Ortenau Clinic Wins German Skilled Workers Award
The Ortenau Clinic, located in Offenburg, has been awarded the German Skilled Workers Award by the Federal Government for the first time this year. The clinic’s concept called Flex-Pool, which enables different working time models in nursing, emerged as the winner in the “Employment Potentials” category, beating out two other nominated competitors. The award ceremony took place on Monday, February 26th, in Berlin, with around 180 guests from politics, business, and society in attendance.
Recognition for Workforce Acquisition and Retention
The German Skilled Workers Award is a testament to the diverse efforts made by the Ortenau Clinic in the field of securing skilled workers. Christian Keller, Chairman of the Board of the Ortenau Clinic, expressed his delight, stating, “The German Skilled Workers Award is a fantastic confirmation of our initiatives to attract and retain skilled professionals in nursing. With our concept, we have been able to impress in a nationwide pool of applicants, demonstrating that we can offer innovative and future-oriented working time models to nursing professionals. This further enhances our attractiveness as an employer.”
The Flex-Pool Concept
The Flex-Pool concept offered by the Ortenau Clinic provides employees with an optimal balance between family and work life. In choosing the Flex-Pool, employees have the opportunity to largely determine their own shift schedules, while also expected to be flexible in terms of their assigned areas. Kathleen Messer, a member of the clinic’s nursing board, emphasized the goal of achieving reliable shift planning for nursing staff and promoting high levels of employee satisfaction and retention within the clinic’s network.
Positive Impact on Pflegedienst
With the introduction of the Flex-Pool concept, over a hundred employees are already working in the system. Nursing professionals comprise the largest professional group among the approximately 5,900 employees at the Ortenau Clinic, with over 2,000 individuals employed in the nursing service. The award serves as an affirmation for the clinic’s commitment to further advance its efforts in securing skilled professionals, especially in the field of nursing.
Recognizing Innovative Approaches
The German Skilled Workers Award, initiated by the Federal Government under the leadership of the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs in October 2022, aims to recognize creative and innovative approaches to securing skilled professionals. The new strategy for securing skilled professionals includes various measures to support companies and organizations in attracting and retaining talented individuals. The patron of the German Skilled Workers Award is Federal Minister Hubertus Heil.
