AGO AG among the 100 best employers of small and medium-sized companies

+++ Wolfgang Clement awards the excellent personnel work of the Kulmbach engineering company with the quality seal “top job“

Kulmbach, 02 February 2009: AGO AG belongs to the 100 best employers among German small and medium-sized companies. That showed a current analysis within the nationwide intersectoral company comparison “top job“. In the seventh round of the renowned economic initiative, the medium-sized company convinced with a customized and thus successful personnel management. Wolfgang Clement, the retired Federal Minister of Economics, hands over the coveted “top job“ quality seal this Friday night during a ceremonial act in the Landschaftspark Duisburg-Nord.

With this, the mentor of the initiative for medium-sized companies appreciates the merits of AGO AG in the fields “leadership and vision“, “motivation and dynamics“, “culture and communication“, “employee development and perspectives“, “family orientation and demography“ as well as “internal entrepreneurship“.

As a provider of industrial energy supply systems with a turnover of 41.3 million Euros in 2007, the Bavarian company lives from its 127 employees’ know-how. The share of technical employees is 65 %. They strongly identify themselves with their employer and get their motivation from the company philosophy saying: „A healthy world is not accidental – it depends on all of us“. Furthermore, they are encouraged by the fact that they exclusively work in small independent project teams. Occasionally, one is meeting in the company’s cafeteria to communicate and exchange knowledge. Extra-occupational advanced trainings are specifically brought forward by the employer. Even for voluntary commitments or assignments with the fire brigade, the governmental disaster relief organization of the Federal Republic of Germany (THW) or rescue services, employees of AGO AG are released from work without difficulty. Communication between top management and employees on strategic and operative business works very well. Moreover, the Kaizen management principle was introduced two years ago which fosters the continuous improvement through small steps. There are single workshops on certain subjects where employees can contribute their experience to improve workflow.

For the award, the engineering company had to endure a strict two-stage procedure of the Institute for Leadership and Personnel Management of the St. Gallen University. During this procedure, experts around the Institute’s director Prof. Dr. Heike Bruch assess the managerial instruments in the field of human resources of the companies taking part and carry out a detailed online employee attitude survey. “The results of our analyses demonstrate repeatedly that a strategically oriented personnel management does clearly reflect in the company result“, comments Prof. Dr. Bruch her analysis. “In plain language: Good employers have economical success. In the future, this trend will considerably grow. Companies which specifically foster their attractiveness to employees, essentially gain competitiveness.“ The BOD of AGO AG Energie + Anlagen, Hans-Ulrich Gruber, is therefore even happier about the success: “Only companies which set great store by personnel work take part in ‘top job’. Being awarded one of the 100 best medium-sized employers among such great competition motivates our employees and makes us even more attractive for highly qualified employees in future.“ In total, 212 companies took part in this year’s “top job“.

All 100 “top job“ companies are presented in the book “TOP JOB – The 100 best medium-sized employers“ published by Bruch and Clement“ and on the website www.topjob.de. The initiative is organized by compamedia GmbH in Überlingen. Companies interested can apply as of now under www.topjob.de, the deadline for entries is 30 April 2009.

 

 

Mentor, cooperation partner and scientific leadership

The project’s mentor is the retired Federal Minister of Economics Wolfgang Clement. Cooperation partners are: Gesamtmetall – the employers’ associations of the metal and electric industries e. V., Akademie für Führungskräfte der Wirtschaft GmbH, HRblue AG, Gallup Deutschland GmbH, Kienbaum Consultants International GmbH, Schindlerhof Klaus Kobjoll GmbH, SchmidtColleg GmbH & Co. KG as well as Süddeutsche Zeitung. The scientific leader is Prof. Dr. Heike Bruch, professor and director at the Institute for leadership and personnel management of the St. Gallen University. She especially made her mark in the fields of change management and leadership.

Organiser: compamedia GmbH

compamedia is specialized in organisation of benchmarking projects for medium-sized companies and the establishment of medium-sized networks. The company from Überlingen at Lake Constance implements the employer benchmarking „Top Job – the 100 best medium-sized employers“, the innovation project „Top 100 – the 100 most innovative medium-sized companies“ as well as „Ethics in business – initiator of ethical actions“.

About AGO AG Energie + Anlagen

The company with company headquarters in Kulmbach which was founded in 1980 is a specialist in the area of innovative and efficient energy supply and facilities. AGO AG focuses on the three business segments project development and implementation, operation of facilities as well as service & consulting. The company’s core competences are mainly biomass cogeneration plants, cogeneration plants, heat and refrigeration plants, trigeneration as well as contracting. Location studies / location development, energy efficiency consulting, raw material and fuel management as well as emissions trading round off the business model. AGO stands for efficiency, reliability and technological competence for your energy supply plants.