Interview with Dr. Ariane Reinhart, Head of Human Resources and member of the Executive Board of Continental AG

REINHART The shortage of skilled workers is getting worse, and, at the same time, unemployment is rising. The economy is shrinking, and more and more companies are relocating their activities abroad due to the poor location conditions. The German labor market is in a structural crisis and our welfare state is in danger.  

And yet we have highly skilled workers in Germany. Our education system is envied by the whole world. Year after year, it produces tens of thousands of excellently trained specialists for industry, trade, healthcare and services. Our resources are our people. Now we need to look at how we can use our good personnel, productivity, quality and innovation to secure our welfare state and our prosperity. 

We must act now. And all stakeholders must act together. Keeping the problem quiet won't help. Not only is a coordinated common approach needed. Effective instruments to improve the employment situation must also be developed and promoted. 

REINHART One promising approach for such an instrument is a so-called perspective company, the “Work in Motion” GmbH, which we are currently setting up. This will emerge from the Continental company “ContiMotion”, which Continental founded together with the IG BCE trade union. The concept envisages the involvement of other stakeholders (companies, trade unions, additionally associations and institutions and possibly also state institutions).   

The idea behind “Work in Motion”: employees who are not currently needed in the work process - for example due to operational overcapacity or because they no longer have the right qualifications - are hired, trained if necessary and then temporarily or fully placed with other companies with personnel requirements. This ensures that the labor market will continue to have sufficient employees with the necessary skills in the future. This makes a targeted contribution to ensuring that the German economy remains innovative and competitive in the long term. 

REINHART The key is “qualification”. This means that we must build bridges to new employment options by providing employees with future-oriented qualifications. This is precisely where Continental can contribute its proven experience and expertise. We founded our own training institute (Continental Institute for Technology and Transformation, CITT) in 2019. Since it was founded, around 11,000 participants have acquired new skills for their future there. 

Another example ist the “Alliance of Opportunities”. Since its foundation in 2021, it has already placed around 2,000 employees in other companies. This initiative is run by a responsible community of around 75 companies and institutions that is breaking new ground in the transformation and working together to develop concrete solutions. The goal: “From employment to employment”, i.e. to create employment prospects for the member companies’ employees affected by the transformation.    

REINHART Here, managers are particularly in demand. They have to provide orientation and get people on board emotionally. And this is only possible with personal and authentic communication: why are the changes necessary, how do we want to achieve them and what role does each and every individual play in the transformation process? 

We are also counting on the support of the social partners. Such a holistic transformation can only succeed if employee representatives and employers work together. We are actively working to show employees prospects. Because perspectives create optimism. 

REINHART Yes, this is indeed a major challenge that we are also facing at Continental. Continental is a very diversified corporation, so different business units are in different phases of transformation. As a result, employees have the impression that the transformation has been going on for a very long time—even if they have not been personally affected. This process needs to be explained and discussed openly. 

Wherever employees are affected by changes, we have now set up “centers for future” as the first point of contact. We primarily offer conversations and discussions there, together with the local works council. Whether it's personal advice on the changes and their own prospects, possible qualifications, CV checks or job application advice—with the “centers for future”, we want to give our employees safety and optimism for their future. 

REINHART The transformation is huge and affects all industries. That is why we can only tackle the challenges together. It's about securing Germany as an economic location and ensuring prosperity. You can't do this as a lone fighter. It can only be done by joining forces. At Continental, we live this approach. 

On one hand, this means joint responsibility on the part of the social partners and company parties. But I also see the need to think beyond company boundaries. Where we can no longer make progress within the company, we therefore seek contact and exchange with other companies. In this way, we can also show our employees prospects outside the company - of course only after we have tried everything internally.