Employer attractiveness in times of technological change

As part of the project sponsored by the DZ Bank Foundation, the Chair of Transformation of the Working World is conducting the study ‘The Cooperative Financial Network as an employer in times of technological and social change’. Our aim is to gain valuable insights into the challenges the cooperative financial network is currently facing as an employer and how it can position itself as an attractive employer in the future. We want to develop an understanding of how the Cooperative Financial Network is perceived as a potential employer. In a time of change, we want to find out how employers need to position themselves in order to appeal to, attract and retain future employees, particularly Generation Z.

Within the research project, we are using a mixed-methods approach in which we combine both qualitative expert interviews and quantitative survey data to paint a holistic picture. The main focus is on

1) Perception by current employees: How do those who already work in the Cooperative Financial Network perceive their employer? Which aspects of the corporate culture are rated positively or negatively? How strongly do employees identify with the cooperative's values? Why did employees choose this employer? What role does the organisational structure of the cooperatives play in this?

2) Perception by potential students: How attractive is the Cooperative Financial Network to young Generation Z people? Which factors are perceived as particularly appealing or not appealing? How well do potential employees know the special features and advantages of the cooperative model?

3) Influence of corporate values: How do the specific values of co-operatives (such as sustainability, meaningfulness, participation and member benefits) affect their perception as an employer? Is there a difference between the values that are communicated and those that are lived in practice?

The study was launched in January 2024 and data collection will continue until December 2024, after which the results will be analysed and written up in a practical report and published in a scientific journal.