Kerstin Hamann has worked for more than fifteen years in human resources. In regard to the changes she’s observed in recent years she says, "In the past, the focus of staff development was on individual qualification. Today, however, we integrate our work closely with the overall business development. This means that raising professional qualifications is only one aspect of our work because we see ourselves as an important component of a strategic control loop: When the Board sets the business goals, it has consequences for business planning. In addition, this impacts the work of our 4,300 employees and managers. We also bear responsibility for the implementation, whether it be new training tasks, organization of the work, or management processes."

The Berliner Wasserbetriebe has launched exemplary initiatives that embody this changed perception of HR activities in the form of improved customer orientation and health management. According to Kerstin Hamann, "Sustainably reducing negative workplace heath factors is a goal of our management strategy; we can’t leave the departments on their own in this effort. In conjunction with our general health and safety efforts, we provide our employees with prevention courses, medical examinations, and nutrition tips. We also help change management processes and the behavior of executives. For example, we empower them to lead discussions about health with the employees and to recognize psychological stress at work. And just as important are changes in the organization of work; here, too, we can provide impetus for improvement."

Of course, providing appropriate technical training for the staff is still an important task: we have about 5,000 participants per year in our training programs. As a result of the automation and digitization of the workflow, the challenges are enormous. Old professional specializations are gone, and brand-new job descriptions have been developed. Here, too, the Berliner Wasserbetriebe has been successful: We were honored with the quality seal for "Excellent Training and Talent Management" in the 2014 German Training Prize competition.

In her introductory lecture, Anne Dreyer, moderator of the conference section and project manager of the German Training Prize will present the preliminary evaluation results from the 2015 competition. With 171 applicants - compared to 126 for this year - a new record has been set. The documents submitted reflect the self-image, the objectives, and the actual position of the company in HR and provide the basis for Dreyer’s statements on the question of an "Active Role of HR - Hope or Reality"