People
Our people, our responsibility
Our employees are central to our success. As a family-owned company, we prioritise their well-being, ethical governance, and environmental responsibility. This involves creating a work environment where people thrive, ensuring ethical business practices. Beyond our organisation, we support the communities in which we operate.
Our people make us who we are
Creating a workplace where people feel valued, supported, and inspired. We rely on highly motivated and skilled employees who remain with us for many years, contributing their dedication and enthusiasm to our company. To support them, we create the right conditions — offering secure jobs and a healthy working environment where they can thrive. Flat hierarchies and autonomy empower employees to take responsibility and make decisions, enabling entrepreneurial thinking. Diversity and teamwork across borders enrich our company, while mutual respect, fairness, and trust shape our culture.
Human Resources key figures
| 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Permanent staff1 | 6,359 | 6,362 | 6,152 |
| Apprentices2 | 108 | 117 | 129 |
| Proportion of femaleemployees | 23 % | 23.6 % | 24 % |
| Proportion of employeesin management positions3 | 10.4 % | 11.1 % | 12.5 % |
| Proportion of women in management positions3 | 8.5 % | 9.5 % | 9.1 % |
| Employee turnover rate | 14 % | 11.7 % | 10.7 % |
| Ø training hours | 7.8 | 6.5 | n.A. |
| Notifiable work/commuting accidents | 99 | 95 | 644 |
| 1Employees with a contract at the companies of Liebherr Appliances 2not including working students 3team leaders or higher 4In European manufacturing facilities | |||
| 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Part-time | 8.6 % | 12.4 % | 9 % |
| Full-time | 91.4 % | 87.6 % | 91 % |
| 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proportion of female trainees | 17.6 % | 18 % | 24 % |
| Proportion of male trainees | 82.4 % | 82 % | 76 % |
| Age | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| ≤ 29 | 12 % | 13.7 % | 14.2 % |
| 30-50 | 54.7 % | 54.4 % | 55 % |
| ≥ 51 | 33.3 % | 31.9 % | 30.7 % |
| *Employees with a contract at the companies of Liebherr Appliances | |||
Corporate Health Management
Employee health is a priority at Liebherr. Our Corporate Health Management (HM) unites multiple departments to promote well-being across all locations. Human Resources (HR) and Time Management ensure balanced working hours and ergonomic workplaces, while Health, Safety, and Environment teams oversee workplace safety. The goal is a unified strategy that provides all employees equal opportunities to maintain and improve their well-being.
Our health programme prioritises preventative care and accessibility, offering global and local initiatives across multiple sites and digital platforms. Employees benefit from expert talks on mental health, nutrition, and sleep, as well as global activities like yoga classes and participation in charity events. Health initiatives are planned annually based on health data and evaluations, ensuring targeted support in collaboration with management and external partners.
- Promote employee health, motivation, and productivity
- Encourage employees to take an active role in their well-being
- Enhance employer attractiveness through healthy workplaces and ergonomic solutions
Our global Health Management team collaborates across locations, coordinating with occupational physicians, HR teams, and management. Regular knowledge exchange in Germany, Austria, and Bulgaria helps scale best practices. A key focus is expanding digital, multilingual offerings to ensure flexible, accessible, and consistent well-being initiatives worldwide.
Implementing a comprehensive health management system poses challenges, such as language barriers and the need for in-person activities. Digital solutions like yoga classes — which do not rely on language — help bridge these gaps. Reaching production employees remains a focus, with communication via app and bulletin boards. Participation rates and feedback guide continuous improvement.
Moving forward, we are placing greater emphasis on helping employees navigate difficult situations and strengthening their individual health. By continuing our close collaboration with external partners and health insurers, we remain committed to delivering initiatives that enhance both the health and satisfaction of our employees.
Investing in people and the future
Employee development is a core part of our culture. Through tailored programmes, training, and networking opportunities, we support professional and personal growth. By strengthening talent and leadership, we enhance both our workplace and long-term success.
With a growing skills shortage, developing talent is a key priority. We invest in vocational training, offering apprenticeships and dual-study programmes in over 20 professions. Beyond technical skills, our training focuses on practical, social, and personal development, with rotations across departments to enhance expertise and adaptability.
We equip employees for future challenges through targeted development programmes aligned with our business strategy. Key focus areas include:
- Continuous development and promotion of in-house talent, both technical and managerial
- International talent management, strengthening Liebherr’s future leadership pipeline
- Specialised training programmes tailored to specific target groups
- Standardising learning opportunities across the organisation to ensure consistency
The Talent Factory programme supports high-potential employees, building cross-functional skills and preparing them for leadership. A focus on agile working and problem-solving helps young professionals navigate complexity. Participants also build an international network across our production sites.
Learning is part of everyday work at our company. Our Self-Paced Learning initiative enables employees to choose topics like communication, feedback, and agile working — integrating continuous learning into their routine.
We actively encourage employees to take initiative through structured initiatives such as the Employee Suggestion Scheme (ESS) and Continuous Improvement Process. With hundreds of ideas submitted and a growing focus on sustainability, employee contributions directly shape our processes, products, and environmental impact. By providing platforms for engagement, we empower employees to influence the company’s future and strengthen our commitment to innovation.
This groupwide international rotation programme provides hands-on experience across multiple business areas. Training, project work, and global exposure equip participants with technical expertise and social as well as leadership skills to drive innovation.
In this programme, offered by the Liebherr Group, experienced employees guide colleagues through internal and cross-industry mentoring, helping them develop skills, expand networks, and navigate career challenges.
Be a People Enabler is the guiding principle of our Leadership Programme, designed for new leaders. A combination of online and in-person sessions helps participants deepen their leadership skills, focusing on areas such as team management, personality development, conflict resolution, and feedback culture. The programme also promotes cross-functional and international collaboration, fostering leadership skills in a global business context.
Our annual Employee Dialogue facilitates structured conversations on career development, aligning individual goals with company strategy. Employees gain clarity on their role, contributions, and professional growth opportunities.
Safety first
We manage occupational safety and health protection with ISO 45001 at our European production sites, integrating these practices into our Integrated Management System (IMS) to ensure continuous improvement. Our approach aligns with national occupational safety regulations, safeguarding our employees, external partners, and visitors. A dedicated team oversees workplace safety, with trained first responders and structured risk assessments.
Corporate Responsibility documentation 2024
For more comprehensive insights, data and in-depth details, see our full Corporate Responsibility documentation.
