Learning and Development
Learning and development are essential success factors for a strong company culture. The skills and competencies of our employees are critical for profitable growth and lasting success. For this reason, we want to further modernize our learning culture and step up our efforts to promote continuous, self-directed learning and learning from others. Employee development at BASF is guided by the belief that talent is in everyone. This means that development opportunities and support are open to all employees.
In our understanding, there is more to development than a promotion or a job change – it encompasses the development of personal experience and abilities. In regular development meetings, which are held as part of our annual employee dialogs, employees outline ideas for their individual development together with their leaders and determine specific measures for further training and development, which focus on personal and professional competencies. Our learning activities follow the “70-20-10” philosophy: We apply the elements “learning from experience” (70%), “learning from others” (20%) and “learning through courses and media” (10%). Our learning and development offerings cover a range of learning goals: Starting a career, expanding knowledge, personal growth and leadership development.
Digital learning formats play an important role in our development offerings. Even before the coronavirus pandemic, training for leaders and employees was updated to meet the challenges of the digital transformation and modern working life with appropriate learning formats and content. For example, platforms such as the Digital Campus, Digitalization & Me and the Ways of Working portal were enhanced and refined to support employees in all aspects of virtual collaboration and in building their digital skills. The continuous development of our employees’ digital skills will remain crucial going forward. The portfolio includes offerings for self-directed learning, as well as individual consulting and support for teams and leaders around the digital transformation. Employees and leaders can also hold joint workshops in an avatar-based 3D working and learning environment. In addition, the many academies in the divisions and service units also offer training on specific professional content.
We enable our employees to take responsibility for their own professional development within the company with digital and novel offerings. To support multidisciplinary teams in the development of products, services or business models, workshops on design thinking empower participants to find creative and innovative solutions to complex problems. By providing interactive spaces, the concept also lends itself to hybrid working methods. This fosters an agile learning and working culture, which will ultimately also help us to master the digital transformation.
Against the backdrop of the digital transformation, we support our leaders in questions about shaping the working world of the future. For example, the #liveitleadit program provides insights into various areas of the organization and the opportunity to discuss topics such as hybrid working or living a failure culture.
Good to know
Future of Work @ BASF
The coronavirus pandemic has fundamentally changed how we work. That is why our Future of Work @ BASF initiative addresses the question of how our teams can find the right balance between on-site and remote working to continue to perform at their best in the future. Connectedness and close dialog remain our number one priorities – both are key to team spirit, creativity and innovation. The wide range of jobs, tasks and local conditions make different working models necessary. To reflect this, our local teams are developing tailored solutions within global guidelines that meet individual requirements. Workshop concepts and training support the process.
One example is the Flex Work @ LU project at the Ludwigshafen site in Germany. The focus is on the shift toward greater flexibility as well as practical solutions on how to maintain and strengthen connectedness in an increasingly hybrid working environment – from new office concepts to IT solutions and tips for teamwork. The ideas are tested together with pilot units. Successful concepts are made available to all units at the site in the form of a toolbox.
