EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The following executive summary serves as an overview of our project process cooperation with our project partner - AMAG (Austria Metall AG). In the following paragraphs we would like to specify our primary goal, the methodology, and the final results.

Goal

AMAG, Austria’s largest aluminum corporation, has been faced with the global ongoing problem of a shortage of skilled labor. Despite AMAG’s efforts to curb this problem by introducing favorable incentives, e.g. stock options, flexitime, continuing education opportunities, they still struggle to fill their vacant positions in all areas of the company – blue-collar- and white-collar-employees. The goal of this project work is therefore to support AMAG in alleviating the current personnel shortage and to create sustainable added value in the area of recruiting and retaining of employees.

Methodology

In order to aid the AMAG in tackling this problem we began by analyzing the problem from two perspectives – micro- and macro. We started by analyzing the European labor market and then subsequently the Austrian labor market. The analysis consisted of statistics from data banks and an interview with an employee from AMS (Arbeitsmarktservice). In the next step, we conducted interview with 12 AMAG employees so that we could grasp their needs concerning AMAG as an employer, as to be able to deliver recommendation concerning the topic of retainment of current employees. As the AMAG also struggles to attract new employees, we also led interviews with students, who will soon be graduates, more specifically from 2 HAKs, 2 HTLs and one “Polytechnische Schule”, in total 71 students. Our objective was to understand their needs as young adults entering the job market, so that we could help the AMAG gain insights into the topic of recruitment. To complement these finding, the team also carried out a competitor analysis with secondary data complemented by data from the interviews, in order to find out where the AMAG stands in comparison to their competitors concerning topics like incentives, recruiting measures, social media and online media.

Results

We developed measures to help AMAG strengthen its retainment and recruitment of employees. Current employees stated that the working environment is very important, so in order to promote this, we recommend an AMAG arcade, where employees have the chance to interact even more in a leisure environment. To highlight how much current employees save through the monetary incentives, we suggest introducing a character – “AMAG Andi”, and portraying how much he saves in a month, when he takes advantage of incentives. The last measure for the topic of retainment would be to offer personal development coaching, as the AMAG already offers many opportunities to further educate oneself and these are really appreciated by employees. As recruitment of potential employees is also a hardship and AMAG has difficulties in showing the public, how attractive the working environment is, we suggest a tik-tok channel which focuses on employees interacting with one another as friends. Secondly, we also think the introduction of a point of view video of a worker in school presentations would be very intriguing for students and would allow them to get insights into the everyday life that awaits them at AMAG. In conclusion, as the AMAG comes often into contact with potential employees through the giving away of internships, graduate degree thesis, etc., it would be important to stay in touch with these individuals. Therefore, through an ambassador network AMAG would have the chance to communicate with these individuals and stay present in the eyes of them, while also positioning itself as an attractive employer at universities and schools for higher education.

Cooperation Partner

• AMAG Austria Metall AG
  Lamprechtshausener Straße 61, 5282 Braunau-Ranshofen
  Austria
  www.amag-al4u.com

Contact Person

• Paul Benischek - paul.benischek@amag.at

Student Team

• David Sulzbacher

• Alexander Pöcksteiner

• Donatella Rubelj

• Paul Porodko

• Alexander Welser

Project Manager

• Mag. Benjamin Monsorno, MA

• Dr. Jakob Pohlisch