Human resources

The organizational structure within Human Resources is closely interlinked. The operational work of the companies is organized into independent HR departments. Depending on the size of the company, there is not only operational HR management, but also HR development. With the introduction of various software applications (e.g. ATOSS, Workday, and PeopleDoc) in recent years, HR processes throughout the HR value chain have been standardized and digitalized across the Group. Regular discussion panels ensure adherence to the processes and enable the sharing of best practices. Group HR Development is responsible for the creation and further development of the HR strategy as well as for overarching topics relating to leadership and management development. The measures are supplemented by company-specific HR development processes that are embedded in the overall strategic concept. Overall, cross-company and cross-border cooperation in the area of HR is pursued as a success factor for a sustainable HR policy. As of December 31, 2022, the Group had more than 10,000 employees (headcount). These are divided into six strategic business units. The table shows the breakdown of Zeppelin Group employees by FTE (Full-Time Equivalent) and headcount, the number of trainees, and the full-time ratio.¹ From 2021 to 2022, the number of Zeppelin employees in the Construction Equipment Eurasia and Power Systems SBUs fell.

The year 2022 was marked by the Russian war of aggression on Ukraine, which led to a humanitarian crisis in the affected areas and far-reaching economic effects. The Zeppelin Group operates in Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus and is therefore directly affected by the war. The figures for the Construction Equipment Eurasia SBU and the Power Systems SBU are down, as a large proportion of employees in Russia were removed due to the war in Ukraine.

In contrast, the Construction Equipment Central Europe, Construction Equipment Nordics, Rental, Plant Engineering, and Zeppelin GmbH SBUs posted a slight increase in the number of employees. Growth in these SBUs is steady and healthy: Every new hire is well considered and the deployment of an employee is something that is planned for the long term. As a result, new Zeppelin employees generally receive a permanent employment contract – in 2022, the proportion of permanent employees was 99%. The use of contracts for work, temporary workers and freelancers plays a subordinate role in terms of sustainable personnel planning.³

The average age of the employees in 2022 was 42.1 years. Further information on the breakdown of the age structure can be found in the appendix under “Overview of non-financial key figures”. Demographic change, and the competitive situation with other companies require additional measures to recruit and retain employees to counteract the shortage of skilled workers and secure the company’s success in the long term. Among other initiatives, Zeppelin will increasingly use employer branding measures in 2023 in order to further expand and consolidate its positioning as an attractive employer.

For Zeppelin, it goes without saying that employees should have a stake in the financial performance as they are the ones who make the company successful. The models vary from Group company to Group company and depend on the respective position of the employee. There are models with contractually defined monthly remuneration plus annual profit sharing or models with a fixed salary and variable remuneration, which also contain a performance-related component.

The very good economic performance of recent years is reflected in personnel costs. These increased due to the rise in the number of employees in high-price regions and also to the profit sharing paid out.

Given the increasing importance of pensions for retirement, the Zeppelin Group offers employees in Germany the opportunity to save for a supplementary pension. There are different pension plan models in the individual companies, such as direct insurance, pension fund or plans stipulated in collective bargaining agreements. The company finances the company pension scheme with tax-free contributions. But employees also have the option of concluding a self-financed company pension scheme in accordance with the statutory provisions (deferred compensation). The respective framework conditions for provision by Zeppelin are regulated in the company-specific arrangements of the subsidiaries. The reduction in long-term employee benefits is largely due to the actuarial effects of the higher interest rates for discounting liabilities.

Collective bargaining agreements

The majority of Zeppelin Group companies in Germany are not subject to collective bargaining agreements. However, Zeppelin follows many of the regulations of the collective bargaining agreements for wholesale and foreign trade in the companies in Germany that are not bound by collective wage agreements and generally adopts the agreed wage agreements. The majority of companies of Zeppelin Systems GmbH in Germany are bound by collective bargaining agreements as part of IG Metall, just like some employees of Zeppelin Rental GmbH are part of the construction collective agreement. In Austria, employees of Zeppelin Österreich GmbH are subject to the collective agreements of the metalworking industry and Zeppelin Rental Österreich GmbH & Co. KG is subject to the collective agreements of the metal industry, trade and commerce as well as those of retail. At Zeppelin Systems, the majority of overseas companies are not bound by collective bargaining agreements; two countries are in a structure similar to that of collective bargaining agreements. The overview of the individual collective agreements and the sites and employees in Germany covered by these are shown below.

Management culture in the company

As a company steeped in tradition, Zeppelin feels connected to its history and is committed to a management culture based on our core values of integrity and excellence. Societal and economic trends such as demographic change, digitalization and new work, a change in values and lifestyles, as well as the shortage of skilled workers are constantly changing the world of work. Zeppelin’s leadership principles developed in 2021 take into account current social and economic trends and challenges in the world of work, preparing Zeppelin for a successful future. They embody our shared understanding of leadership, provide guidance, and clearly convey what we expect of managers at Zeppelin. The management principles provide employees with guidance on what they can expect and demand from their managers. Management at Zeppelin should be characterized by communication, reflection, and trust and should put people at the center of what they do.

To anchor the five management principles in the Zeppelin Group in the long term, they were incorporated into new and existing management development programs and processes in 2022. The implementation was also accompanied by a comprehensive workshop format for all Zeppelin managers in order to incorporate the management principles even more strongly into their daily work. In 2023, in addition to the ongoing programs, further practice-oriented workshop formats and initiatives on focus topics such as inclusive leadership and healthy leadership are planned.

¹ We specify the number of employees excluding apprentices, employees on long-term sick leave, interns/trainees, combined study/work students as well as employees on unpaid leave, partial retirement in the release phase and those on parental leave. Temporary workers and freelancers are also not included. In contrast, employees on maternity leave and those engaged in military or community service are included.

³ No significant proportion of the company’s activities are carried out by employees who are employed outside Zeppelin.