Three questions with NRW Minister of Labor Karl-Josef Laumann

For our ministry – and for me personally – our mission statement means serving the people of North Rhine-Westphalia.

Our goal is to shape a fair social policy and good social conditions. This is what drives us every day.

According to this mission statement and as a follower of Christian social teaching, I expect employers to ensure that their employees receive their fair share of company profits and can live well. Employees make economic success possible, they are entitled to stable and fairly remunerated employment and good working conditions. For me, these are the cornerstones of economic and social stability in our country.

I also believe that employee co-determination is essential. It is part of North Rhine-Westphalia’s DNA and I am convinced that when employees are involved in decisions, they feel valued and are more motivated to work towards common goals. Studies also clearly show that companies with active co-determination are more successful, innovative and resilient.

First of all, I am very pleased with everything that is being implemented at the REWE Group. It was the first major retail company to commit to the North Rhine-Westphalia state program for reconciling work and care. This is particularly relevant given that two-thirds of employees are women, who bear the brunt of caregiving responsibilities. The established REWE concept of life-phase-oriented self-help competence LoS! and the model of company care guides, which has proven itself within the framework of the state program, also provide low-threshold support for working people with private care responsibilities.

Looking at other companies, I particularly like it when medium-sized family businesses provide their employees with tangible help in filling out forms and contacting care insurance funds and service providers. This is a noticeable relief, especially for those who do not have an office job.

The visit showed me once again how important successful cooperation between committed employers and support systems is: if everyone pulls together, real participation in working life can succeed. I was impressed by how inclusion is already being practiced as a matter of course. I met a young man who was the first trainee with a disability to start at REWE-Marktplatz Hegemann. Mr. Hegemann also told me that he uses the opportunity of a three-month trial employment for himself and his employees with disabilities through the employment agency. I believe this model strengthens inclusion in the labor market.

Especially in times of labor and skills shortages, we must not let the potential of people with disabilities go unused. While we have around 130,000 vacancies in North Rhine-Westphalia, 56,740 people with a severe disability were registered as unemployed in April. That cannot be right. That’s why we launched the inclusion initiative. Companies like REWE Hegemann show that with openness, motivation and the courage to break new ground, it is possible to break down reservations and overcome barriers. The cooperation with the Employment Agency, the Inclusion Office and other partners is an exemplary model of success – for many other companies in North Rhine-Westphalia.

I hope that inclusion in the workplace will become a matter of course and that we can motivate even more companies to follow this path. Our goal as a state is to work with our partners to further improve the framework conditions so that people with disabilities have the same opportunities in the labor market – and companies benefit from their diversity.