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Konnect - April 24

Konzepthaus news

Explore Konzepthaus' latest innovations and updates, designed to provide state-of-the-art solutions for your success. We're committed to staying at the forefront of industry advancements.

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1. Shaping the future of work

Our latest KDS (Konzepthaus Design Study) explores the annual research topic "Employment Statistics & Development" and therefore also incorporates the assessment of various employee benefits in addition to compensation. This investigation has revealed intriguing insights into the expectations of different generations regarding workplace conditions.

Both Generation X (1966-1980) and Generation Y (1981-1995) prioritize an improved work-life balance. Their key preferences in company incentives include flexible working hours and the option to work remotely from home. Additionally, they value health and wellness benefits such as mental health support and fitness programs.

The youngest generational group in the labour force is represented by Generation Z (1996-2010), for whom technology-related benefits are of crucial importance. They seek access to cutting-edge tools and software and aspire to develop their creativity and innovation skills in the workplace.

These findings illustrate the evolutionary change in workplace preferences across the generations. Organisations that identify these differences and make appropriate adjustments can sustainably improve employee retention and satisfaction.

We analysed a more detailed study focusing on new ways of working driven by different generations in a separate KDS in 2022. Click here for more!

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2. Mapping the educational landscape

”Where did you study?” is one of the new questions that are part of the annual Employment Statistics & Development KDS. The educational background of designers is interesting in different ways, especially in combination with other information like the major. Different institutions often emphasize unique aspects of design, technology and aesthetics, which is why knowing the university of a designer can help in understanding their approach to solving design challenges and their potential innovative capabilities.

In the end the survey result provides two key findings:
1. In total, more than 70 different universities were named. This variety of universities offering programs in automotive design reflects the industry's complexity and its significant economic impact.

2. Despite the high variance, some universities stand out. The following institutions are ranked 1st to 3rd: 1. CoventryUniversity(UK)
2. Hochschule Pforzheim (Germany)
3. Istituto d'Arte Applicata e Design (Italy)

These institutions are among the most popular universities in Europe for automotive designers and their graduates include some of the most successful head of designs. The Hochschule Pforzheim is for example known for its highly specialized Transportation Design program and collaborates closely with the German automotive industry, including giants like BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Porsche. It is therefore not surprising that every year many high school graduates apply for the few university places available.

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3. The pay gap in automotive design leadership

A central component of the annual Employment Statistics & Development KDS is the question of salary. Combined with the country/region this reveals clear differences in the salaries. We would like to focus in particular on the highest position in a specific design discipline. Accordingly, we are going to analyse the head of roles below.
According to that, sub-department leader, meaning Head of Exterior, Operations, etc. earn the most in the USA – especially in California – Sweden and Germany. This result can be justified by various facts three of these are mentioned below:

  • -  All three regions are well-known centres of innovation in the automotive sector. Sweden with Volvo and Scania, Germany with global giants such as Volkswagen, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi, and California as a centre of technological innovation with companies such as Tesla and a growing number of start-ups in the field of electric vehicles and autonomous driving.

  • -  The regions are investing heavily in R&D. Designers who are able to develop innovative concepts that are technically feasible and commercially successful are in high demand.

  • -  In Sweden, Germany and California, there is a high concentration of skilled labour and a strong educational infrastructure that produces design and engineering professionals. This leads to a competitiveness that necessitates higher salaries as a means of attracting and retaining talent.

    Consequently, the high demand for creative and tech-savvy design leaders, combined with local economic and technological developments, is driving salaries up.

    Together, these factors emphasize why sub-department leaders in automotive design in these specific regions are the highest paid in the global automotive industry.