Employment conditions
We are continuing to improve employment conditions within the framework of the Strong Rail strategy, based on current and future social developments, as well as employees’ and applicants’ expectations of a modern employer. Issues such as flexibility, participation and individualization are highly important.
Collective bargaining process 2020/2021 completed
In May 2020, DB Group signed the Alliance for Our Railway (2020 Integrated Report) together with the Federal Transport Minister, the EVG, the Group Works Council and the German Mobility and Transport Services Association (Arbeitgeberund Wirtschaftsverband der Mobilitäts- und Verkehrsdienstleister e. V.; AGV MOVE). Against this backdrop, we reached an agreement with the EVG on a comprehensive collective bargaining package in September 2020. In addition to regulations for moderate wage increases in 2022 and a period up to February 2023, the overall package includes numerous agreements on relevant topics for the future. After further negotiations, we reached an agreement with the EVG in October 2021 on additional obligations arising from collective bargaining agreements that supplement the agreements on the Alliance for Our Railway.
Mobility services and supported living space
With our digital housing exchange, we are making it easier for our employees to access affordable housing. At the same time, we have intensified our cooperation with housing companies and updated contractual terms. In 2020, we concluded cooperation agreements with six housing companies that provide our employees with access to a pool of about 600,000 apartments. When selecting cooperation partners, we pay attention to the average rent levels as well as the location of the apartments. In addition, we analyze the needs of our employees in order to be able to plan specific housing projects in the future and implement them if necessary.
DB internal vaccine offer
We offer our employees vaccines to support the Covid-19 vaccination campaign in Germany. To this end, we have set up our own vaccine centers at ten central locations (Hamburg, Hanover, Berlin, Leipzig, Frankfurt am Main, Cologne, Duisburg, Karlsruhe, Nuremberg and Munich) and operate these independently with the support of the company medical service providers PIMA and ASAM prevent. DB’s in-house vaccine centers were initially open from June 2021 until the end of August 2021. As we had sufficient resources of vaccines and medical staff available, the vaccine offer was also expanded to include family members of DB employees and employees of the social partners. A total of about 32,000 vaccines were administered.
Flexible design of working hours
We acknowledge social changes and the wishes of employees when organizing working hours. Our efforts to continuously improve flexibility in working hours help to increase our attractiveness as an employer and are therefore of great importance for employee loyalty and recruitment. In this context we offer, for example, the elective working hours model. Employees can decide whether to reduce their working hours by one or two hours per week, take six or 12 additional vacation days per year or receive an increasedsalary. In 2021, about two-thirds of the employees covered collective bargaining agreements opted for a model with additional vacation within the scope of the regulation.
Modern health management
We were able to guarantee important mobility services throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. Our crisis management team in the area of occupational health management in particular has played an important role in this regard. With its activities and protective measures, our occupational health management follows the German National Pandemic Plan, the occupational health and safety regulations of the Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs (Bundesministerium für Arbeit und Soziales; BMAS), and the precautionary recommendations of the Robert Koch Institute. The objectives of the crisis management team include minimizing the risk of infection at the workplace, maintaining operational processes, maintaining operational infrastructure and ensuring basic supply.
Mobile working
We are consistently taking further steps towards establishing new and flexible forms of collaboration. In summer 2021, the fundamental decision was made to anchor mobile working into our everyday work for employees and executives with office activities. In addition, desk sharing and an activity-oriented office concept are being gradually introduced at all office locations throughout Germany.