Responsible Employer
Rosenbauer has 4,078 employees worldwide, men and women who make a difference with their diversity and ideas. The company provides an environment in which every employee can contribute their talent and efforts.
Current social and technical developments are changing the environment in which Rosenbauer and fire services operate. As a result, employees’ needs and requirements are changing. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in the 2022 reporting year also continued to have a significant impact on the working world. Digital networks and communications have gained in importance. In the production areas, the pandemic has put a strain on employees in the form of supply shortages and short-time working. Increased working from home has seriously changed the working conditions of office staff and demanded a great deal of adaptability from them.
HR management at Rosenbauer is the ultimate responsibility of the CEO and is coordinated globally by the Human Resource Management department at Group headquarters in Leonding (Upper Austria). At larger company locations, HR departments operate under local conditions. The departments actively exchange information to ensure the provision of training and professional development opportunities. One of HR management’s most important duties is to create a corporate culture and work environment in which employees can evolve and gladly contribute to our mutual success. Global HR Management is tasked with monitoring success in the four material areas of activity (Training and continued professional development, Employee satisfaction, Occupational health and safety, and Diversity and equal opportunity) and reviewing this using corresponding key performance indicators.
Management of the COVID-19 pandemic
In 2022, the Group-wide crisis team again guided Rosenbauer through the COVID-19 pandemic. This coordinating committee, composed of HR Management representatives, executives, and the entire Executive Board, was responsible for global coronavirus management. Action plans were developed and modified daily to comply with national government directives, translated into various languages, and made available to all Group companies.
Working conditions at the Rosenbauer sites were modified extensively to minimize the risk of infection. In addition to offering office staff the option of working remotely and from home, shifts and work plans in Production were changed to ensure necessary physical distancing. The well-being of employees was always the top priority. When cases of infection could reasonably be suspected, employees were asked to quarantine early, even when the costs of this were not reimbursed to the company. In addition, hand sanitizer and masks were made available. These measures also contributed to keeping cases at the sites low in 2022.
Employment structure
In the 2022 financial year, Rosenbauer had 4,078 employees worldwide – a decrease of around 1.3% over the previous year. Of these, 58.5% are blue-collar workers who mainly work in production, assembly, and repair, and 41.5% are white-collar workers who work in administration, development, and sales. In the Group as a whole, only 6.2% of Rosenbauer’s employees work part-time, and more white-collar workers do so (8.3%) than blue-collar workers (4.7%). Rosenbauer supports flexible working hours, and in addition to part-time options, also offers flextime models. In the year under review, the flexitime agreement was greatly expanded at headquarters, core attendance was abolished, and break regulations were greatly facilitated, especially for part-time employees.
In order to be able to satisfy demand for employees in Production at all times, Rosenbauer also employs temporary workers. They have equal rights to Rosenbauer’s own employees and generally have the opportunity to join its permanent workforce. In the reporting period, the Group had 106 temporary employees (87 in Austria, the others in the rest of Europe). 68.1% of all Rosenbauer employees are subject to collective labor agreements.
The age structure of employees at Rosenbauer is relatively balanced, with those between 30 and 50 years old making up the largest group at 54.0%.
Turnover
The turnover rate of 15.9% was up by more than 3% compared with the previous year. The main reason for that was the turmoil in the labor market in general that the pandemic created. Of the women and men who left the company, 6.8% went into retirement, at an average age of 62.8. Not including those who were taken on as the result of acquisitions or start-ups in the reporting period.
Suspended or reactivated employment contracts are not included in the key figures for entries and departures, which is why slight discrepancies can occur in comparison with the total headcount.
| Employees of Rosenbauer Group by region (headcount) | All employees | Blue-collar workers | White-collar workers | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |
| Austria | 1,646 | 1,648 | 1,621 | 920 | 916 | 905 | 726 | 732 | 716 |
| Germany | 1,003 | 997 | 979 | 652 | 642 | 631 | 351 | 355 | 348 |
| Rest of Europe | 346 | 329 | 294 | 171 | 162 | 156 | 175 | 167 | 138 |
| USA | 899 | 985 | 911 | 551 | 619 | 638 | 348 | 366 | 273 |
| Rest of World | 184 | 171 | 179 | 91 | 90 | 94 | 93 | 81 | 85 |
Training and education
Rosenbauer invests in its employees by offering customized training and continued professional development programs and helps them realize their full potential and contribute their skills and expertise to the company. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, training and professional development was converted to hybrid or virtual formats to protect employee health. This led to cost savings on the one hand and to greater international participation on the other hand. In 2022, the Group spent a total of € 580 thousand (2021: € 600 thousand) on training and continuing professional development. Training courses on specific work-related hazards are held on an ongoing basis.
Measures in this area include:
- a range of digital courses for all larger locations,
- continued professional development programs individually adapted
to the challenges of individual locations, - extensive training of apprentices, and,
- the introduction of a standardized record of professional development
hours.
Rosenbauer monitors the success of these measures based on the number of continued professional development hours in each employee category.
At the training workshop in Leonding, Austria, apprentices are trained in-house.
Training concepts for apprentices
Rosenbauer is heavily committed to training young people and offers apprenticeships in over ten different professions. These range from industry- based management assistant to metal or mechatronics engineer. Demand for specialists is satisfied in part by apprentices trained in the company. Young people are familiarized with numerous areas of responsibility and departments during their apprenticeships. Apprentices are taught manual skills and prepared for a job in Production by experienced instructors in a dedicated teaching workshop in Leonding and at specialized schools in other locations. Training is also available in diverse subjects such as business etiquette, social skills and handling money, in order to teach young people skills that will benefit them outside the workplace, too. Sustainability issues are integrated into the training apprentices receive.
In 2022, a total of 159 young people in Austria, Germany, Switzerland and Italy served an apprenticeship with Rosenbauer, with around 80% studying technical and industrial professions and 20% administrative and commercial occupations. The two largest US locations in Wyoming (Minnesota) operate a separate training program for young employees. This provides the opportunity to receive technical training since apprenticeships are not common in the United States.
Rosenbauer also trains young people with special needs in cooperation with charitable organizations. The aim here is to integrate them into the workplace and the social structure to the greatest possible extent.
Number of apprentices at Rosenbauer 2022
Continued professional development
Rosenbauer continually invests in both professional and personal development, with the aim of preserving and fostering its employees’ qualifications and motivation. In-house and external experts offer tailored training and continued professional development programs adapted to the working environment. At the Austrian, German, and Swiss locations, courses can be booked on the company portal, which will be rolled out to other locations. Regular professional development reviews help determine employees’ needs and development goals. In the reporting year, each employee had an average of 7.9 hours of traditional continued professional development, with white-collar workers spending approximately 9.6 hours in training and blue-collar workers 6.7 hours. However, these statistics do not take account of learning on the job, which is typical in the area of Production. Not all locations record statistics on continued professional development hours.
In Austria there is a dedicated promotion scheme for employees aged 56 and over, aimed at keeping older people fit for work and adapting the work process to the individual needs of the employees.
| Employees of Rosenbauer Group by gender (in % and headcount) | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|
| All employees | |||
| Total | 254 | 242 | 202 |
| Total in % | 6,2% | 5,9% | 5.1% |
| Women | 123 | 126 | 110 |
| Women in % | 22,3% | 23,1% | 21,7% |
| Men | 131 | 116 | 92 |
| Men in % | 3,7% | 3,2% | 2,6% |
Breaking with tradition – paternity leave
It is no longer rare to see fathers actively supporting their partners in caring for their children in the early years and consciously taking time out from their working lives. In Austria, it is possible to share parental leave. If the decision is made in favor of such a split, the child must be taken care of for at least two months (paternity leave) while the mother can pursue her career during this time.
In the following interview, Christian Fageth, ICS manager, talks about his experiences in his new everyday working life.
Christian Fageth took advantage of the option for shared parental leave.
Mr. Fageth, you decided to take paternity leave. How did you come
to this decision?
In my circle of friends and acquaintances, almost everyone who has had the opportunity has taken paternity leave. So I already knew quite a bit about it in advance, and paternity leave was highly recommended to me. There’s something about having two months to be with your family and be able to experience your child’s development more intensively day by day for a while. In my opinion, there has clearly been a change in thinking in this regard, and the number of fathers opting for paternity leave is growing.
What was the reaction from your work regarding this decision?
It was very good. Of course it was necessary to do some planning, especially considering that you are away for two months. Any open projects were completed as quickly as possible before I went on paternity leave and ongoing issues were documented accordingly or handed over to my colleagues.
… und im privaten Umfeld?
… and in your private life? In my private life, I basically only received positive feedback. As I said, just about everyone who had the opportunity took advantage of paternity leave.
Can you tell us a bit about your “new” everyday working life? Was it a big change?
The one thing I learned is not to plan too much, but to remain flexible. If you take on too much in addition to childcare, things can get a bit difficult. To recharge our batteries after the first few exhausting months, we decided to treat ourselves to a short family trip to Italy. Again, the idea was not to take on too much, but to live from day to day as best we could. But everything really worked out very well (including the long car ride) and did us all an extreme amount of good.
Otherwise, during the course of my paternity leave, I was primarily concerned with taking the load off my wife as much as possible. We divided up the daily tasks as best we could. The days alone with my daughter were very intense, but the laughter and smiles I got to see and hearing her say “Daddy” for the first time gave me a lot of strength.
What was it like to return to work after maternity leave? Do you think it’s easier for men than for women?
In my case, it was a manageable period of two months, so with good planning you can organize everything very well in advance. This meant that my return to working life went without a hitch. In comparison, it’s usually a much longer period for women, which can make it more difficult to return to work.
Would you take paternity leave again?
Absolutely.
Is there anything else you would like to say to undecided fathers?
Personally, I wouldn’t want to miss out on this time. It’s unbelievable the developmental steps that you can experience up close. I was able to build an even better relationship with my daughter thanks to the time we spent together. Time has become a very expensive commodity, and being able to spend this time with your family is worth a lot. I can absolutely recommend it to anyone who has the opportunity.
Employee satisfaction
Employee satisfaction is the result of many issues that intersect and interact. Rosenbauer regularly conducts annual development reviews and uses these as a basis for determining actions to take to motivate employees for the long term. These measures are intended to address the requirements of Rosenbauer as an employer, while also meeting the needs of blue-collar and white-collar workers. These include
- targeted career planning,
- binding employment contracts, and
- benefits above and beyond regular salary.
Rosenbauer is perceived as an attractive employer, which is underscored, for example, by its employees’ long periods of service with Rosenbauer. The success of these measures is monitored according to the annual turnover rate.
Period of service
A long period of service with the company underscores a high degree of employee satisfaction and identification with Rosenbauer. More than 35.5% of employees at the locations in Austria have worked at Rosenbauer for more than ten years, of which 14.1% have been with the company for more than 20 years. In Switzerland, 20% of the employees have worked at the company for over ten years, while in Slovenia it is 23%.
Evaluation of mental stress in the workplace
In Austria, we are legally obligated to evaluate sources of stress in the workplace. This effort began in 2014 at Rosenbauer and was completed at all locations in Austria as part of a multi-stage process. Information about workplaces not fitting into this category and smaller units was collected in group and individual interviews. The monitoring process began in 2021. The effectiveness of the agreed measures was discussed, potential new measures were set out, and the process of implementation was started.
Performance reviews for employees at all levels
Regular performance reviews are part of responsible corporate culture at Rosenbauer and are conducted in the spirit of open and respectful dialog. Based on a discussion guide, these are held regularly between employees and their direct supervisors on a mandatory basis. In the course of these meetings, the past year, performance, skills and qualifications are discussed with employees along with professional development opportunities. Future work priorities, target agreements, and development and training measures are also agreed. These discussions with employees were held at all levels at Rosenbauer again in 2022.
Family support program for parental leave
As a responsible employer, Rosenbauer aspires to offer its employees an optimal work-life balance. This includes improving the compatibility of work and family life. Since 2015, Rosenbauer has operated an inhouse daycare center for employees’ children adjacent to the Group’s headquarters in Leonding. For older children, Rosenbauer offers a summer camp during school holidays that is financially supported by the company. Rosenbauer supports flexible working hours and offers both part-time and flextime work, or work-from-home days.
Across the Group, 6,2% of employees work part-time, with more of them in white-collar (8.3%) than blue-collar jobs (4.7%). In Europe, a dedicated family program allows men to also take parental leave. At the headquarters in Leonding, 28 men took this opportunity in the year under review. 2-
Rosenbauer employees have been provided with an in-house kindergarten since 2015.
Occupational health and safety
Rosenbauer attaches great importance, both in Production and Administration, to providing employees with a working environment that maintains and ensures their health and well-being. Optimally protecting employees from risks and dangers during their work is a matter of particular importance to us. In this context, Rosenbauer takes the following measures:
- Preventive measures to avoid mental stress
- Safety campaigns
- Providing protective work clothing and personal protective equipment
- Mandatory safety briefings
- Increased bonus for safety tips and ideas to prevent accidents
- ISO 45001 certification
Rosenbauer is taking additional steps to promote employee health with management of reintegration into the company and the “Enable me 50+” project to provide support for employees returning from long illnesses, for example in adapting their workstations.
Key indicators in this area are the number of occupational accidents, the number of lost working days, and of sick days per employee.
Prevention at the fore
Many occupational safety measures are aimed at prevention, and thus at reducing the number of accidents. Raising awareness among employees about potential hazards, and identifying and eliminating possible sources of hazards are important measures in this regard carried out at all locations worldwide. There is a risk of injuries with serious consequences when work is carried out on vehicle roofs, when vehicles are driven on public roads, and during maneuvering in the production halls. The issue of occupational safety is regularly discussed in team meetings.
Exoskeletons as supports for tasks involving bending and lifting
As technical supports, exoskeletons are a good tool for making physical work more comfortable and protecting employee health. As already reported, 2020 saw exoskeletons first used on a test basis at Rosenbauer as part of the research project called Enable me 50+. As one of the first areas to use support aids, Logistics (goods inward and picking) at the original plant in Leonding was chosen to use the devices in practice for the project. After successful testing, three exoskeletons were purchased in November 2021. These systems are intended to reduce the burden on employees when carrying out tasks involving bending and lifting and therefore relieve pressure on the lower back.
The users received intensive training from the manufacturer of the exoskeletons and the system has been in use since then. As a result of positive feedback stating that it noticeably reduces the sensation of personal exertion, other locations are already showing a keen interest. The system has also been presented at Rosenbauer Germany in Luckenwalde already, for example. Its practical application in other potential areas is expected to be tested in the coming years.
Accident statistics
In 2022, a total of 266 occupational accidents occurred at Rosenbauer, of which none had serious consequences, while 85 occupational accidents resulted in more than three days’ sick leave per employee. The company set itself the goal in 2018 of reducing the accident rate to a maximum of 30 accidents per one million working hours by 2023. At 45.7 accidents per one million working hours, the accident rate is on the same level in the year under review compared with the previous year (43.7). In line with the GRI index, since 2021 the working hours of all employees have been counted and no longer only those in the so-called productive work areas.
As a percentage of all hours worked, those lost due to accidents amounted to 0.21%, which also represents a fall compared with the previous year. However, this is due to the fact that since the 2021 reporting year, the working hours of all employees have now been counted. Previously, only hours worked in production were reported. These occupational accidents were mainly cuts, bruises, lacerations and similar injuries when handling tools and workpieces. There were no fatal accidents or occupational accidents with serious consequences in the reporting year. Accidents involving temporary workers are included in the statistics and are also reported.
Status goal: Workplace accidents per 1 million working hours
* Due to the adjustment to the GRI standard, the number of occupational accidents fell sharply compared with the previous year.
In 2022, 24 ideas for improving occupational safety were submitted in Austria alone. Employees are informed and made aware before starting their activities – and at regular intervals thereafter – by workplace inspections, and instruction and training on safety risks and potential hazards. In 2022, 101 near-miss accidents were reported across the Group which is due to the improved documentation since 2021.
In addition, wherever production areas are reorganized and modernized, Rosenbauer considers short routes, optimal equipment support, ergonomic access to materials, mobile tool trays and energy sources.
If occupational accidents do occur despite all precautions, they are recorded in a reporting system based on standardized specifications. The internal indicators are hours lost as a result of occupational accidents, the number of accidents itself and sick leave. Occupational accidents are reviewed with the relevant executive and safety representative. Building on this, we develop measures ranging from training to changes in workflows to prevent this type of accident in the future.
| Occupational accidents at Rosenbauer Group* | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work-related injuries | |||
| Employees and workers | |||
| Number | 266 | 265 | 267 |
| Occupational accidents per 1 million working hours | 45.7 | 43.7** | 64.6 |
| Leasing staff | |||
| Number | 15 | 15 | |
| Occupational accidents per 1 million working hours | 62.5 | 62.5 | |
| High-consequence work-related injuries | |||
| Employees and workers | |||
| Number | 0 | 0 | |
| Occupational accidents per 1 million working hours | 0 | 0 | |
| Leasing staf | |||
| Number | 0 | 0 | |
| Occupational accidents per 1 million working hours | 0 | 0 |
* Adjustment of figures to the GRI Index
** Strong reduction, because with the adjustment of the key figures the working hours of all employees are counted, not only those of the workers
Occupational health
As part of health protection and health promotion, Rosenbauer offers its employees various preventive measures. In Austria, an in-house sports association helps the workforce stay fit and covers the costs of taking part in sports events. Health programs at various locations motivate employees to choose a healthy lifestyle. The occupational physicians, psychologists, and physiotherapists play a central role in Rosenbauer’s occupational medicine efforts.
Throughout the Group, the average number of sick days per employee in the reporting year stands at 11.5 days, which equates to an increase of 1.2 days compared with the previous year and can be attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic. In Austria and Germany, employees returning from long-term sick leave are supported by a company reintegration management system taken advantage of by a majority of the affected employees. This helped 10 employees in Austria in 2022, for example.
Rosenbauer’s occupational safety organization generally consists of the occupational health service, safety specialists, safety confidants, first aiders, fire protection officers, and employee representatives. Safety teams are in place at all production sites.
The US locations offer a “Frequent Fitness Program” aimed at promoting health. In addition, Rosenbauer offers healthy meals and quit-smoking programs. A comprehensive fitness program for the workforce is also offered in Slovenia. This covers topics such as exercise, nutrition, tobacco and drug use, and general occupational safety issues.
No hazardous substances in Production
Due to the overwhelming amount of assembly work, none of Rosenbauer’s occupational activities represent a serious health risk. Increased safety requirements exist only at those production facilities where parts are glued or painted. Naturally, all statutory regulations are complied with at these locations. Moreover, Rosenbauer has used paints free of heavy metals since 2018.
Diversity and Opportunities
Rosenbauer believes that a respectful and open corporate culture promotes and advances diversity. It is therefore committed to a work environment that is free from prejudice and discrimination of any kind. Employees are treated with the same respect and tolerance regardless of their gender, age, sexual orientation and identity, nationality, ethnic origin, religion and ideology. In order to make this absolutely clear to the wider world as well, the company signed the “Diversity Charter” in 2017.
The topic of diversity also includes fair remuneration, where the focus is on the competence brought to the table. Rosenbauer pursues a salary policy that provides for equal pay for equal performance, considering market conditions. The level of remuneration paid to employees is based on the knowledge they contribute, the work tasks assigned, and the requirements on local markets, and does not differentiate according to gender, origin, or other personal characteristics.
In the interest of increasing diversity and equal opportunity, Rosenbauer targets the following measures:
- Introduction of a technician trainee program
- Implementation of employer branding measures
- Strengthening of female recruiting
- Group-wide establishment of the women@rosenbauer initiative.
Rosenbauer resolutely opposes any form of discrimination. Unequal treatment or discrimination can be reported to the Compliance Officer at any time. In the reporting period, one allegation of discrimination became known in Germany. Rosenbauer is endeavoring to clarify this allegation in a targeted and rapid manner.
People with disabilities make up 3.9% of the workforce worldwide. Rosenbauer works with social psychologists on their employment. What is more, several locations work with sheltered workshops.
For example, the location of Rosenbauer Italia, which has decided to enter into profitable cooperation. The external cleaning service of the service location there is run by the social cooperative SIAA (Servizi Integrazione Alto Adige). The cooperative mainly employs people who would have no chance in the local labor market. In the case of the cleaning service, it is young people with mental illnesses or who have overcome addictions. They are treated by a dedicated psychologist and have close contact with the Rosenbauer employees. At the employees’ request, the cleaning personnel even received the same Christmas present: “They should feel that for us, they belong here,” said the workshop manager Paul Horrer. The quality of the cleaning service is outstanding and the collaboration with the cooperation is going so well for all those involved that it is even being expanded. Thus the catering service of SIAA has already been engaged and the cleaning service is also to be expanded to cover certain production areas.
Status Goal Proportion of Women: achieved
Equal opportunities: women@rosenbauer
Rosenbauer strives to give every employee the same opportunities – regardless of origin, age, gender, culture, or background. To promote diversity, Rosenbauer founded the women@rosenbauer initiative in 2021 and further broadened it in Austria in the year under review. New projects were defined and implemented in nine working groups and with the involvement of female Rosenbauer employees. In addition to training courses for employees – particularly apprentices – on respectful interaction with one another and on the whistleblower system, a new guide for expectant mothers and fathers was also created. This summarizes the most important information in a compact form, from pregnancy to birth to returning to work.
Women@rosenbauer is primarily aimed at networking among female employees and providing mutual support. Initiatives such as the expansion of company sports activities for female employees, internal events, or participation in external activities offer an ideal starting point for exchanging ideas with Rosenbauer employees or with women from other companies.
According to a study by McKinsey*, only 22% of tech jobs in Europe are currently held by women. This is also reflected in the Rosenbauer Group, with a professional environment traditionally dominated by men. For this reason, another focus is on recruiting, which explicitly aims to attract more women to Rosenbauer in the future, especially in technical professions. Several measures are being supported to get girls interested in technology as early as school age. In September 2022, a firefighting training course for girls aged 8 to 12 was held at the Leonding location. As part of the “International Summer Academy in Engineering for Women” at the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria, 23 female participants from 13 different countries visited the Rosenbauer location in Leonding to learn about the development and production of firefighting vehicles.
In the recruitment process, care is taken to treat male and female applicants equally. The total percentage of women in the Group is 13.5% and is therefore 0.3% higher than the previous year. The initial focus is always on increasing the proportion of women in general, but especially in management at Rosenbauer International. Corresponding measures are being developed by HR together with the women’s network and implemented step by step.
With the launch of the women’s initiative, the targets for the proportion of women were also brought into focus. The target set for the first time of employing 540 women in the company by 2023 was achieved in 2021. Rosenbauer now aims to achieve a 15% share of women by 2025, both in the overall workforce and in the top two levels of management. The proportion of female managers was 11.4% in the year under review. Employees with responsibility for staff at the individual locations were used for the calculation. As a manufacturer that takes on apprentices, Rosenbauer’s stated objective is to encourage girls to follow a technical career path. The percentage of young women doing an apprenticeship was 20.8% in 2022. Female apprentices in Production accounted for a share of 12.6%. The target of increasing the proportion of female industrial apprentices to 10% by 2023 was therefore already achieved in 2021.
The initiative will be continued in 2023 with the full support of the Executive Board and is intended to promote women at all levels in the Group. Performance-related pay and raising employee awareness through gender-neutral language are a matter of course. To raise the measures initiated (soft facts) to a reliable level (hard facts), Rosenbauer plans to develop a set of indicators for gender equality together with Human Resources and the sustainability officers and to include them in sustainability reporting. Integration into the IT system already in use for recording the indicators is planned, depending on the degree of freedom of the system.