Mercedes-Benz’s Board Member for Human Resources, Britta Seeger, has voiced growing concerns over a widening performance gap among employees in the German economy, a situation she believes is fueling resentment and undermining productivity within the automotive giant. In an interview with the Handelsblatt, Seeger acknowledged a sense of disillusionment amongst high-performing employees, who feel their contributions are insufficiently recognized.
The company is now shifting towards more individualized performance evaluations and bonus structures, signaling an attempt to better align reward systems with demonstrable output. This move is being framed as a necessary measure to address growing anxieties and prevent a further erosion of morale amidst challenging economic conditions.
Beyond performance discrepancies, Seeger also addressed persistently high rates of sick leave at Mercedes-Benz Germany, which remain significantly higher than in comparable international locations. The company has reportedly engaged in extensive discussions with tens of thousands of employees to identify the root causes. While acknowledging a range of contributing factors, Seeger raised a controversial assessment, suggesting that obtaining sick leave in Germany is “too easy”. She also tentatively linked the uptick in absenteeism to the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, arguing that a once necessary caution – staying home at the first sign of illness – may have fostered a culture of excessive risk aversion.
The statements underscore a broader crisis facing the German automotive industry and Mercedes-Benz in particular, as it navigates intense economic pressure and initiates workforce reductions. Seeger directly highlighted a concerning trend: productivity gains have lagged behind wage increases in recent years. She warned of potential “significant disagreements” over the future viability of German operations if this imbalance remains uncorrected, particularly in the context of upcoming autumn wage negotiations.
Adding a further layer of control, Mercedes-Benz implemented a mandate earlier this year requiring senior executives to be in the office five days a week. Seeger explicitly indicated plans to extend this emphasis on in-person presence across a wider segment of the workforce, emphasizing the perceived necessity of face-to-face collaboration for optimal team cohesion. She conceded that remote work arrangements may have inadvertently led to the loss of valued individuals, pointing to the irreplaceable value of in-person interaction for fostering a sense of community and shared purpose. Critics are likely to view these measures as a top-down attempt to exert control and address systemic issues, raising questions regarding employee autonomy and the long-term sustainability of such strategies within the German workforce.