People at risk of incapacity for work need help and guidance. Both are offered by the WIM Teams that operate at all German sites.

Dickson Ewane had worked in the Augsburg foundry’s core-making shop for nearly 10 years when he realized that he would not be able to keep doing his job owing to illness. What to do in this situation? At MAN Energy Solutions Augsburg, the WIM Team offers a point of contact when a colleague can no longer do their job owing to impairment or is unfit for work continuously or repeatedly for more than six weeks within a 12-month period. WIM stands for Workplace Integration Management and WIM Teams operate at every German site. “As an employer, we are legally required to seek ways to overcome incapacity for work, prevent incapacity for work from recurring and preserve the job,” Bettina Rohn from the HR Excellence Center explains. Integration measures are always implemented in consultation with the employee affected, and other people, such as members of the Works Council or the Representative for Severely Disabled Employees, can be brought in at the employee’s request in addition to the employer representatives.

The difficult search for a solution

Matthias Daxbacher remembers the difficult search for a solution in the case of Dickson Ewane: “First of all, the WIM Team viewed the workplace to see if we could improve matters with changes to the working environment. But jobs in the foundry are among the most physically demanding we have and it soon became clear that Dickson would not be able to stay in the working environment he was used to,” says the Augsburg Representative for Severely Disabled Employees, looking back.

Positive effects for employers and those affected

The example of Dickson Ewane shows that WIM is by no means just about gradual reintegration in the work process following an extended illness. On the contrary, the aim is to overcome chronic illnesses, to avoid them by means of preventive measures and to ensure that employees remain in working life. This has positive effects for both parties: The company can continue to draw on the employees’ skills and expertise, while those affected remain socially integrated and improve their chances on the labor market of the future. A general company agreement that was concluded recently aims to develop a uniform procedure for all German sites. Processes are currently being reorganized with a view to ensuring equal treatment of all employees throughout Germany from the second quarter onwards.

A happy ending

Despite all the obstacles, there was a happy ending to Dickson Ewane’s search for a new job. “I now work in Pre-Assembly, where I insulate pipes that are then used in the engine. Everything has worked out perfectly for me! I have integrated well in the new department and enjoy my work. I basically feel on top of the world.”