Why Jean-Claude Grandjean considers his job to be the most multifaceted in the company, how he turned bad HR experiences into motivation, and why Schulz & Sohn sets standards when it comes to people and culture.
What is your current job title?
Manager of People & Culture
What exactly does your job involve – what does your typical working day look like?
There is no such thing as a typical working day at S&S; every day is different. In general, I am responsible for the entire employee life cycle, i.e. managing employees from the moment they join the company until they leave. This means I write and place job advertisements, conduct interviews, and prepare entry and contract documents. But I also provide administrative support for existing employees, deal with contract changes, permanent contracts, departures, etc., and prepare payroll accounting. Of course, I also provide support for any issues that employees, my supervisor, or the management team bring to my attention.
How did you come to this role? Can you briefly describe your career path?
Unfortunately, in the past, I have personally experienced, as have my colleagues, how questionably managers and HR professionals treat their employees and interpret legal principles. These experiences of injustice and the desire to do better motivated me to switch from studying business informatics to business administration, specialising in human resources management and labour law.
What do you find most rewarding about your job?
The diversity. Every day is different; there are always new things I can learn that help me become better at my job and thus enable me to provide more comprehensive support to employees and maintain high job satisfaction.
What particular challenges does your position entail?
Mastering the balancing act of reconciling the interests of the company and its employees.
Which achievements or projects do you find particularly noteworthy so far?
The efforts of the management, in conjunction with P&C, to be a good, socially responsible employer for its employees. In my opinion, we already offer a lot for a medium-sized company, and there are certainly a few more things to come…
What opportunities do you see here for yourself personally and for your role?
Due to the growth of S&S and the associated new expectations and demands on me and P&C, I have new opportunities every day to prove myself personally and in my role, and thus to grow.
What goals have you set for yourself in your role – short-term and long-term?
After completing my further training as a personnel developer and obtaining my trainer qualification, the next short-term step is to create training places and supervise the trainees. In the long term, it is not yet clear, but I have my eye on one or two further training courses.
What is special about Schulz & Sohn GmbH for you?
I particularly appreciate that the management team is driving the company’s growth forward while keeping an eye on employee job satisfaction and allowing them to share in the success.
Is Schulz & Sohn GmbH a good fit for you? If so, why?
YES! The change was the right move, both professionally and personally! S&S represents and stands for the social and political values that I also embody. Here, every person is valued and, even in difficult situations, immediate support is provided. I really appreciate that.
How would you describe Schulz & Sohn GmbH in one word?
Sympathetic.
Which topics in the area of People & Culture would you particularly like to promote in the coming years?
We have now begun digitalisation at P&C, and I can imagine continuing to expand this over the years. We are constantly keeping an eye on the benefits market, and I can imagine that we will introduce one or two new things here as well. But the further training of our employees is also important to us.
Which trends or best practices from other companies inspire you at Schulz & Sohn GmbH?
Since we are already well-positioned and constantly developing, other companies should start to learn from us.
