Mr. Braun, FAULHABER has been in business for nearly 80 years. You have been part of this company for approximately a quarter of this time and have experienced both successful as well as challenging phases. What would you say: What makes a company successful in the long term?
For me, long-term success is based on several pillars. These include operative and technological excellence, a clear commitment to sustainability, and a resilient financial structure. These fundamentals then go hand in hand with three central factors: a clear company strategy, innovative products, and productive as well as motivated employees. The corporate strategy, the vision, and the mission are clearly formulated and we know in which markets and with which customers we want to be successful. We derive our economic goals from this. With innovative products, we secure our standing in the market and generate a true added value for our customers by enabling them to create their trendsetting products. Always decisive here are the people in the company: Motivated employees bundle competences, develop new ideas and make entrepreneurial progress possible in the first place.
When we talk about motivated and productive employees as an important basis for business success, what prerequisites and measures are we talking about for supporting long-serving employees and attracting new team members?
Employee retention and development begins for us already on the first day of work. New employees are supported at FAULHABER with an extensive onboarding process that helps them get started and provides orientation. We place value here on, for example, ensuring that each new employee is given an introduction into every department to learn more about the respective fields of activity and is provided with opportunity to communicate directly with the contact persons. This mentoring phase does not end after the first weeks, however: Periodic exchange and further development- and feedback meetings are a matter of course for us. With our group-wide management development program, we support both up-and-coming as well as experienced management staff in their specific tasks at FAULHABER and establish a consistent understanding of management in our international locations in the FAULHABER style.
At the same time, it is important for us in the HR department to be approachable and to be directly available. HR is a true "people business" for us. We therefore consciously rely on personal contact and have, for example, opted against an anonymous ticket system. Individual development opportunities, fair and competitive compensation, equal pay, well equipped workplaces as well as occupational safety and health protection are likewise standard for us. But above all, we think for the long term: "Coming and going" is not an option for us. It is instead important to sustainably bundle competencies with our employees, to help them develop further and to shape the future together.
What role do cooperation and mutual trust play for the success of a technologically demanding company such as FAULHABER?
FAULHABER is a company with a long family history, with local roots but is also established internationally. A down-to-earth mentality and accessibility have shaped our culture in this regard. Cooperation and mutual trust play a central role for us, especially as we work in a technologically demanding environment. The basis for this is certainly also the satisfaction of our colleagues. This ensures openness, security and a sense of togetherness that allows us to successfully develop technologically complex solutions and to exist on the market for the long term.
FAULHABER is a classic medium-sized enterprise. What are the greatest challenges and where do you see the greatest opportunities for remaining competitive for skilled personnel?
Today's labor market has, without a doubt, become more demanding, and specialist personnel as well as technologically ambitious talents are rare. Even if FAULHABER is able to build upon a very solid foundation and is well known locally, nationally we are still more of a classic "hidden champion." Here, it is our technology above all that serves as a point of attraction – it makes us interesting for specialists who are specifically looking for challenging tasks and understand our technology as an important component for helpful end applications. At the same time, we have clear advantages over many larger employers in the region. As a family-run company, we stand for reliability, short decision paths, transparency, and a company culture that is shaped by what is referred to as the "FAULHABER spirit." This combination convinces many applicants, particularly experienced specialists who are looking for a move into a more personal, adaptable environment.
Another important element is our youth development program. Every year we train apprentices in various trades and support students in a variety of career paths. This allows us to secure competencies for the long term and to develop skilled workers from within. For external skilled staff, on the other hand, we offer an attractive overall package comprising an exciting work environment, challenging tasks, a good standing on the market, and long-term perspective.
How would you describe the company culture at FAULHABER – and how has it changed in recent years?
Our company culture has grown over many years and is characterized above all by cooperation and a sense of responsibility. As an internationally operating company, we do, of course, feel geopolitical tensions directly. The associated decisions also affect the everyday working life of our employees and can be a source of uncertainty. This makes it all the more important that we don't stand still but instead that we jointly search for solutions, carry on, and stick together. Trust in each other, in our own strengths and in our technological competencies is, moreover, a central element of our success.
Our team philosophy is truly lived at FAULHABER. Overall, this creates a good balance and the necessary optimism for a successful future – especially in today's challenging times.
We have always placed great value on helpfulness and mutual support. Expertise is actively acquired and shared. This open exchange with one another has contributed greatly to our employees driving our growth over the years. We work along the entire value chain closely and in a process-oriented manner with one another and not next to one another. At the same time, we are very aware of the general changes that are occurring: The increasing digitization, the experiences from the Corona era, and the establishment of the home office have as much influence on our culture as do changed career aspirations and social developments overall. Topics such as compatibility of family, place of residence, and workplace cannot be disregarded and a certain sense of fast pace in daily life is perceptible. Our corporate culture is therefore continuing to develop further – without losing its roots. This offers guidance and allows us to structure changes together.
Between fresh graduates and "old hands": Is generational conflict an issue?
No, because cooperation between different generations is important to us. We benefit from everyone, as every professional and life experience has its merit. It's not just about age but also about the amount of time spent with the company. Experience and fresh perspectives compliment one another with us very well – without barriers or hierarchies between the generations. Our age structure is balanced, and even the digital transformation does not separate any generations with us. We know that changes are part of everyday life and with them comes the willingness to actively embrace this transformation together. This is supported by clear structures within the departments and a good functioning collaboration across department boundaries.
And what, specifically, is important for the future?
The economical framework conditions, which are heavily influenced from the outside and are constantly changing, require more flexibility and personal as well as commercial resilience – both in the company itself as well as in the manner in which we act and react externally. To position ourselves more broadly and to be able to continue to offer our customers reliable and sophisticated solutions in a timely manner, processes are repeatedly examined and optimized. To this end, employees are authorized to act agilely and take responsibility. We want to even more strongly encourage employees to make decisions on their own and use their own competencies as well as actively drive projects and processes. Trust, clear framework conditions and the necessary freedom are decisive here. Our goal is to link FAULHABER's existing strengths with more agility – so that we continue to remain competitive even in a dynamic environment and shape the future together.
What motivates you personally in your role – and what makes work at FAULHABER so special for you?
On the one hand, it's the environment: the interaction and cooperation with committed, motivated, and competent employees and the special culture at FAULHABER. Even though I am not an engineer or technician myself, I am repeatedly fascinated by what is technologically possible at FAULHABER and by the passion and precision with which our products are created. On top of this comes the meaningfulness of our work. The drive systems that we develop and manufacture are often not directly visible in the application but are fundamental for the function. To know that our products make a true contribution – for example, in medical technology, where they support surgical procedures, or in space research such as in satellites – and have enormous potential for application inspires me. As a family-run company, FAULHABER offers true creative opportunities. Short communication paths, an open mindset for new ideas and developments as well as an established sense of togetherness within the management team are very motivating for me. The trust within management and the space to advance issues make the work something special. Last but not least, I am always learning something new here – such as in the context of internationalization. I find the expansion into other countries and the different local framework conditions extremely exciting and challenging. All of this motivates me daily to work together to further develop and actively help shape the success of FAULHABER. After all, we are all united by our shared understanding: We are FAULHABER.