Meeting company and employee needs
Christina Helmrich and Harald Buitmann discuss HR strategies at Nordmann, as well as values, diversity and the so-called “3D” approach.
What is 3D, and what does it have to do with HR work now?
Harald: 3D refers to three factors – demographics, dynamism and digitalization – which are critical for us to consider these days in HR. Each one of them represents opportunities and challenges.
Christina: We’re of course feeling the effects of demographic change and the shortage of skilled workers, but at Nordmann we’ve always attached great importance to finding the right employees and keeping them enthusiastic about the company long-term. If their ideas and personality fit well with our corporate culture, then they’ll most likely stay with the company for a long time. Our average length of service is 9.5 years, and that’s not because of the fruit baskets we have in the office or the remote working options our staff have now. We offer our employees a variety of benefits, yes, but it all comes down to the values we live by – working together as a team, and providing many opportunities for personal development.
Christina Helmrich, Business Manager HR; Harald Buitmann, Group HR Director
Harald: Nordmann has grown very dynamically in recent years, which has entailed a great deal of change. Change has been our constant companion these days, in fact – and it’s part of our job as the HR department to make sure our staff are prepared for it. At the same time, Nordmann also needs to adapt to meet the changing needs of employees. Having flexible working time models and modern working tools are a good example of this, and they now give our employees better opportunities to manage their personal and professional lives. Cross-national and crosstimezone teamwork, too, calls for standardized processes and tools – and this is another area in which digitalization helps. The only way for us to get all our colleagues, customers and suppliers to experience the Nordmann spirit is to be consistent and follow standardized working methods.
What exactly is the Nordmann spirit and how do you manage to bring it to life in different countries and cultures?
Christina: For me, the Nordmann spirit is about solidarity, reliability and a culture of leadership based on appreciation and trust. Nordmann maintains a presence in 24 countries and we are fortunate to have a diverse team with a wide range of expertise, personalities and strengths. I find that very inspiring, and it’s good to see it in action – for example when employees from Singapore come to Hamburg to spend a month with us, or one of our German colleagues moves to Switzerland to take on a new professional challenge there in our Swiss office. I see this kind of diversity as one of the major factors in Nordmann’s success. For us in the HR department, it’s essential to recognize the individual needs of our colleagues and promote their strengths.
Harald: Yes, and we can only be successful as a company if we have the right colleagues in the right places! The international and cultural diversity at Nordmann makes us strong and creates exciting tasks for us as HR experts. Because of our rather decentralized structure and what we call our “local best” approach, many regional features and ways of working have emerged over the years. And now, to give our slogan “We Are One” even more weight, our team is in the process of standardizing our HR procedures.
On top of the slogan “We Are One”, there’s a clear sense of family at Nordmann. How do you explain that?
Christina: The family approach is a core theme in our corporate culture at Nordmann – and not only because we were originally founded as a family business. It’s about team spirit and the mindset of our colleagues. We place great emphasis on creating an environment that is not only professionally empowering but also personall rewarding, and in which expertise and experience are both shared. We’re more than just colleagues at Nordmann – we see ourselves as a family. We stick together, support one another and build each other up.
Why should someone choose to work for Nordmann?
Harald: Nordmann offers the best of both worlds, being big enough to offer interesting career prospects in an international environment and small enough to foster a working atmosphere that’s still very human and personal. We also value a culture of support, collaboration and individual empowerment, which means that we promote a mindset that includes openness to other countries, cultures, religions and ways of life. I’m convinced
that Nordmann’s strength is rooted in its diversity.
Christina: I’ve been working for Nordmann for 20 years now and I’m happy to still be moving the “Nordmann family” forward with my colleagues. Our team is constantly in motion, and that’s a good thing: Knowledge in action!
