In 2014, the UNIQA Group had approximately 14,300 salaried employees, of which some 6,300 were based in Austria. They all work towards the same objective: to provide our customers with security, thereby making their lives and those of their families easier. Our employees focus on the needs of customers and strive to implement our high standard of quality and service every day.
In recognition of their performance, employees are remunerated at market rates. They also have access to voluntary social benefits, such as special employee terms for insurance, a range of benefits linked to the promotion of employee health and an occupational retirement pension plan in Austria. Annual bonuses are paid to managers, depending on the performance of the Group and the attainment of individual objectives. All employees in Austria for whom there is no bonus agreement also participate financially in the success of the business. We are paying out around €3.6 million under our profit-sharing scheme for the 2014 financial year.
Forward-looking strategy requires cost management
We implemented a Group-wide cost management programme in 2014 in reaction to the economic environment and to prepare for the future. Socially acceptable steps are being taken in collaboration with the Works Council for the employees affected by the internal reorganisation.
Feedback from employees is important to us. In October 2014, we conducted the anonymous “UNIQA 2.0 Sensor” employee survey for the third time. Around 75 per cent of our employees in Austria took part. The findings demonstrate that the team is largely familiar with the goals in the growth strategy and that the steps we have taken regarding communications and the professional development of managers have had a positive effect. For over two thirds of the survey participants, the UNIQA brand values are now embedded in day-to-day working activities.
Striving for excellence
Ongoing training and professional development for the UNIQA team is a key component of our efforts to achieve our strategic objectives. In 2014, we continued to implement INSPIRE, our Group-wide leadership development programme: a total of 131 managers will have taken part by April 2016. The International Management Academy for Sales (IMAS) was expanded to include local options available in local languages. This ensures that we reach our target group in the individual countries.
We are constantly reinforcing our employees’ skills with new training formats and additional training days. One example is the bundling of back-office functions in centralised service centres in Austria. The employees at UNIQA IT Services GmbH (UITS) also received intensive training. This company has been responsible for IT solutions in the UNIQA Group since the autumn of 2013.
Diversity and non-discrimination
We believe that the diversity of our teams is central to the success of the UNIQA Group. People from 30 different countries work at our Vienna corporate head office alone. We promote knowledge transfer and mobility between the countries in which we have a presence. With this in mind, for example, we offer the opportunity for international job rotation.
Just under half of the employees in the UNIQA Group are women. The proportion of women on Management Boards and in senior management positions is 19 per cent throughout the Group as a whole and 25 per cent in UNIQA International. In order to increase these proportions, recruitment processes give preference to women where they have the same skills and qualifications.
Work-life balance and social responsibility
We promote a work-life balance. A flexible, needs-based range of childcare options provides assistance for working parents. In Austria, UNIQA has joined with KibisCare to provide a comprehensive childcare service. We also offer flexible working time models and enable employees to use teleworking arrangements. In 2014, 21 per cent of the administrative employees in Austria made use of part-time working and 8 per cent opted for teleworking.
The “UNIQA Freiraum” service portal offers employees a range of opportunities related to health, sport, nutrition, recreation and the arts. This promotes togetherness while increasing enjoyment of life and vitality. In addition, there is a wide range of opportunities available at the UNIQA Sports Club, including running, ice hockey and table football.
Social responsibility is also part of our corporate culture. We encourage our employees to give something back to society and help disadvantaged fellow human beings. Since 2013, we have therefore been offering the UNIQA Social Responsibility Day. Each employee at the corporate head office is given one working day off each year, which they can use to help a charitable institution of their own choice. In 2014, regional offices also participated in this initiative for the first time.
Investing in young talent
We need the best employees so that we can achieve our strategic objectives, so we promote young talent and collaborate with universities in our core markets in Austria and CEE countries. Examples include the “WU Top League” high-potential programme with Vienna University of Economics and Business (WU), the “TU the Top” with Vienna University of Technology, the “Naturtalente” programme (Natural Talent programme) with the University of Vienna and the collaboration projects with Lodz University of Technology and the University of Lodz in Poland. To safeguard our future course, we foster young talent and work in partnership with universities and universities of applied sciences to enhance the profile of occupations in the insurance industry.
The UNIQA Group is regularly at career and student fairs, both in Austria and elsewhere. In 2014, we attended several events, e.g. “Career Calling” and “UNI SUCCESS” in Vienna. We offer internships for committed students and promote research and training by awarding grants.
