Measures in the Area Age

Strategic Measures

Human Resources Development Work Group

The Rectorate resolved in November 2008 to introduce a systematic strategy for human resources development at the University of Freiburg, beginning with a pilot phase in the central administration. A work group led by the head of administration was established for this purpose. Also directly involved in the group are the staff equal opportunity representative and the Office for Gender and Diversity. The work group was commissioned to develop a comprehensive, i.e., gender- and diversity-sensitive, concept for human resources development with the following priorities: the introduction of employee meetings, further training and qualification, schedules for promotions, and adequate consideration of social environment, particularly work-family balance. The concept “Human Resources Development: Pilot Phase in the Central Administration in the Years 2009–2011” was passed by the Rectorate in April 2009.

Specific Measures for Employees

Flexitime Models

Flexitime has been introduced for all employees of the Central University Administration as well as the Computing Center, the Institute of Mineralogy and Geochemistry, the Institute of Physics, and the University Library. Other departments may introduce flexitime models at any time if needed – the technical preconditions have been available since 2006.

Telecommuting

The University of Freiburg launched a pilot project for telecommuting/homeworking in 2007. The main goals of the measure are to enable employees to achieve a better work-family balance through a temporal and spatial flexibilization of work organization and to achieve higher motivation and job satisfaction through more self-responsibility in the scheduling of working hours and the organization of working routines, thus leading to improvements in quality and productivity. The project went into normal operation following a successful evaluation in the spring of 2009. At present, 88 employees are taking advantage of telecommuting, 27 males and 61 females.

Part-Time Option

The university has offered employees the option to apply to the Human Resources Department for a reduction in working hours due to family reasons since 1995. Employees can also have this reduction in working hours written into their employment contract if they are raising or caring for at least one child under 18 or if they provide a medical attest confirming that they are looking after another person in need of care. The part-time option has been expanded continually in the past five years. Possible part-time models now range from 20% to 100% of a full-time position and from one to five days per week.

Family-Friendly Meeting Times

The model of family-friendly meeting times already practiced successfully at several faculties was also adopted by the Senate in 2009. The Senate now holds its sessions at 2:15 p.m. (as opposed to 3:15 p.m. as previously), allowing them to be completed within regular working hours even when the agenda includes particularly time-consuming items.
Saturday Morning Lectures
Unique in Germany both in type and extent, this program brings the idea of lifelong learning to life for up to 1,000 visitors per lecture.

PausenExpress

The University of Freiburg launched the pilot project “PausenExpress” at the end of November 2011. The new and innovative project of the University Health Management Work Group is a workplace exercise program designed to promote health and prevent illness. It is available to all employees and can be performed during working hours. “PausenExpress” trainers lead groups of 3–6 persons in individual floors/departments through a 20 minute workout for a period of 10 weeks. The short program includes the components mobilization, strengthening, stretching, and relaxing and does not require a change of clothes. The responsible and competent trainers also offer individual support and can adjust the program to special needs upon request.

Back Therapy Training

Back therapy training courses are an integral part of university health management at the University of Freiburg. The training promotes healthy body movement and a more active posture, especially for people with back problems. In addition, exercises on the perception of breathing and coordination training improve alertness, concentration, and attentiveness. Finally, the back therapy training courses also include special strengthening exercises, flexibility training, and relaxation phases. The courses are held Monday through Thursday and are available to all university employees.

Health Day

The University Health Management Work Group holds a Health Day for university employees each year. In addition to information booths on topics like sports, stress, nutrition, and work safety, the event features workshops, distributed throughout the day, in which employees can receive in-depth information on topics concerning health at the workplace. Various university services and departments, such as the Occupational Medicine and Healthcare Service, the Department of Dermatology at the Freiburg University Medical Center, or the Psychosocial Counseling Service and the Addiction Clinic, provide advising in information booths, as do several health insurance agencies.

Smoking Cessation

The University of Freiburg’s smoking cessation course is open to everyone who is looking to overcome their nicotine addiction and quit smoking. The course is based on methods from behavioral therapy. The participants meet five times at one-week intervals to discuss and analyze their experiences. The course teaches the participants the correct use of nicotine substitutes and avoidance strategies. In addition, the participants learn how to reap long-term benefits through a balanced diet, exercise, and sports. Finally, the course also provides tips on how to identify situations that could lead to a relapse and trains coping strategies for the case of a relapse.

Nordic Walking during Lunch Break

Nordic Walking is an ideal sport for anyone who spends most of the day sitting and doesn’t get enough exercise. The course is thus intended for all employees who want to engage in physical activity during their lunch break. The participants receive theoretical and practical instructions to simplify the process of learning and perfecting the Nordic walking technique. In addition, the participants also receive practical tips on targeted strengthening exercises. At the end of the course, successful participants will have the necessary skills to continue engaging in this activity on their own if they wish.