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Feeling Good at Work Means Working Well

Knowledge Coordinators at ORAFOL’s Headquarters Help New Employees Settle In

As a Knowledge Coordinator, I bring my experience as a former Shift Supervisor to improve processes. - Toni Bürger, Knowledge Coordinator 

Monday morning, 5:45 AM. Shift change in production, with the early shift starting at six. The machines, some up to 100 meters long, never stop; the air hums, and the machine operators are ready for the new workday. So is Toni Bürger. Officially, he is not part of the shift, but as he walks through production, colleagues wave, greetings are exchanged - it’s a familiar environment. Bürger is here to meet a new machine operator for their first shift. The three knowledge coordinators, Toni Bürger, Norbert Walke and Lutz Gassmann take a full week to onboard new production employees.

The idea is simple: well-trained employees feel comfortable, perform well, and quickly become part of the ORAFOL family.

Toni Bürger explains a unit RECO 7

Responsibility Only Works Together

Since this year, knowledge coordinators have been working together to train new colleagues starting in production at ORAFOL’s headquarters. Toni Bürger, who previously worked on the machines himself, explains: “A machine operator carries significant responsibility for their products and quality. The sheer size of the machines and their speed can be intimidating at first.” That’s where Bürger comes in. While the assigned machine operator starts their shift as usual, Bürger takes care of explaining the processes and what to do in different situations, easing the burden on the entire team.

Strength, proximity, apprecation - these three core values are essential to us. - Norbert Walke, Knowledge Coordinator 

UWhat Does This Have to Do with Our Values?

The knowledge coordinators build confidence and increase productivity. They exemplify how ONE ORAFOL is lived every day. ONE ORAFOL brings together our mission, vision, and corporate values - strength, closeness, and appreciation. For Bürger, Walke, and Gassmann, interpersonal connections are key. Walke, who has been with the company since 1988 and still works part-time as a knowledge coordinator despite retiring, says: “Strength means working together for the company’s success, ensuring our location through strong production. Appreciation is demonstrated through the knowledge coordinator positions, which foster a healthy work environment. And closeness means being approachable,  we’re all on a first-name basis and communicate as equals.”

Success from Every Level

The idea emerged from discussions between Walke and his production manager. “As a shift supervisor, I wanted better preparation for new employees to ease the workload,” Walke recalls. As he was transitioning into retirement, it became clear that his production knowledge shouldn’t be lost. Instead, it made sense to create a dedicated role for structured onboarding. The management championed the initiative, and Walke became the first knowledge coordinator. Both leaders saw this role as the perfect solution at the right time.

Knowledge Coordinators Toni Bürger, Lutz Gassmann, Norbert Walke

Feeling Comfortable Leads to Great Work

Companies evolve, and ORAFOL is no exception. ORAFOL has grown rapidly in recent years. A structured onboarding process, as implemented by the knowledge coordinators, ensures that new employees integrate well and want to stay. It’s not just the knowledge coordinators who appreciate the role - the new machine operators benefit as well. They receive both practical guidance and a warm welcome into the ORAFOL family.

“The feedback from production has been consistently positive,” says Walke. “New machine operators and shift supervisors quickly become part of the team and are thrilled with how fast they learn.”

Read more in the ORAFOL magazine

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