Human resources

Service-oriented human resources management

Securing the supply and employability of skilled workers and designing working conditions in a demand-oriented and service-oriented way

What do we mean by this?

In human resources management, service orientation means orienting administrative and vocational training processes towards the needs of employees.



Training
Training young people does not just secure the organisation's skilled labour base; it is a social responsibility. For the trainees, it means an expansion of professional and social skills, which leads to an increase in individual employability, i.e. a person's ability to participate in the working and professional world.

Ideally, training activities are not only geared to the requirements of one's own research organisation, but also to the needs of the region. Germany, for example, has the concept of Verbundausbildung as joint vocational training provided by multiple companies and organisations in cooperation, which has the advantage of securing a skilled labour base and quality training among regional partners as well. Such cooperative efforts can furthermore increase the attractiveness of vocational training and strengthen regional development.

How could a research organisation implement this?

  • Establish a competence centre to answer questions of collective bargaining, labour law, and pensioning
  • Educate and train technical staff, managers, and experts in occupational health and safety matters; conduct regular inspections of facilities
  • Offer qualification programmes for training officers and staff in human resources management
  • Collaborate in information and training programmes, such as vocational orientation in schools, in-company training workshops, student laboratories, joint vocational training, or dual courses of study
  • Establish ISO 9001 quality management processes in the training services
  • Develop life-phase-oriented working time models (e.g. part-time apprenticeships)

Practical examples

Vocational training at Fraunhofer


As an employer, the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft offers around 40 apprenticeships and dual study courses throughout Germany. It sees its mission not only in teaching practical skills and the necessary specialist knowledge, but also in the continual development of interdisciplinary qualifications, so-called "soft skills".

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Dual education with the Leibniz Association


©Leibniz/David Ausserhofer

Many years ago, the Leibniz Association's Executive Board established the office of the Executive Board Representative for Dual Education in the Leibniz Association as well as the Dual Training Working Group, and annually awards the "Leibniz Award for Apprentices".

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Further information

Pact for Research and Innovation III
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Sustainability reporting

DNK criteria

  • 14 Employee Rights
  • 16 Qualifications

GRI indicators

  • G4-LA 5–9
  • G4-LA 16