With the help of a newly developed simulation model which takes into account demographic developments on the labor market as well as other factors, Allianz is analyzing and planning future HR requirements in its companies worldwide. "At Allianz we have developed a tool that allows us to plan HR requirements for particular regions, markets, units and even specific specialist departments up to ten years in advance," explained CEO Michael Diekmann at a press conference. This is necessary, Diekmann said, because demographic developments will also affect HR planning at Allianz. "We need to be prepared for that," he continued.
Opportunities for women, older people and immigrant workers
Michael Diekmann: "Demographic developments will also affect HR planning at Allianz. We need to be prepared for that"
2010 sees labor market balance tipping
According to Michael Heise, Chief Economist of the Allianz Group, the shift has already begun: "2010 marks the first time in the EU where there are significantly fewer people starting on the career ladder than people entering retirement." This means it is easier for school leavers to find a traineeship and for employees to move company, but for employers it means an ever smaller selection of applicants to choose from. There is statistical evidence of this tendency in Germany, particularly over the recent economically strong months, says Heise. The number of gainfully employed persons has risen, and older employees are once again of interest to employers.
Immigrant workers from further afield
Heise sees a trend on the European labor market that is set to continue apace: Too many are leaving, with too few available to replace them. Because Europe's population is falling, he explains, it needs to prepare for immigration from regions where the number of inhabitants is rising, such as Asia, Africa and Latin America. With regard to exactly which countries Europe's future employees will be from, Heise expects to see increasing diversity. He warns, however, that immigration alone will not make up the shortfall in specialist staff that will occur due to the demographic shift, saying that Europe must make more of an effort to tap into the potential it already has available, in particular by employing more women and older people.
HR planners focus on women and older employees
Michael Diekmann believes that not only companies, but also politicians, have responsibilities to fulfill. Above all, he stresses, there is a need to invest today in the infrastructure that will make emigrating to Europe a more attractive proposition for young specialists from other regions, and make it possible for both women and experienced employees to work for longer, working more hours, and with part-time work not the only option.
Speaking on the promotion of women, Head of HR at Allianz Deutschland AG Wolfgang Brezina explained that in the long term, "no company can afford not to exploit the potential of nearly 50 percent of its employees at all levels."
The statistics prove that this is a priority for the Allianz Group: in the Allianz Leadership Development Program, which prepares employees to take up positions directly below board level, the percentage of women rose from 9 percent in the previous year to 29 percent in 2010. Two years ago Allianz announced that by 2015, women should make up 30 percent of its talent pool for managerial positions. The company is striving to create the necessary infrastructure for this to happen, as proven by the expansion of its workplace childcare provision. In the summer of 2011 Allianz will open two further nurseries offering places for 72 children in total.
Still ample numbers of trainees in Germany
Brezina is not expecting difficulties in recruiting young trainees in Germany for another few years yet: "At the moment, the labor market here is still an employer's market, but as a large company we cannot afford to just sit back and observe these developments. We need to be vigilant and prepared, and we are both."
Allianz is still receiving around 10 applications for each training place, according to Brezina. For the coming year the Head of HR expects this number to remain the same, although in Bavaria there will be twice as many students as usual leaving school with pre-university qualifications (Abitur), due to the reduction in the number of years spent at school prior to taking this exam. "To accommodate the double number of students leaving school in Bavaria with Abitur qualifications, Allianz plans to offer twice as many training places," says Brezina.
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