Employees
The human factor behind success at voestalpine
29. January 2019
The human factor behind success at voestalpine
3 minutes spent reading
Christopher Eberl
Christopher Eberl is editorially responsible for the topics on the blog as well as for the apprentice website. With his stories he provides deep insights into the diverse world of the voestalpine Group.
Sandra Krötzsch is the Head of Human Resources for the Cold Stamping Group at voestalpine Automotive Components—she organizes the human factor behind the success of twelve international sites from South Africa to Thüringen.
“I see personnel as one of the most important factors in successful internationalization and global competitiveness”, says Sandra Krötzsch when asked about the factors which determine a company’s success in present times. “The most innovative production facilities in the world are useless without employees able to operate them.” Krötzsch’s perspective is not surprising: the 39-year-old business administrator is Head of Human Resources for the Cold Stamping Group at voestalpine Automotive Components.
The 39-year-old economist is head of Human Resources at voestalpine Automotive Components Cold Stamping Group.
An integrated approach
She takes an integrated approach to achieving this huge task. “We need to process and combine the experiences and existing expertise we have at the different sites, and to find a standardized way of sharing this knowledge,” the HR specialist explains.
"A key factor in this process lies in establishing interdisciplinary and multicultural teams, and creating the necessary platforms and channels through which these teams can exchange ideas and communicate."
Knowing what applicants are looking for
In her work Krötzsch draws on over 15 years’ experience in Human Resources gained since graduating in business management from the University of Leipzig. Almost half of this time she has spent at the voestalpine Group, proudly wearing her employee ID card since September 2012. This mother of two children, aged 9 and 11, started at voestalpine as a personnel officer. Exactly four years later she was promoted to Head of Personnel at the site in Schmölln with its two production plants and around 900 employees. After being appointed Head of Human Resources for the entire Cold Stamping Group in April last year, both Krötzsch’s clientele and research & analysis work has multiplied:
"We need to know what an applicant to each of the different sites is looking for so that we can present ourselves as an attractive employer in each job market."
A team player in the saddle
Consequently, planning and implementing employer branding measures takes up a significant part of Krötzsch’s working schedule, as does recruiting for important key positions, as well as designing and implementing all the onboarding and training processes used in Europe, South Africa, and China. Apropos time, when the human resources manager has a little spare time after work, she enjoys being outside. Not alone, but either on the back of a horse, or with her family and their dog. After all, personnel professionals are team players.
Christopher Eberl