Yamaichi wins award as top employer

On this occasion the mentor of the Top Job initiative recognised the company's achievements in the categories: Leadership & Vision, Motivation & Dynamism, Culture & Communication, Staff Development & Prospects, Family & Social Awareness, and Internal Entrepreneurship.

First, however, the company had to undergo a thorough two-stage process devised by the Institute for Leadership and Human Resource Management at the University of St. Gallen, Switzerland. In the first stage, HR experts working under Professor Heike Bruch, the Institute's director, captured the company's key performance indicators in a questionnaire. The second stage was to conduct a detailed online staff survey. Yamaichi was only too willing to take part in this poll, as Verena Remppis, its head of HR, explained at the outset: “We know that we are doing a good job for our employees. Companies that don't attach much importance to HR management don't even take part in this kind of survey.” She was delighted to see her firm's good ranking despite the strong competition: “We are now officially one of the best employers in Germany's SME sector. This will make us even more attractive to highly qualified workers in future.” A total of over 150 companies entered the Top Job competition this year.

In their appraisal, the experts from the Institute for Leadership and Human Resource Management highlighted the company's achievements in the field of culture and communication, a factor that is firmly embedded in its corporate culture. “Clear communication, open dialogue and a spirit of mutual trust and respect are integral parts of our philosophy”, stresses managing director Helge Puhlmann. Yamaichi Electronics specialises in connecting equipment for electronics and semiconductor testing. Founded in Munich in 1990, the company is constantly growing and creating new jobs, most recently in Frankfurt an der Oder, where it opened a new production site in 2006. Yamaichi's 111 employees make a valuable contribution to the firm's success - all the more reason to reward them for their work through bonus schemes and to celebrate the company's strong performance by organising inhouse events. In addition, the firm sends its staff on training courses to hone their professional qualifications and soft skills and to ensure that they remain motivated, committed and satisfied.

In addition to the comprehensive benchmarking report, the prestigious award and a highly enjoyable evening in the company of Wolfgang Clement, all 100 companies are featured in a book published by Bruch and Clement entitled Top Job – Germany's 100 best SME employers. They are also presented in detail on the website at www.topjob.de and supported with professional public relations work. Furthermore, as a Top Job award-winner they automatically belong to the network of top employers and benefit from meetings and contacts with the other 99 finalists. The application process for the next Top Job competition commences on 1 February 2007.