Implementation of a systematic personnel development (PD)

Health insurance company, approx. 900 employees

PD is geared towards all the employees.

• Until the project start, systematic personnel development used to be a spare-time task of the assistant to the executive board.
• After an internal restructuring, a broad audit of all the managers was conducted.
• After this broad diagnostic phase, the question was how a targeted personnel development process should look like.

• Consultation with the executive board regarding objectives and desired contributions to the business strategy.
• Development of a comprehensive PD concept that provides guidance as to “how PE works”, among others
  – Fields of action
  – Target groups
  – Methods
  – Core processes
  – Responsibility for core processes
• Transferring the PD role to managers as a central leadership task
• Introduction of a structured assessment process for employees
• Structured analysis of PD needs and budget planning
• Establishment of ACs as a standard recruitment procedure
• Introduction of computerised tools to document and control PD activities
• Gradual training of an internal employee for the role of employee development

• Important promoters with a clear will instead of merely paying lip service.
• Resources: Time and money for PD activities and instruments
• Close cooperation with personnel management and staff council
• Specific exchange with various executives
• Transparency and information
• Clear rules, e.g. Regarding the budget, seminar attendance
• Qualification of the internal key players

2 years – then transfer to internal PD appointee

The introduction was driven by the clear commitment of the board of executive – insofar there hardly were any slumps; PD has gradually been developed and implemented without significant crises; only finding a compromise with the staff council was a challenge at times.

• Exemplary PD in the health insurer landscape,
• Capitalising on the employees’ potential by targeted development and support
• Targeted and controlled qualification of employees
• More scope of action for employees to initiate their development on their own
• Increase of employer attractiveness
• Alignment of the PD to strategic goals of the company. That means: PD makes a significant contribution to the achievement of the business goals.