The MACD team is made up of many long-term employees. Currently, around half of them have been with MACD for more than ten years, and thirteen people have even worked for MACD for more than 15 years.
We looked into the question of how MACD manages to retain so many highly qualified employees in the long term, as the IT sector in particular is struggling with high staff turnover in many places, partly due to the shortage of skilled labour.
We asked our employees who have been with the company for more than 10 years what makes working at MACD special for them - we received the following answers, among others:
'I like the fact that the company is not too big, but not too small either.You have a sense of belonging.You can rely on your colleagues.'
'The teamwork and support with (all) problems still inspires me, because that's not a given.The management gives us a free hand and trusts in our expertise - there is no pressure.You can speak openly with the management and are taken seriously.'
'Agile working - we are constantly revising our processes at a meta level.Long-term development of products so that sustainable quality pays off in development.Familiar environment in which suitable solutions are always found for specific problems.'
'I can plan my time and work flexibly and have a lot of freedom within my areas of responsibility.I can regularly invest a certain amount of time in my further training.'
'The work is very varied and almost always interesting.Working with a small but excellent team.There are many long-term employees, so they are good colleagues.The home office arrangement is very flexible, we only have to be in the office one day a week, on the other days I can decide spontaneously where I want to work.'
Our 'oldies' see many advantages at MACD - you can rely on your colleagues. It is also highly appreciated that MACD tries to support its employees individually and find solutions, even in difficult personal situations.
A highlight that very few companies offer is the additional days of holiday in each anniversary year. Every MACD employee with five, ten, fifteen or twenty years of service receives the corresponding number of holiday days in addition to their normal annual leave. An employee who celebrated her 15th MACD anniversary in 2023 tells us what she used her 15 days off for:
'I used my anniversary leave days last year to spend a whole 5 weeks in the summer with my family in Varna (Bulgaria).It was a wonderful time and very relaxing.I don't usually see my parents very often and the time is always far too short.'
Extra holidays are nice and a great benefit, but there are other things that matter in day-to-day work, as various studies have established.
The "Swiss HR Barometer 2022" study, for example, concludes that the organisational factors of error management, psychological safety and innovation support from colleagues and superiors contribute significantly to employees feeling less stressed, being more satisfied, having a higher level of commitment and a lower intention to resign.
I asked Cindy Fuhrer, HR Business Partner, whether this also applies to MACD:
Cindy Fuhrer: The issue of psychological safety certainly has to do with the fact that in our dynamic world, we strive to be a community that promotes innovation, cohesion and flexibility.
Our mission statement reflects these values and is also put into practice on a day-to-day basis, as the responses from our employees show. We also foster an atmosphere of open communication, constructive feedback and individual support. Recognition and appreciation are expressed in regular discussions.
MACD also scores highly in the areas of innovation support and error management. Ideas are always welcome here. We also try to actively involve all employees in the development and further development of processes and have an open error culture. In this way, we create an environment in which everyone can get involved and identify with the company.
Cindy Fuhrer: In addition to the extra days of holiday for anniversaries, it's clearly the joint activities. They are an integral part of our corporate culture and also contribute to the high level of employee loyalty at MACD. Through regular events and team activities, we promote cohesion and strengthen the sense of unity within the team.
Last but not least, flexible working time models and generous home office regulations are an important part of our working practices. In this way, we support the work-life balance of our employees and take individual needs into account.
Cindy Fuhrer: I can't say that MACD will be immune to future challenges. But I am confident that we will continue to have the ability to develop successfully in the future and meet the demands of a changing world.
In recent years, we as a company have proven that we can successfully adapt to changing requirements. Our team leaders in particular have done an outstanding job in this regard. However, they are still required to lead their teams through complex social issues such as generative artificial intelligence (AI) or adapting to New Work.
I therefore believe that the focus for the future success of the company lies in our managers constantly adapting to the new requirements and creating a working environment in which they exemplify and drive the corporate culture, utilise skills and competencies effectively and convey a sense of purpose in their work. In this way, together we will be able to master future challenges, retain talent and attract new talent.
We would like to thank all employees for their commitment and would also like to invite interested readers to become part of this exciting journey and shape the future of work at MACD together.
