Interview with Valérie Schelker, Head of Human Resources
“We have to think about tomorrow today.”
How is Swiss Post as an employer responding to the changing world of work? By helping its employees through the transformation process, minimizing uncertainties and taking advantage of the opportunities offered by new technologies. Swiss Post is meeting the challenges in recruiting with innovative strategies and a strong employer brand.
Valérie Schelker, some people see opportunities in digitization, others feel unsettled. Is digitization a curse or a blessing?
There are both perspectives. Digitization comes with more complex requirements, new tools and new ways of working. This rapid, far-reaching transformation of the world of work is causing uncertainty among some employees. It’s important here to support, assist and empower staff so that they don’t feel overwhelmed. When you feel you are supported, you are more open and confident about the opportunities offered by digitization and happy to take on something new. While training and counselling services are part of our responsibility as an employer, employees are also to take individual responsibility too. Put simply, we have to think about tomorrow today.
When you feel you are supported, you are more open to the opportunities offered by digitization.
Office workplaces and working from home: here, the expectations of employers and employees sometimes diverge. How is Swiss Post dealing with this?
For our staff in the sorting centers, delivery or the branches, the question of where they work is not an issue. But for office workers, flexible working models are an important factor. That’s why we are concentrating our office space at around twelve centrally located offices in Switzerland by 2030. These modern office hubs can be used by all units. We believe that personal encounters and collaboration in the office are essential: for networking with one another, for the induction and integration of new employees, and also for innovative strength. Depending on the task and role, the widely appreciated option of working from home can complement work in the office hubs.
What strategies is Swiss Post pursuing to be successful on the labour market? And which job profiles are particularly difficult to fill?
In particular, niche profiles and senior positions in IT, digitization, artificial intelligence and sustainability are difficult to fill. In delivery and for drivers, there are also regional shortages. To counteract this and to set ourselves apart from the competition, we focus on innovative recruitment that makes the application process easier for both sides. This includes applications via WhatsApp or an automated system for the initial selection of CVs. We are also testing potential-orientated recruitment, which places the focus on personal development opportunities. Beyond that, we actively look for suitable candidates ourselves.
And of course vocational training is important to us: we are fortunate that of our around 1,900 apprentices each year, over 60 percent stay with Swiss Post after completing their apprenticeship, which secures us 400 skilled workers every year.
How does Swiss Post manage to retain employees in the long term?
To remain an attractive employer, Swiss Post focuses on good employment conditions, development prospects and a strong corporate culture. Sustainability is another important factor. We review and adjust all of these parameters on a regular basis, including in dialogue with our social partners. Under a credible employer brand, we proactively communicate our core features as an employer, both internally and externally.