Increased flexibility, work overload and fear of lost jobs in the aftermath of the restructuring of the German railway have sharply increased the stress of the remaining workforce after the lay-off of around 100,000 workers between 1994 and 2007. Even managers are looking at the restructuring with a critical eye. Such are the main conclusions of a new study published on October 1, 2008 by the Hans-Böckler Foundation, which is close to the unions, a few weeks from the partial entry of Deutsche Bahn AG on the stock exchange, scheduled on October 27. (Ref. 080747)
Carried out under the direction of Hildegard Maria Nickel, Professor of sociology at the Humboldt University in Berlin, the study shows that executive staff themselves think that the company can no longer improve its productivity through further rationalization, but by developing its policy of personnel qualification.“ One day, we are told to look after customers with more people if necessary, and the next we have to cut jobs,” complained a human resources manager quoted by the Foundation’s researchers, who conclude that the main objectives of the company to earn more money and win more customers have become contradictory.
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