Bosch, widely known as an automotive manufacturing supplier, has announced that it plans to hire 12,000 new workers this year. Although this figure may seem staggering, it reflects not only the size of the company—360 subsidiaries and regional companies in 150 countries—but also the fact that it has become one of the main global players in the Internet of Things. Not surprisingly, 75 percent of the new hires will be engineers; for about 30 percent, it will be their first job. The largest group of new "associates" will have a background in IT. More specifically, Bosch's plans call for 3,200 new hires in India, 2,600 in China and 1,200 in Germany.
“We are increasing the number of associates hired for software design and development,” Christoph Kübel, director of industrial relations at Bosch, said in a 24 March press release. “As connectivity expands in every business sector, from mobility solutions to industrial technology, the importance of software does too.”
Bosch is not only at the forefront of technology, it is also known for its advanced approach to personnel relations, which it calls “family friendly.” Associates can choose from about 100 working-time models, including telecommuting, part-time employment, and job sharing.
The company says it will also try to increase the percentage of women in leadership positions to 20 percent, a goal already reached in China. Bosch acknowledges that diversity is good for business. “We want more female executives because mixed leadership teams are more successful,” Kübel said in the press release.
