Germany's Digital Pioneer 2022

Interview with Dr. Frank Schönthaler, CEO

Dear Frank, congratulations on the special award from the F.A.Z. Institute! PROMATIS took first place in the IT service provider category as part of the study “Germany’s Digital Pioneers 2022”. The respective industry winner receives 100 points and thus sets the benchmark for all other examined companies within the industry. In the course of this top ranking, we have prepared a few questions for you:

What are the challenges German companies are facing with regard to digitalization?

What the appeals of politicians and business leaders have failed to do over many years, the mutually reinforcing crises of our time have easily managed to do: a megatrend has grown out of the will to digitalize, giving digital technologies access to every conceivable area of society and the economy. This applies not only to Germany, but also to Europe and the entire world. The prerequisites for this, however, have to be met: The existence of a comprehensive, reliable, secure and high-performance digital infrastructure. Digitalization as a core competence in school, academic and company training is particularly important. But the availability of skilled workers for the design, development and operation of digital business solutions is also a fundamental building block. In this context, quality is at the forefront, and with regard to the interdisciplinary workforce, it has long been a question not only of technology, IT and business administration specialists, but also of social science and humanistic disciplines. In the course of globalization, a multilingual and multicultural workforce is also required. And last but not least, agility in the form of the ability to change, speed in strategic, tactical and operational terms is an essential factor for companies.

Which areas of the company do you think are the frontrunners, and which areas still need to catch up in terms of digitalization?

A look at our customer base shows that a lot is currently being invested particularly in the customer journey. Whereas in the past this meant only support processes, especially the customer experience (marketing, sales, and service) is now becoming more important. In addition, we are currently fine-tuning the employee journeys in our markets. Especially companies with core business processes that are based on recruiting and talent management rely on large-scale human capital management solutions. Another exciting area that has already seen a lot of digitalization is enterprise performance management (planning, forecasting, monitoring, analysis). However, I see the digitalization of the supply chain as THE top issue par excellence. After all, supply bottlenecks and trade barriers (sanctions) have shown us (in terms of maximally volatile supply chains) how vital it is to have predictable processes that serve to safeguard the existence of companies. Those who cannot react quickly in these times and plan various scenarios – also with regard to compliance guidelines – will find it difficult to survive in the market.

What does digitalization mean from an ethical point of view?

Nowadays, ethical aspects always come up in the context of digitalization. Due to my volunteer work as president of the board of trustees at the Integrata Foundation for the Humane Use of Information Technology, this topic is an important aspect for PROMATIS; not as an end in itself, but with the claim to provide our customers with future-proof solutions at all times. Consequently, innovation or digital innovation (artificial intelligence, dealing with blockchain and IoT) is one of our key priorities in this context. In addition, “more quality of life through IT” is also important to us, especially with regard to developments in artificial intelligence. This automatically puts the topic of “ethics and AI” on our agenda. An additional motive is that we want to provide the PROMATIS workforce and our digitalization experts with interesting, future-proof jobs at the forefront of innovation.

The study showed that a medium-sized company like PROMATIS is also ahead of the other major IT service providers. What does that imply?

I would like to invoke the term “hidden champion”. As a medium-sized company, it is certainly easier to lace together the strategy mix that is digitalization-innovation-employer attractiveness-profitability, and implement it quickly and sustainably. Particularly when it comes to innovation, but also when it comes to presenting our attractiveness as an employer, we benefit from a close cooperation with the universities near our sites, with KIT and the University of Muenster at the forefront – for example through joint research projects, practical training activities for students, talent recruiting, and working student programs.

Sometimes, however, what it takes is size. That’s why we successfully and happily work together with large partners such as Oracle, Deloitte, Accenture, EY or KPMG – on a national and international level. This gives us the flexibility to combine forces quickly and in a targeted manner, as well as agile performance processes that allow us to build cross-company value chains.

PROMATIS ranks first among IT service providers

PROMATIS awarded for outstanding employer qualities

Ettlingen, December 9, 2021 – Good ratings in online portals, positive media coverage, and employee recommendations can indicate an excellent employer. However, for an objective and holistic picture, other aspects are useful, including assessments by people in auditing and statistics as well as in expert panels. Accordingly, the “Leading Employers” meta-study is considered a comprehensive study in the field of international employer assessment. After all, it not only examines working conditions, image, employee satisfaction and understanding of values, but also key aspects such as responsibility and sustainability in relation to people, the company and the environment. Consequently, the top 1 percent of employers in Germany are awarded the title of “Leading Employer“, among which PROMATIS – specialist for intelligent business processes and Oracle digitalization solutions – may now count itself.

The employee satisfaction indicator is probably the most target-oriented of the social dimension and offers considerable potential for economic sustainability in the wake of demographic change and the war for talent. However, the expectations of employees regarding their employers have changed. Whereas job security and fair pay used to be decisive criteria when choosing a job, particularly today’s younger professionals are increasingly looking for meaningful work that promotes their personal development and combines private and professional goals. For many people, participating in the shaping of their own professional environment has also become essential. In the course of this, sustainable action is inevitably part of the future of modern companies, because employee satisfaction in particular serves as a core indicator of social sustainability.

As a meta-analysis, “Leading Employers” examines a wide range of sources, feedbacks and topics, the combination of which allows for a substantially higher significance compared to a single study. As a result, this unique methodology uses a holistic approach. After taking inventory of the sources, the quality, depth and the associated informative value of each source are evaluated based on a defined set of criteria.

PROMATIS, the globally active software and consulting company based in Ettlingen – the heart of TechnologyRegion Karlsruhe – has achieved outstanding results in all test areas and has demonstrated a holistic, fair and appreciative code of values. As a result, digitization and IT professionals at PROMATIS can expect an attractive work environment and a management team that views economic success and social responsibility not as opposites, but as cornerstones to accomplish the company mission. Not only do the business process and digitalization solutions ensure a sustainable improvement in the quality of life, but above all stands the most important goal: to shape the trusting and sustainable success story of PROMATIS together with its employees.

You can find current job vacancies at PROMATIS for the locations Ettlingen, Hamburg, Muenster, Vienna, Zurich and Denver (CO) here.

With the “Compatibility Progress Index”, family friendliness becomes a trademark!

The “Compatibility Progress Index” (Fortschrittsindex Vereinbarkeit) is part of the “Success Factor Family” (Erfolgsfaktor Familie) corporate program, by which the German Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth, in cooperation with business associations and trade unions, promotes a family-friendly working environment. The aim is to establish family friendliness as a trademark of the German economy. The index was developed in cooperation with the Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce (Deutscher Industrie- und Handelskammertag, DIHK) and the Federal Association of Human Resources Managers (Bundesverband der Personalmanager, BPM) for use in business practice. PROMATIS – specialist for intelligent business processes and Oracle digitization solutions – participates in the ongoing measurement of family-friendly corporate culture and decisively supports the compatibility of work and family.

Digitization, securing skilled workers, dynamic markets – only future-oriented companies can successfully meet these challenges on a daily basis. What is needed is a corporate culture that supports flexibility and personal responsibility, and in which all employees can unfold their motivation to perform. An important element of this type of corporate culture lies in the compatibility of professional and family responsibilities. This is particularly true in current times, as the reconciliation of work and family has taken on a whole new dimension, especially in the wake of the Corona crisis. Dividing lines between work and family are not just dissolving in the organization of childcare and professional tasks. New impressions are also developing in the individual perception of working time and free time, of exertion and relaxation. Likewise, the question of whether and how working parents and their children relax and recharge their batteries is a task of reconciliation.

The “Compatibility Progress Index” supports employers in measuring, developing and exposing their family-friendly measures. The index consists of two parts: With guidelines, the company commits to an innovative and family-oriented corporate culture. In the second step, companies can measure their culture on the basis of twelve key indicators and compare themselves with the competition.

Here, PROMATIS achieved very good results and met all requirements with flying colors. The globally active software and consulting company with headquarters in Ettlingen – in the heart of TechnologyRegion Karlsruhe – offers its employees not only trust-based working hours, attractive part-time models and home office workplaces, but also a modern working environment that meets both current and future employee needs. Because only a family-friendly corporate culture that is constantly optimized and anchored in a sustainable and binding manner stands for a real success factor.

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