You can make a big difference at Telekom Technik. Be part of the team that is laying the foundation for Germany’s digital future. You can rely on our support at every level: Attractive work-life offerings and a strong employees’ representation body. An interview with Elmar Kröber, Chairperson of the Central Works Council at Telekom Technik.
What are the main advantages of working at Telekom Technik in particular?
Elmar Kröber: At Telekom Technik we are very familiar with the needs of our customers. General trends such as the growing hunger for bandwidth, technological innovations, and our transformation to a digital telco make it necessary and important to us to be continuously evolving. To do so, we use state-of-the-art technologies and working methods, including new installation methods like micro-trenching. That is exciting and second nature to us. At the same time, the work-life balance of our employees is essential to us and we have a wide range of provisions to support it. In addition to flexible working hours and 30 vacation days each year, our full-time employees who are covered by collective agreements get an additional 14 days off. Furthermore more, employees in many professions can work from home for part of the week. In addition to the conditions enabling a work-life balance, the opportunities for development and further training are outstanding throughout the Group, as are those for rising through the ranks. If you are flexible and want to develop and grow, you will receive broad support – with our nationwide local presence with our customers.
Joining us as a career jumper in 1991: What are the main elements of working at Telekom Technik for you and what was your development journey like?
Elmar Kröber: It has always been important to me that I enjoy my work which is ideally also relevant and meaningful. I was not even 20 years old at the time and I thought it would be interesting to help build the basically non-existent telephone network in the former East Germany. So I deliberately made the decision to work as an installation technician at Deutsche Telekom and take part in this massive undertaking. The social factor that lies within our responsibility at Telekom Technik is as relevant today as it was back then. Today, we face the task of ensuring digital participation for all citizens through a nationwide fiber-optic network.
In the subsequent years, I took advantage of the opportunities for further development and landed in quality management after I have worked for transmission technology as well. Since 2008, I have dedicated myself exclusively to representing the interests of our employees on a variety of committees, and right now I am Chairperson of the Central Works Council of Telekom Technik, with about 20,000 employees.
Do you have any other advice for potential “newcomers”?
Elmar Kröber: If I had to decide what career I want to pursue all over again, I would do the exact same thing. There are many reasons for my decision. In addition to the opportunities for development, the social way the company treats its employees is a decisive factor for me. That doesn’t just appear from nowhere; it’s rather a constant demand by strong works councils and the verdi trade union. Meaning that employees can always count on a strong partnership between employer and employee representatives who are dedicated to create the best possible working environment. All I can say is that joining us will definitely pay off.