Work/Life Balance
Motivation by finding the right balance between work and home life
Motivated employees are willing to give their best and to bring their creativity to bear for the benefit of the company. At Siemens, we promote a corporate culture that builds and sustains a high level of motivation among our employees by helping them to achieve a balance between work and home life. We therefore offer services that support the family, flexible working hours and many health, sport and leisure provisions – all over the world.
Compatibility between work and home life
The ability to find a balance between work and home life is becoming increasingly important for our employees. The majority no longer choose between children and a career: they want both. We support them by enabling them to fulfil their work and home responsibilities equally. For this reason our main focus is on providing facilities for small children and family members in need of care.
To help our employees look after their children, Siemens currently provides around 400 places in German childcare facilities close to work. Siemens is one of the leading German companies in this area. The daycare centers and kindergartens are located near Siemens offices, so that parents can reach them quickly at any time. In addition, the opening times are geared to modern work patterns. And we are continuing to expand the facilities, with another 400 places already planned. In doing so, we will increase the number of childcare places in Germany to nearly 800 by 2011. For employees who prefer childcare in a home setting, we provide a babysitter listing on the company's' intranet, and we also cooperate with childcare consultants and placement agencies.
In addition, we help parents out by providing a wide range of vacation activities. Every year, approximately 2,000 children of Siemens employees participate with great enthusiasm in various local programs. Many employees also take advantage of vacation packages for the entire family, which they can purchase at greatly reduced prices.
For employees who want to quickly return to work following maternity leave, we offer re-entry programs and a wide range of flextime models. Part-time, flextime and telework are models that are becoming increasingly popular with fathers.
To give parents the chance to join a comprehensive health and fitness program, and thereby replenish their energies, Siemens has for years offered its employees a company health resort program with childcare.
Childcare in Munich – the perfect role model
The daycare center “SieKids” at the Jürgen-Schmieder-Haus in Munich, which is the product of a public-private partnership, demonstrates how city governments and companies can work together quickly to create a project that benefits everyone involved. 72 children attend this daycare center; 36 of them are the children of Siemens employees, while the other 36 places are assigned by the city of Munich. Siemens provided the construction site, situated near a large Siemens location in Munich, and built the building. The city of Munich handles day-to-day operations. This project is a perfect role model, for a similar project with the city is being planned for another Munich site. Other childcare facilities are being established in Karlsruhe, Duisburg and Erlangen.
The “SieKids“ daycare center built in Munich is a splendid example of the way a city government and a company can work together in the service of parents and children.
Family members in need of care – necessary assistance
"Elder care", or the support and care of family members, is becoming increasingly more important, as a result of demographic change. In many locations, we provide our employees with support in the form of information, advice or specific care arrangements, providing some of this through cooperation with external placement agencies.
Our Erlangen location is a pioneer in this area, offering emergency care for elderly family members, lecture series and family training programs, among other things.
Scheduling and workplace options
In order to help our employees combine work and family life, we offer – depending on local laws – flexible working hours and workplace options. In addition to a wide range of flextime and part-time models, we also offer teleworking opportunities.
Teleworking is already part of everyday life in many Siemens locations.
Technology enables people to work together on common projects, independently of time and location. Teleworking provides flexibility and creates new opportunities for finding a balance between work and home life. This requires a flexible management style and a responsible attitude on the part of employees to their new-found independence.
Many employees would like to be able to work from home. At Siemens, they can do this through teleworking and part-time arrangements (at least ten hours a week) – even at management level. Worktime models include flextime with "time accounts", job sharing and sabbaticals.
For the sake of your health: the German example
At Siemens, we firmly believe that the basic conditions for healthy living should be provided at the workplace. This is why our German locations provide a number of services that promote the health and well-being of our employees. We pay special attention to a healthy work environment, including ergonomic workstations, consulting and medical care through our company medical clinics, an extensive health spa and seminar program and much more. More information can be found under Occupational Health and Safety.
Fitness centers and sports facilities in nearly all locations, including special sports groups for certain medical conditions, Siemens-supported recreation groups, local massage services and healthy meals in company canteens round off the range of services.
Projects in South Africa
In 2007, Siemens Southern Africa initiated a work/life balance program to achieve an even better working environment, give its employees additional motivation and make the company more attractive to potential employees. Key measure were the introduction of flextime working hours and an improved maternity leave policy. In addition, a work/life balance intranet portal was developed to provide essential information on topics such as finance, culture and religion, wellness, parenting and entertainment.
Every employee’s dream: the opportunity to work outdoors on hot days. In South Africa Siemens has made this dream come true.
The company’s head office has also opened outside exercise facilities for employees and gives them the opportunity to work outdoors and conduct meetings at covered workstations connected up to a wireless network. Some employee canteens also provide outdoor seating. Nursing mothers now have breastfeeding rooms, and courses will be offered for expectant parents. Using external partners, there is even a "Queue for you" service, which handles trips to government agencies so employees don't have to stand in line. Further on-site services to employees are currently under investigation. Joint activities such as a Family Fun Days round off the work/life balance activities provided by Siemens Southern Africa.
Family entertainment on the company’s premises. The Family Fun Day at Siemens Southern Africa brings the families of our employees together in a fun atmosphere.