Background information

Schaeffler Global Services Europe (SGSE) is a subsidiary of Schaeffler, a leading supplier of automotive components. The SGSE shared services centre has been operating in Wrocław, Poland, since October 20218. Following the expansion of its activities in the city, the company moved its shared service centre to a larger office in January 2020. Then, the company announced that over the next few years it would create 800 new jobs in total. To make services provision as well as recruitment possible in the context of COVID-19 sanitary restrictions, the company has implemented a series of specific measures concerning, among others, remote working, well-being and recruitment process.

Content of measure

To maintain continuous operation and intensive team growth throughout the crisis, the company has implemented changes in the following areas:

1. Work organization: at the very beginning of the pandemic, the company adopted a completely new model of work for the shared services sector, namely remote work. The most crucial aspect was implementation of technology for remote working, especially new communication channels. Currently, meetings, interviews in the recruitment process, as well as training and practical workshops, are carried out via Skype or MS Teams.
2. Workplace well-being: the company has noted that preferences towards additional employee’ benefits have changed. Employees are increasingly interested in issues of health and emotional support. The company offers diversified private healthcare packages, ergonomic furnishing of the workplace at home, as well as appropriate mentoring and training programme, including workshops on dealing with anxiety or stress. The company has introduced some tools to maintain a good relationship in teams, including short meeting at various levels, joint problem solving, employees’ integration through virtual entertainment, competitions, online coffee meetings, space for sharing everyday problems, and flexible working hours to support parents.

Use of measure

All SGSE departments and employees.

Contents

• Health and safety
• Telework
• Work organisation

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Employees in standard employment	Does not apply to businesses	Does not apply to citizens

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
Company / Companies	Employer

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

	Trade unions	Employers' organisations
Role	Unknown	No involvement
Form	Not applicable	Not applicable

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

• Unknown
• Main level of involvement: Company level

Involvement

Not available.

Views and reactions

Irrevelant

Sectors and occupations

This case is not occupation-specific.

Sources

• 17 December 2020: Koronawirus kontra Schaeffler. Jak funkcjonuje firma podczas kryzysu (www.wroclaw.pl)