The BZ is looking for the job engines of southern Baden for the year 2023: the economy

competition for businesses

It’s not easy to understand. Almost the whole world is talking about an economic downturn or even a recession. On the other hand, towns and villages are filled with posters or notices encouraging people to apply for job vacancies. The search for workers is cross-sectoral. Industrial companies are hoping for interested parties, as well as retailers and craft businesses.

Demographic change explains at least in part the apparent contradiction between the economic situation, which is sometimes becoming more difficult, and the shortage of skilled labour. Representatives of the baby boomer generation, the baby boomers, are gradually withdrawing from the workforce. Replacing them is difficult. Offspring are scarce and in demand. It is therefore all the more extraordinary when companies are able to create and fill many new jobs. It is equally important to be able to keep employees with convincing ideas and concepts in the company.

Both the effort to increase employment and the effort to tie staff to the company are recognized in the Jobmotor competition, which in 2023 will reach its 17th edition. Since 2006 it has been jointly organized by the Badische Zeitung, the Chambers of Industry and Commerce (IHK) Südlicher Oberrhein,
Hochrhein-Bodensee and Schwarzwald-Baar-Heuberg as well as the Freiburg Chamber of Crafts and the Baden Industrialists’ Association (WVIB). The award ceremony for the working engine traditionally takes place in the Meckelhalle of the Sparkasse Freiburg-Nördlicher Breisgau.

The Jobmotor Prize is awarded in three categories

The participating companies have created around 19,900 new jobs in southwest Germany since the start of the job engine. The competition differentiates and does not compare apples to oranges. The prize is awarded in three categories: for companies with up to 19 employees, for companies with 20 to 199 employees and for companies with 200 or more employees. All positions subject to social security contributions are counted, whether part-time or full-time, including apprenticeships, but not mini-jobs. This division also offers smaller companies, which would otherwise be less visible to the public, the opportunity to generate a lot of interest.

The second category “Finding and Retaining Employees” is about recognizing the sophisticated concepts with which companies counter the shortage of workers. Greater participation of women in working life helps to tackle the shortage. Good childcare options are a prerequisite for mothers to be able to take paid work or increase their workload part-time. Companies can also offer a variety of incentives here, such as setting up a company kindergarten. Compatibility between family and work is a decisive prerequisite for equal opportunities in the company and in the economy as a whole.

Knowledge is the key to economic success. Older employees have a huge amount of knowledge due to their long experience. Those who can keep this group in business for a long time and meet their special needs have a clear competitive advantage.

The federal government wants to integrate more people with disabilities into the labor market. Federal Labor Minister Hubertus Heil reiterated this recently. Companies too can do a lot to ensure that “people with disabilities can participate in working life on an equal footing and in a self-determined way”, as the minister says.

Immigration is another factor of employment. The German economy would be unimaginable without people with roots in other countries. Without them, nothing would work in many industries. How can they be best integrated? For example, how do you overcome language barriers? Successful recipes are rewarded at the Jobmotor.

This award is independent of the number of newly created jobs and is also awarded in three categories: small, medium, large. Last year, the companies Stay Informed (Merzhausen, small companies), Cytena (Freiburg, medium category), Intuitive Surgical and Jorad (both Freiburg, large companies) won in the Job Growth category. In the area of ​​employee search and retention, Walter Vögele (Freiburg) and Spezial-Transformer Stockach (STS) (Stockach, both in the medium category) excelled. Testo Industrial Services (Kirchzarten) has won over large companies with its detailed concept.