Internationally established automotive technology developers BFFT, based in Gaimersheim near Ingolstadt, came out top of the medium-sized industrial companies category of the FOCUS business magazine report and ranking of employers. In cooperation with the Xing career network (Hubert Burda Media), Statista (Germany's leading statistics portal), and the kununu.com employer evaluation portal, FOCUS put more than 2,000 medium-sized and large companies under the microscope with regard to their working conditions. The independent market researchers evaluated employers on the basis of a multi-page questionnaire completed by more than 19,000 employees in 22 sectors. They also took into account employer reviews from kununu.com. Unlike many other rankings, the FOCUS study presents the assessment of workers of all ages and levels and is not confined to specific groups such as students.
"Contented employees and top quality products are two sides of the same coin for us - especially in these times of the 'war for talent' and fierce market competition," says BFFT CEO Markus Fichtner. "The FOCUS study verifies that we are playing in the top league as far as employee motivation is concerned, and that we have achieved our goal of being among the most attractive regional engineering employers." For BFFT, the top ranking serves not only as a confirmation, but also as motivation to further expand its value-based employee orientation. "It has always been very important to us that we provide our employees an attractive work environment on the basis of surveys, suggestions and annual appraisals", explains Fichtner. These include fringe benefits, health programmes, staff events, employee-related sponsoring of sporting and cultural events, and the provision of separate "Fansofas" or "Fanmobiles". We also offer an extensive range of training and further education courses in the area of technology (e.g. CAN, FlexRay, special driver's license for prototypes), language studies (e.g. English, Spanish, Chinese), soft skills (e.g. public speaking, time management, conflict management) and lifestyle (e.g. "barbecue academy", skiing lessons, introductory kiteboarding lessons). Employees are also especially supported in part-time vocational studies (Master's, Bachelor, technical studies).
BFFT recently achieved a further milestone for employees in the form of its newly-constructed headquarters. The building provides staff with modern, light-filled, ergonomically-designed workstations, and since 2012, also offers a cafeteria, a yoga room and a fitness centre.
"Contented employees and top quality products are two sides of the same coin for us - especially in these times of the 'war for talent' and fierce market competition," says BFFT CEO Markus Fichtner. "The FOCUS study verifies that we are playing in the top league as far as employee motivation is concerned, and that we have achieved our goal of being among the most attractive regional engineering employers." For BFFT, the top ranking serves not only as a confirmation, but also as motivation to further expand its value-based employee orientation. "It has always been very important to us that we provide our employees an attractive work environment on the basis of surveys, suggestions and annual appraisals", explains Fichtner. These include fringe benefits, health programmes, staff events, employee-related sponsoring of sporting and cultural events, and the provision of separate "Fansofas" or "Fanmobiles". We also offer an extensive range of training and further education courses in the area of technology (e.g. CAN, FlexRay, special driver's license for prototypes), language studies (e.g. English, Spanish, Chinese), soft skills (e.g. public speaking, time management, conflict management) and lifestyle (e.g. "barbecue academy", skiing lessons, introductory kiteboarding lessons). Employees are also especially supported in part-time vocational studies (Master's, Bachelor, technical studies).
BFFT recently achieved a further milestone for employees in the form of its newly-constructed headquarters. The building provides staff with modern, light-filled, ergonomically-designed workstations, and since 2012, also offers a cafeteria, a yoga room and a fitness centre.
