ebm-papst: German industrial fan leader lets employees work “whenever they want”
World leader in its section, ebm-papst group has recently launched, in its head office in Mulfingen (Baden-Württemberg), an extremely flexible working time system.  Indeed, the 1,000 employees...
30 April 2014
Porsche: wide flexible working time plan to boost productivity
In spite of its rising workforce and working and pay conditions a lot of employees dream about, the major increase in pace in the factories of the jewel of the German auto industry is putting...
28 April 2014
Siemens Italia completely transforms its offices with a groundbreaking flexible working time system
“New Siemens Office” was launched in Italy in 2011.  In 212, it won the Buone Pratiche HR award, handed out by the Italian Association for Personnel Management (AIDP).  Now covering 1,700...
9 April 2014
BMW signs company agreement on managing “mobile working time” (Germany)
After bargaining and experimenting for a year, the management of the German carmaker, BMW, and the company’s central works council announced that they had signed a company agreement to define and...
17 February 2014
EY (formerly Ernst&Young) tackles the taboo of employees’ mental suffering
The financial audit giant, EY (formerly Ernst&Young), has recently launched a new employee wellbeing program for its UK employees.  For the first time, it focuses on psychological support and...
11 February 2014
United States: Merrill Lynch encourages junior investment bankers to take one day off per week
After a young intern died who had stayed up several nights in a row last summer in London, Bank of America’s investment bank, Merrill Lynch, has recently issued an internal note calling on its...
13 January 2014
Objective zero harm: the bet made by EDF Energy in the UK
Since 2008, EDF Energy – the British subsidiary of EDF group, with more than 15,000 employees in nuclear, gas and renewable energy – has set up a groundbreaking health and wellbeing program, “Zero...
17 December 2013
Great Britain: e-cigarettes are HR managers’ new nightmare
The growing success of electronic cigarettes is forcing businesses to come up with new regulations.  But how to consider this atypical product, which some present as a weapon against tobacco but...
13 November 2013
At TDC, the biggest telecom company in Denmark, employee who smoke outside of collective breaks now have to “compensate” the time gone up in smoke
On October 1, at TDC, the biggest telecom company in Denmark (8,500 employees), a new antismoking policy came into force.  It provides for a complete ban on smoking inside the premises and in...
2 October 2013
Sickness presenteeism: a rampant phenomenon in industrialized countries
Sickness presenteeism – employees who go to work when they are sick – is a reality heads of businesses know little of in western countries.  Yet it’s real, as real as absenteeism, and can be...
17 September 2013
Renault: HR agencies for employee-customers
Renault made a small revolution at the end of 2011 in the HR organization of its engineering and service undertakings in the Paris area (16,900 employees).  Employees and managers used to complain...
11 July 2013
Part-time work evolution follows work cultures and national normative expectations
Two researchers from the infamous Social Science Research of Berlin (WZB) looked into part-time practices among management in 19 European countries, from data gathered by the EU in 2009.  They...
Germany: napping at work is gradually growing
SAP, BMW, Lufthansa, BASF, Vaillant…, a growing number of German businesses are arranging “resting areas” for their employees.  But they’re doing it almost in secret because the issue is still...
30 April 2013
Corporate practices: Enel’s occupational safety strategy
Coaching contracting and subcontracting firms, developing innovative training and information methods for employees, spreading the best practices and improving social dialogue… these are the key...
18 April 2013
Corporate practices: at Globus SB-Warenhaus, the German retail group, one click is all it takes to reconcile employees’ personal interests and the company’s needs
First retail company to receive, in 2008, the "Work and Family" award from the Hertie Foundation, the German department store chain, Globus SB-Warenhaus Holding GmbH & Co. KG, received, in May...
21 March 2013
Corporate practices: staff wellbeing at the center of the economic strategy implemented by Lån & Spar Bank A/S bank
“Actions on health and the working environment were initiated as a key element in our new strategy to improve basic profits as well as client and employee satisfaction” Keld Thornæs, associate...
29 November 2012
Most viewed articles of the month on mind HR
What readers clicked on the most last month.
What readers clicked on the most last month.
1
Ireland: minimum wage increase of 5,6% from 1 January 2027
The info. The Irish government has included a minimum wage increase of 79 cents in its Budget 2027, in line with recommendations from the Low Pay Commission. The rate will rise from €14.15...
2
Denmark: government prepares implementation of pay transparency in March 2027
The news. On 8 October, the Danish executive submitted the bill transposing the European Pay Transparency Directive to the national Parliament. The text stems from an agreement between trade...
3
China: draft bill to strengthen platform workers’ rights
On 8 October, the Chinese government published a draft bill open for consultation aimed at providing minimum guarantees to non-employee platform workers in terms of pay and working conditions. The...
23 October 2026
4
Is a global wage freeze at Volkswagen possible?
The existence of an option to implement a global wage freeze until 2030 has been confirmed by the management of the German group Volkswagen, which nevertheless provides no details and refers to...
20 October 2026
5
France: paid leave for victims of sexual and domestic violence finally adopted
The news. On 13 October, the French National Assembly unanimously approved, among voting members, the “comprehensive bill” aimed at protecting victims of sexual and gender-based...
6
Spain: metal industry employers cut sick pay top-ups
To curb absenteeism, Spanish social partners in the metal sector are introducing new clauses into regional collective agreements to reduce the top-up payments made by employers during sick leave...
2 November 2026