What makes a dream job? Is it the job specification, the colleagues, the salary or the development opportunities? For each of us, the answer will be slightly different. Three recruiters describe why they think KION is an attractive company.
2022-11-02
For many companies, a major challenge at the moment is finding suitable applicants for their vacancies: Workers are in short supply in almost every sector, and there is competition for the best talent. Caroline Staudinger is responsible for attracting the best talent in the HR department at KION. She is convinced: the Group is attractive and has a lot to offer. "We are successful and work in a dynamic growth market with our globally active brands. That makes the job exciting and offers employees long-term prospects. Colleagues can move a lot with us, develop themselves further - and all that in an international environment."
That's why applicants are also interested in the training they can receive (internally). "At KION - including our brands Linde Material Handling, STILL and Dematic, as well as KION Group IT - we offer plenty of opportunities for entry and further training," says Staudinger. "At the beginning of September, 125 young people started their working lives at the German companies of the KION Group , either in an apprenticeship or in a dual study program. They are part of a current total of around 500 young people starting their careers with us." In addition, KION 2022 has expanded its successful management trainee program for university graduates with master's degrees . Thanks to very positive experiences with previous trainee cohorts, the company has increased the number of positions by seven to twelve this year.
"Talents today want more than monetary remuneration," Staudinger knows from experience. "They ask how flexibly they can work. 'Modern work concepts' are a topic we are addressing worldwide: so, for example, hybrid workplaces." Also Margot Wuyts is aware that the expectations of applicants - and those of employees - have changed. She recruits talents for KION Mobile Automation (KMA) in Antwerp, Belgium: “Of course, the colleagues’ drive to contribute to the company is there, but more and more with it comes a desire for flexibility, remote work and other modern benefits. Within the KION Group, we are not badly positioned in this respect.” KMA can offer the stability and security of a big company, but the flexibility and the dynamics of a start-up, Wuyts explains. With a current mix of new unexperienced employees and people working on AGV technology for over 25 years, the company has fresh innovation that is strengthened by the wisdom of experience. “With regular team-building activities to foster good connections between everyone and growth opportunities popping up fast, KMA found a way to keep people captivated.”
Jon Marie Layne also knows how attractive KION is as an employer. She is a seasoned recruiter with more than 15 years of experience. She’s been with the subsidiary Dematic in the US for a year, where she found her own dream job. “When I applied at Dematic, I hadn’t heard of the company yet. And neither have some of the candidates I speak with. But from the conversations I know that we have a lot to offer. We offer a lot of dream jobs. Candidates are excited about working with automation, emerging technologies, artificial intelligence and robotics. They see that our markets are dynamic, and we work with world class products and leading global brands. Also, Dematic is a welcoming organization; we have a diverse workforce all across the globe. Employing people from different backgrounds and with different attitudes is good for a company and an asset for us.”
Daniel Wyma is Director for Global Project Engineering at Dematic in Milwaukee:
"My dream job is what I do here. Because it’s versatile and challenges me. I plan and coordinate engineering execution for customers. What I particularly like about my job is the responsibility and the freedom to find creative solutions. Dematic is incredibly versatile in terms of products, constantly has its finger on the pulse, and is embedded in an environment that affects everyone - warehouses and intralogistics."
Nilakshi Naphade is a Data Scientist for the KION Group in Frankfurt on Main:
"I analyze data for KION ITS: I help forecast the European market for used trucks or study customer behavior. There are now seven colleagues working in the team. When I started, there were only two. I have a lot of responsibility, which is something I lacked at my previous job. At the same time, I
particularly appreciate the fact that superiors in the KION Group are approachable and can be reached directly. That makes work more pleasant."
Raymond Bierzynski is senior vice president at the KION Group and responsible for module and component development in Jinan, China:
"The KION Group’s global presence appealed to me. My previous job was international, but not global.
Based in Jinan, China, I am now responsible for the module and component development worldwide. KION lives a truly global culture, you can feel that. The combination with the technical complexity and level of detail of the products – that’s great!"
This September, the KION Group's corporate headquarters celebrates its fifth anniversary as a location: In the fall of 2017, the company relocated its headquarters from Wiesbaden to the business metropolis of Frankfurt.
The new location in Gateway Gardens, directly at the airport, has significantly increased the company's visibility and accessibility - thanks to excellent air, rail and highway connections. Inside the headquarters, there is a modern space concept with multifunctional office areas that enable flexible working and promote communication among each other.
The building, which is still young, was certified in 2017 with the gold status "Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design," or LEED. This, too, pays into the
- a fact that is of great importance not only to the Group, but also increasingly to our applicants.
