“WE ARE ONE”

Marcus H?hner , CEO of global one automotive, shares his thoughts about talent attraction and the ambition behind Talents4AA.

You are in a unique position by having an overview of the entire Aftermarket, how do you see the situation of securing essential talent today?

From my point of view, it’s one of the major challenge that we have already in front of us and from region to region, and country to country it’s a comparable one. It’s not the question of age or position the talents have, it’s much more our task to motivate and convince them with good and without a doubt, existing arguments, that the Automotive Aftermarket is more than worth to spend its work life with.

When thinking about the increasing pressure from a technological, economical, and societal perspective, how do you think TALENTS4AA can help the Aftermarket become more attractive to talents?

Those guys who are looking for an interesting, sustainable and secured job, they should just have a look at our market, specially if we take the last 3 years of crisis in our environment. The AA was and is one of the Industries which does not create any headaches for its employees. It has been at least, completely the other way around.

Mobility has been declared as system relevant, and who’s taking care that the mobility of motor vehicles is secured? Right, it’s our Industry, the Automotive Aftermarket.

If we now add the information, that our market is already well prepared for the future and the future developments in the different technologies including digitalization and telematics, it should be obvious that talents will follow our call to join the AA. If some of them is still thinking that the automobile industry is a dying one and it’s not “hip” enough, or that it shows no answers to the questions of needed sustainability, I’m more than convinced, that with our entire initiative TALENTS4AA, we have a lot and very good arguments, examples and at least persuasiveness to change their minds.

TALENTS4AA is the answer to all these questions, because of its diverse setting of membership. It’s one of the best examples that an Industry solution is able to define together solutions if everyone involved, from supplier industry, wholesalers, universities, agencies or even associations, are pulling together on one side of the string. I think that’s an outstanding signal and most probably with this TALENTS4AA initiative an unique example within all important industries acting in different businesses.

What is the most significant benefit for companies, in your opinion, from being part of such a collaborative association?

Honestly speaking, I don’t like the today's common “selfish-behavior” by raising the question “what is MY benefit”. Sometimes you’ve just to anticipate and accept, that a community has created a good and sustainable idea or even already an initiative in good faith, with the target to do something for, if we take just this example of TALENTS4AA, the entire market. Because those guys have realized, that the solution of a dedicated problem like attracting talents, can’t be solved from just one party. And then, you should be happy that you’ve the possibility to be one of the gearwheels in the gearbox. And that it’s the answer of the benefit… just the word TEAM, because it stands for Together Everyone Achieves More.

What advice would you give to prospective members; why should they also be a part of this industry-wide initiative?

My advice is clear, simple and short… don’t hesitate longer. It’s the question of the future from our entire industry which we have to secure. And every single player within this game, who’s still not involved in the TALENTS4AA initiative, should ask themselves the question, why the request for membership is still not filled and has been send out. Let’s take the motto of our company global one automotive GmbH “WE ARE ONE”. Or would you like to be named a “copycat” ??