Spotlight

Family-friendly employer

Balancing life, family, care and work

Balancing life, family, care and work responsibilities is one of the main goals of BSH personnel policy. Several measures and points of contact are available to support our staff in their efforts to reconcile the demands of family, care and work. BSH has constantly developed and expanded its range of family-friendly measures. Balancing life, family, care and work responsibilities is an inherent part of the BSH corporate philosophy.


Audit workandfamily certificate

BSH has been audited by berufundfamilie Service GmbH and was awarded the audit workandfamily certificate (audit berufundfamilie) on 31 May 2018. The certificate is valid for three years. The audit is a management tool that supports companies and institutions in implementing a sustainable family and life phase conscious personnel policy and helps creating family-friendly working conditions.

Audit workandfamily is an instrument for optimising and supplementing the BSH’s measures aimed at creating a family-friendly work environment. Our foremost aim is to take into account our individual employees’ diverse family situations and to promote understanding for family responsibilities among BSH staff. Establishing this approach in management culture makes it easier to balance increasing job demands and family responsibilities. This is to create an appreciative work environment that has a positive influence on our staff’s satisfaction, motivation and proficiency. Taking into account an individual’s personal situation shall not have an adverse effect on others, though. With these activities, we hope to enhance our appeal as an employer, and to attract and retain qualified personnel.

Future measures

BSH has scheduled a range of measures for the following years:

  • Further development of the telecommuting agreement
  • Separate agreement on mobile working
  • Structured presentation (four-phase model) and checklists to illustrate family-related periods of absence and associated processes
  • Additional information on balancing family and work responsibilities
  • Family-friendly organisation of professional development training courses

Equal employment opportunities and gender equality

Gender equality, as promoted by the Federal Act on Gender Equality, is a guiding principle at the BSH. Equal opportunities plans are prepared every four years and contain specific objectives to eliminate the under-representation of women and eventually achieve gender balance. Different life phases and models are taken into account. The equal opportunities plan is an important tool of personnel planning, and personnel development in particular.

Examples of gender equality measures:

  • Also part-time executive positions are advertised
  • Telecommuting is generally an option for executive personnel
  • Development of a guiding principle promoting the active advancement of women and balancing of family and work responsibilities
  • Implementation of the audit workandfamily programme
  • Continuation and expansion of women-specific training programmes
  • On-demand advice and assistance with professional development and the elimination of occupational segregation
  • Improved balancing of work and family responsibilities for female and male staff
  • Use of gender-neutral job titles to address women and men are alike