The demands of the industry require Henkel staff to be flexible and innovative. Technical and chemical employees must have similar skills in order to adapt and adopt solutions to problems wherever they originate in the company's international network. Henkel has extensively decentralized technical and decision- making responsibility. Staff must therefore be trained to solve problems, understand complex situations, and manage difficult processes. Master craftsmen, formerly the leading experts in their field within the firm, have become increasingly coordinators of specialists.
External trainers provide almost one-half the total training hours.
The proportion of external trainers is higher in management training than in courses for other employees. Although Henkel clearly invests considerable time in employee continuing training, it does not factor a training strategy into its corporate planning to any great extent. Durst Lackieranlagen GmbH Durst, located in Pfaffenhoffen, produces medium-sized varnishing and drying machines. It has 105 employees, almost all of whom are skilled workers, and no training staff. It has a continuing need for higher skills, and although the supply of suitably skilled workers has been adequate, Durst fears a shortage in the future.