Responsible Employer

We see our dedicated employees as our greatest asset and our most important driver of success.  To create a consistent approach to employee relations across the Group, we introduced the Guiding Principles and the Human Rights Code  (PDF, 203 KB).

As a responsible employer, it is important to us to foster trusting relationships with our employees, unions, and employee representatives. We give our employees the opportunity to reach their potential and contribute their individual strengths and ideas. In a market shaped by change, we provide our employees with forward-looking methods and tools that enable them to respond flexibly to changing requirements and adapt to new technological developments. For example, employees can pursue self-directed learning on learning platforms, including Coursera and Percipio. They offer a wide range of courses, videos, books, and audiobooks on topics such as leadership, technology and development, and digital transformation. 

We also value fair compensation. We compensate our managers in line with our Group-wide Global Compensation Guideline. In addition, we offer our employees benefits such as our company pension plan. Employees' collectively agreed wages are based on the respective national labor markets. At our company, women and men receive equal pay for equal work. We do not tolerate any form of direct or indirect discrimination or harassment, including sexual harassment, in the workplace - either online or offline. Nor do we accept any form of racism. 

We support work arrangements that reflect the needs of our employees. Flexible working hours, virtual work, and digitalization make it easier for our employees to balance their professional and personal lives. Employees can save credit in long-term working time accounts for time off, early retirement, a sabbatical, or a move to part-time work.

In addition, our employees have the opportunity to take part in a range of relevant training formats and courses on human rights and Employee Relations. Topics covered include discrimination, freedom of expression, diversity and data privacy.

Deutsche Telekom is committed to respecting and promoting the right to freedom of expression. We avoid any activities that could negatively affect human rights. We regularly conduct human rights risk and impact assessments and use due diligence processes to identify, mitigate, and manage risks to freedom of expression and privacy. Open dialogue with our employees about freedom and diversity of opinion is particularly important to us. 

We are committed to socially responsible workforce restructuring, with comprehensive support for our employees. These activities are based on our integrated planning and management process. The Group Board of Management meets every year to review and approve implementation. We document progress on socially responsible workforce restructuring in our monthly Group reports.

To assess the current situation and sentiment across the Group, we regularly launch an employee survey and pulse surveys twice a year.

Collaborative labor relations

Across the Group, Deutsche Telekom maintains close, ongoing dialogue and collaboration with employee representative bodies.

Deutsche Telekom values sustainable, cooperative, and above all constructive relationships with employee representatives in general. We are always committed to maintaining a positive relationship, as reflected in our Human Rights Code. Accordingly, we value all our social partners, whether unions or works councils, and seek constructive relationships with them.

Freedom of association and codetermination

In its Human Rights Code, Deutsche Telekom commits to "mutual respect and trusting collaboration." We respect and recognize the right to freedom of association and collective action within the framework of national laws, agreements, and practices. A commitment to respect freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining is also part of our Human Rights Code and Social Principles.

Sectoral social dialogue

At the European level, Deutsche Telekom has been an active member for several years of the Committee for Sectoral Social Dialogue in Telecommunications. The committee evolved from the Joint Telecommunications Committee, founded in 1990, and is supported by the European Commission. It facilitates regular dialogue between employer representatives from ETNO (European Telecommunications Network Operators' Association) and employee representatives from the UNI Europa trade union federation on economic and social developments in the ICT sector.