration with the involved business areas
    • Support for executing workforce planning

    Implementation of Workday Learning and associated organizational development

    Industry: Engine and drive technology

    Our role: Project manager, process facilitator, change manager, workshop moderator

    Project objectives

    • Implementing Workday Learning and replacing previous corporate learning processes and systems
    • Organizational development to change how the organization learns
    • Transforming the learning culture

    Key results

    • Workday Learning implemented across the company
    • Smooth process flows ensured within the system and the responsible team
    • Employees actively integrated into the new learning culture through direct communication, events, and opportunities to share experiences

    Approach

    • Analysis of the current and desired state regarding the scope and use of Workday Learning, the necessary processes, the change for the responsible team, and the company's learning culture
    • A project plan for implementing Workday Learning, design of the individual project measures and definition of the project steps with the goals to be reached at each one
    • Active stakeholder management: regular alignment with bodies such as the works council, data protection, IT security and other relevant internal stakeholders on project management and the setup of the system
    • Preparation of data migration and data archiving including a deletion concept
    • Running and supporting test phases of Workday Learning in the company and providing expert support in adapting the system to the company's needs and processes
    • Translating business needs into IT functionality
    • Setting up and supporting change management and a communication plan for the rollout through various measures and channels
    • Anchoring the processes and documenting the results

    Introducing a competency model

    Industry: Construction

    Our role: Consultant, facilitator

    Project objectives

    • Working out a skills model
    • Implementing the skills model in the existing HR management and its instruments

    Key results

    • A simple, understandable skills model geared to actual needs
    • Structures and processes developed to embed the skills model in the existing HR instruments, including transparent internal communication
    • The skills model embedded in the existing HR management system

    Approach

    • Analysis of the existing structures: employees, job and role descriptions, skills profiles, HR processes, people development, HR management system
    • Development of a roadmap for building and introducing the skills model, including a communication concept
    • Development and introduction of the skills model, starting with one defined business area as a pilot and closely linked to the strategic direction
    • Embedding the model in the existing HR management: employer branding, recruitment, appraisal conversations, development and career paths, succession planning

    Introduction of a learning management system and training of online instructors

    Industry: Educational institution (Mali)

    Our role: Consultant, guide

    Project objectives

    • Creating a modern infrastructure for distance learning and teaching
    • Building the instructors' skills in distance teaching

    Key results

    • A changed learning and teaching culture
    • Structures and processes developed in the organisation for looking after the online courses and their participants
    • Instructors trained as online trainers, with the established learning management system used for the first courses
    • The institution managing and organising the online courses independently

    Approach

    • Developing the previous learning platform further with a new Moodle system
    • Introducing instructors to virtual learning and teaching
    • Establishing the technical foundation for developing courses for Moodle
    • Building the people development team's skills in agile learning culture and digitalization
    • Training a local team of administrators to manage and develop the learning management system

    Task force: Analysis, conception, and implementation of measures to maintain essential operational qualifications

    Industry: Infrastructure

    Our role: Consultant, Project Management, Facilitation

    Project objectives

    • Creating a single data source for transparency regarding qualification backlogs
    • Delivering short-term measures and developing a medium- to long-term strategy for robustly meeting qualification needs

    Key results

    • Transparency regarding business-critical qualifications
    • A medium- to long-term strategy for robustly meeting qualification needs

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    Approach

    • Analysis of the current state of business-critical qualifications: a single data source to quantify backlogs, needs, and resources
    • Developing short-, medium-, and long-term measures to address qualification backlogs and continue training under applicable COVID-19 health and safety guidelines
    • Decision-making sessions with the executive board, the works council, and divisional management
    • Continuous review of the status quo of qualifications and comparison of actual versus target
    • Developing a future-proof strategy for a robust approach to qualifications

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    Development, implementation, and management of a training academy for customer and employee training

    Industry: Medical Technology

    Our role: Consultant, Project Management

    Project objectives

    • A developed concept for an internal training academy
    • An established training academy
    • A trained management team for the training academy

    Key results

    • An established training academy that is self-sustaining in the long term and run by its own team with defined standards and processes
    • An established quality management system

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    Approach

    • Analysis of the current state of training for customers and employees
    • Analysis of training needs, both at a high level and in detail
    • Definition of the goals to be achieved with the training academy
    • Development of the strategy within strict budget limits to reach break-even on plan, with a strong sales focus to secure revenue targets
    • Design of training products, services, sales & marketing
    • Implementation of the concept and the required structures and processes
    • Management of the training academy and its step-by-step handover to the local team through mentoring, coaching, and training

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    Development and implementation of a qualification management system

    Industry: Medical Device Manufacturer

    Our role: Project Management

    Project objectives

    • Clear structures and processes in the organization and in professional development
    • Qualifications and mandatory training per role in the company must be traceable

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    Key results

    • Clear structures and processes for HR topics
    • Full traceability of qualifications
    • Proof of mandatory training can be provided

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    Approach

    • Analysis of the current status regarding legally required
    • Mandatory training and training in accordance with DIN ISO 9001 and DIN ISO 13485
    • Developing a role concept tailored to the organization
    • Assigning roles to employees
    • Assigning mandatory training to roles using a qualification matrix
    • Development of a process for implementing qualification management and
    • Mapping it in a digital learning platform (LMS)
    • Introduction of onboarding plans and training records
    • Evaluation and reporting of actual versus target status in qualification management

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