Panel discussion with Minister Falko Mohrs and staff councillor Dorothea Steffen

According to the basic premise of the discussion, the fact that science and the world of work are gripped by a transformation is due to digitalisation. In addition to Falko Mohrs and Dorothea Steffen, the panel included the sociologist Prof. Dr. Sarah Nies, Frank Wiese, Chairman of the Works Council of Siemens AG, and the engineer Katrin Stumpenhausen from the Lower Saxony Business Association.

Dorothea Steffen and Science Minister Falko Mohrs talked about aspects such as "permanent positions for permanent work". In view of the shortage of skilled workers, Dorothea Steffen added, conditions must be created that make the public service more attractive as an employer, for example by improving collective agreements or through qualification paths that give employees the chance to be classified in higher grades. Excessive fixed-term contracts are contrary to the shortage of skilled workers. Large transformation projects have very specific requirements, for example, that they cannot be fully penetrated by individuals, including individual staff councils. Service agreements and competences at the state level would provide more planning and orientation. Dorothea Steffen also suggested linking digitisation projects with organisational development.

Digitalisation can only succeed if employees are explicitly involved in it. Sarah Nies pointed out: "After all, they [the employees] are the experts for their respective work.