Munich, 8 October 2021 – Flexible, individual,
sustainable – that is how BMW Group working environments will be
organised. The company is gradually developing a future-oriented
working environment for about 70,000 associates worldwide in around
400 office buildings in more than 40 countries. Under the name
ConnectedWorks, the BMW Group is continuing a process it began back in
2017: For example, at the Research and Innovation Centre (FIZ) in
Munich, new working models are being created that offer every team a
variety of options for combining digital, location-independent formats
with flexible, individually configured forms of on-site cooperation.
The aim is always to achieve the best work results.
Experience during the coronavirus pandemic has shown that the BMW
Group is on the right track. Speed and location independence have
proved to be important attributes of digital remote working – but they
cannot replace personal exchange between colleagues. It also became
clear during the challenges of the coronavirus, that innovations, team
creativity and a feeling of belonging develop best on-site. Now that
more in-person meetings and professional exchange are possible again,
the challenge lies in combining the best of both worlds. For the BMW
Group, the question of how to work together on the future of mobility
is not just about how many days people work in the office or at other
locations. It is about much more than that: The central idea is how
BMW Group associates can perform complex integrated tasks to the best
of their abilities.
One element of this is mobile working. Thanks to this development,
associates have been able to organise their day-to-day work flexibly
in agreement with their managers since 2013 – making the BMW Group a
leader for the whole industry. “Ideas and innovations mainly come from
personal exchange. That is why attractive working environments are a
key success factor for us – complemented by hybrid and digital
cooperation models,” says Ilka Horstmeier, member of the Board of
Management of BMW AG responsible for Human Resources.
ConnnectedWorks supports modern vehicle development
What this might look like in practice can be seen in the working
environments at the FIZ in Munich, the heart of the BMW Group’s
research and development network. Today’s modern vehicle development
is a complex, integrated activity. For several years now, the BMW
Group has been committed to bringing together associates from
different areas of the company to work together in interdisciplinary,
cross-functional teams. More than 22,000 associates currently work at
FIZ under one roof. Interaction is encouraged: Newly designed team
spaces facilitate communication and enable staff from different
disciplines to work together. Short lines of communication, with
low-threshold, cross-cutting opportunities for interaction create a
space for innovation at the FIZ Tech Campus. Working together on-site
and in-person is crucial – and the rapid growth in digital formats
makes places for collaboration increasingly important. The BMW Group’s
workplace strategy therefore deliberately focuses on the layout and
providing a place that facilitates collaboration and idea-sharing.
More than 30% of office spaces worldwide have already been converted.
Alongside team spaces that encourage communication and interaction,
there are also spaces associates can retreat to for concentrated
working, as well as areas where they can recuperate and connect. In
this way, the BMW Group is reinforcing its sustainable area
management, while helping associates achieve optimal work results and
strengthening its corporate culture. The flexible working environments
are supplemented by seamless integration of digital options for
location-independent cooperation.
In the future, office spaces will be geared even more towards
associates’ needs. For instance, the IT Centre project at the Munich
location was supported by associates as part of an analysis of working
methods. This analysis phase is central to implementation of the
workplace strategy. The information obtained forms the basis for the
planning and implementation phase. In this way, the BMW Group is able
to ensure spaces are optimally tailored to the needs of each business
department and their work demands. It is all about offering associates
the perfect environment for their job and preferred method of working.
Learning from and with one another
ConnectedWorks is not a rigid concept; it is a mindset that can be
actively shaped by managers and associates. Each team discusses on an
individual basis which combination of in-person working and digital
exchange can best achieve their goals.
So everyone involved can learn from and with one another, the BMW
Group invites staff to share experiences between countries on an
internal community platform. It also highlights best practices and
provides information on the range of training courses and methods
available. The BMW Group is already committed to an open approach
characterised by respectful cooperation and a genuine feeling of
community. With ConnectedWorks, the company is taking the next step
towards making day-to-day work even more connected and agile.
If you have any questions, please contact:
Corporate Communications
Angela Konert, BMW Group, spokesperson Human Resources
Telephone: +49-89-382-50591, angela.konert@bmw.de
Markus Sagemann, BMW Group, head of Communications Human Resources,
Corporate Citizenship
Telephone: +49-89-382-68796, markus.sagemann@bmw.de
The BMW Group
With its four brands BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce and BMW Motorrad, the BMW
Group is the world’s leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and
motorcycles and also provides premium financial and mobility services.
The BMW Group production network comprises 31 production and assembly
facilities in 15 countries; the company has a global sales network in
more than 140 countries.
In 2020, the BMW Group sold over 2.3 million passenger vehicles
and more than 169,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax in
the financial year 2020 was € 5.222 billion on revenues amounting to €
98.990 billion. As of 31 December 2020, the BMW Group had a workforce
of 120,726 employees.
The success of the BMW Group has always been based on long-term
thinking and responsible action. The company set its course for the
future early on and is making sustainability and resource efficiency
the focus of the company’s strategic direction – from the supply
chain, through production, to the end of the use phase, for all its products.
www.bmwgroup.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/BMWGroup
Twitter: http://twitter.com/BMWGroup
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/BMWGroupview
Google+: http://googleplus.bmwgroup.com