“Individual responsibility and interplay within teams are the cornerstone of our success”

The world of work is undergoing upheavals and changes in the wake of the digital transformation. The impacts of the coronavirus pandemic are also placing new requirements on companies and their employees. Particular significance is being accorded to core competencies in shifting times such as these. From 2016 to 2020, Philip Heßen was Head of the Human Resources Germany Division at the Darmstadt-based science and technology company Merck. In his current capacity of Head of HR Strategy & Transformation, he is responsible for the group’s global personnel strategy. In this interview, he provides insights into how working at Merck has altered over the past few years. He explains which core competencies are helping to overcome these changes and how this is being reflected in the company’s present and future HR strategy.