Scheffler would like to make the company more attractive for employees.
(Photo: Pro Sieben Sat 1)
Munich The workers on the construction site drill, hammer and saw: They are building Pro Sieben’s new headquarters near Christine Scheffler’s office Sat 1. The first phase of construction is well advanced, the employees will clear their desks in the spring, promises the HR director of the media group.
The new building comes at the right time for the 53-year-old: This makes the company, which is listed in the MDax, more attractive for job seekers. That’s important, recently Pro Sieben Sat 1 made for unpleasant headlines. At the beginning of October, the third CEO resigned in four years. At the end of the month, the station network lowered its annual forecast for the third time in three months.
The manager currently has around 300 positions to fill, and there are also 100 vacancies for interns and working students. It is very helpful to be able to advertise with one of the most modern workplaces in Germany.
The home office on the island
When the cornerstone of the “New Campus” was laid three years ago, Max Conze was still CEO of Pro Sieben Sat 1. In the meantime, the supervisory board has also chased Rainer Beaujean’s successor out of the court. Things are going much better for Scheffler. The supervisory board recently extended the contract of the Romanshist until the end of 2027. It is a sign of recognition for their “excellent work,” emphasized chief inspector Andreas Wiele.
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His predecessor Werner Brandt had lured Scheffler to Unterföhring in 2019 in order to “realign” the HR work of the country’s largest private broadcasting chain. A lot has changed for the 7,800 employees since then. Employees are now allowed to work abroad 30 days a year. The home office can thus be relocated to a Greek island for a month and a half or to an alpine hut in Austria.
Scheffler has abolished attendance requirements. If you like, you can work for Bayern from Hamburg – and only occasionally make your way to the media suburb of Munich. “The pool of potential candidates has grown significantly as a result of virtual work,” explains Scheffler. For many job candidates, this agenda of freedom is important. Scheffler: “After the salary, the second question in the job interview is now to what extent flexible working is possible.”
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At the same time, the long-standing Bertelsmann manager is committed to transforming Pro Sieben Sat 1 into a more diverse company. “The positioning of a media company and how we use our reach for relevant topics is increasingly becoming a decision-making criterion for applicants,” emphasizes Scheffler. A recent sign of this was the company’s own vehicle, which the company used to take part in the Christopher Street Day in Munich, a parade of the LGBT+ community, in the summer.
Not interested in the share price
On the other hand, the vast majority of applicants are not interested in the share price, claims Scheffler. Investors have been skeptical about Pro Sieben Sat 1 for a long time. Write down the papers the lowest level in two and a half years. The share price has halved since the beginning of the year, and the TV group is one of the biggest losers in the MDax. This is one reason why CEO Beaujean recently had to leave.
The HR manager assures that the frequent changes in the executive chair are hardly an issue in discussions with job applicants. Anyone who is interested in it, however, could be reassured by the analysts’ reaction to the Beaujean successor. The new CEO, Bert Habets, was well received among the bankers.
Barclays analyst Julien Roche said Habets has in-depth experience in the media landscape and extensive expertise in video streaming offerings. He could help Pro Sieben Sat 1 work more closely with its competitor RTL. The Dutchman led Pro Sieben Sat 1’s most important competitor for years. The 51-year-old only joined the supervisory board in the spring.
The Dutchman has been leading Pro Sieben Sat 1 since the beginning of November.
(Photo: dpa)
If Habets does what Scheffler and his colleagues on the board do, then the staff could see him in the canteen more often. In days of war, inflation and the pandemic, mixing with people is more important than ever, says the HR director: “People are very insecure. It is therefore important for our managers to be close to our employees.”
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