ONE ROOF

Employees
• Staff development tools enhanced
• Global vacancy management established
• Safety at work increased
• Number of trainees up
Human resources strategy rigorously pursued
HOCHTIEF’s success depends on the performance,
qualifications and motivation of its employees in all corporate
divisions. This is why we aim to retain the right
employees for our company. We therefore identify talented
individuals in Germany and internationally, secure
them for HOCHTIEF and foster their continuous development.
Our employees can count on our skills management
tailored to individual capabilities and potential
and ranging from the company’s training phase through
to the development of new managers. Our growthoriented
human resources strategy is a key element of
our overall corporate strategy.
Strategic response to shortage of specialist staff
The need for skilled and management personnel in the
construction industry continues to pose challenges for
HOCHTIEF. These challenges can only be resolved with
long-term approaches in human resources management.
In 2009, we were primarily seeking employees
for property services, project management, procurement
as well as monitoring and control. We were also
still in need of construction engineers for international
assignments. Overall, we managed to fill more than 90
percent of the vacant positions within the HOCHTIEF
Group.
Increase in employee numbers
The number of employees at HOCHTIEF rose to a total
of 66,178 in 2009, with the Asia Pacific division recording
the highest increase.
In the USA, the number of employees dropped, reflect-
ing the lower construction output. This development
chiefly affected Turner, where jobs have been cut in a
socially responsible manner, carefully allowing for proj-
❘ Information for our Shareholders ❘ ❘ Management Report ❘ ❘ Financial Statements and Notes ❘
ect requirements and specific conditions. In order to
keep job losses to a minimum, employees were offered
short and long-term transfers and Turner remains in
constant contact with many of its former employees
through its strategic alumni program*, so that when
market conditions improve the company can consider
them for employment once again.
Global filling of vacant positions
As a global group of companies, we have exacting demands
and therefore require exceptionally well-qualified
personnel. In order to fill vacant international positions
in a selective manner with the most suitable internal or
external specialist staff, we have set up the Global Recruitment
department. This department makes sure
that information is exchanged at an early stage in order
to fill positions across national borders. Vacant positions
and projects worldwide can be presented centrally
and attractively on a new intranet platform. So far, the
companies HOCHTIEF Construction, Turner, Flatiron
and Thiess have been integrated.
Retention programs successful
For HOCHTIEF, retaining capable and talented employees
in the company for the long term is a success factor.
For this reason, an intern retention program was launched
at the end of 2008 to retain above-average interns at
the company. So far, eight out of ten interns supported
on the basis of this program have been given employment
contracts at HOCHTIEF. For employees specifically
wishing to gain a further qualification through a
doctorate, we offer a doctoral program. The participating
students are released for study at the university for
an agreed period, receive financial assistance for the
duration of their studies, and are guaranteed a job at
HOCHTIEF when they return.
Our “Employees Recruit Employees” program also con-
tinued to bear fruit, with new employees again being
recruited in this way. This program rewards employees
who propose a candidate with a bonus.
Further information on our employees
as well as occupational
safety and health at HOCHTIEF
is available on the Internet at
www.hochtief.com under Career
and Sustainability.
*See glossary on page 197.
Annual Report 2009 55