Women in Leadership – How women shape careers at ERGO

Women contribute decisively to the success of our company. That's why we are proud of our female managers. Get to know them, learn from them - and shape your career at ERGO! 

ERGO believes in the innovative power of diverse teams. The goal of filling 40 percent of management positions with women by 2025 is therefore clearly defined in our strategy. With the “Women in Leadership” initiative, we offer insights into the lifes and development paths of women who have already achieved impressive careers today – and would like to provide tips as well as encourage to take this step. Start your career and grow together with us. ERGO. Grow together.

Dare to be different

If you want to be successful, you have to be self-confident and you have to be able to convince others - that's how new doors keep opening for Ilona Mihele.

Christine Kaaz
Have no fear

Staying true to oneself and supporting employees in their ideas: This is the fundament for Christine Kaaz to overcome the fear of new challenges.

Making things better

Challenging the status quo and working together to find even better solutions was an important key to success for Erika van Dyck.

Karin Brandl
Understanding criticism as a motivator

Karin Brandl succeeded in her career because she is passionate about her job and has the ambition to always want to be able to do something new.

Facing the future

There is a risk of failing at new challenges: Linda van Dijk has never let that stop her, though - and her success reflects that.

Are you ready for the next step towards your career? Get valuable tips for your own path to success!

Whether you are already in a leadership position or just starting your career, there are certain areas you should focus on. These include developing strong leadership skills, increasing your visibility in your job or achieving a good work-life balance. Combine the following tips with the insights from the profiles of our inspiring women leaders and create your roadmap for your own path to success!

Tip 1: Ready to take on a leadership position?

These signs show you that are!

You are goal-oriented.

You set clear goals and develop strategies to achieve them. You don't let yourself be put off by setbacks or resistance and you accept feedback to reflect on your own performance and abilities.

You make decisions.

Weighing up different arguments is one of your strengths. In stressful situations you make the best possible decision, stand by it and can defend it against other opinions.

You can delegate.

You know the individual strengths of your colleagues and can distribute tasks and responsibilities sensibly within the team. In this way, you offer development perspectives and foster them effectively.

You are a consultant.

Your colleagues trust your advice. You often support them with questions and help resolve conflicts. You inspire others with your passion and motivate them to do their best.

You demonstrate initiative.

With courage and creativity, you also dare to tackle new and challenging tasks. You bring in good ideas and help shape discussions by contributing your professional opinion.

Tip 2: Improving your leadership skills?

With these tips, you can further develop your strengths!

Take time for self-reflection!

Regularly think about your strengths, weaknesses and goals. Reflecting on your behaviour and desires. Recognising and identifying habits, will give you important approaches for change.

Educate yourself!

Education is crucial to acquire important soft skills and knowledge for a successful leadership role. Attend specific trainings and workshops to improve your leadership skills.

Attend mentoring programmes!

When you attend mentoring programmes, you learn from experienced leaders and receive valuable feedback. You'll gain new perspectives and have the opportunity to identify and seize career opportunities.

Think outside the box!

Be open to taking on new tasks. A change of perspective strengthens your self-confidence and shows you which activities motivate you or which goals you are pursuing.

Ask for feedback!

Ask for regular feedback from your superiors or team members. For often the view of yourself and the view of others drift further apart. In this way you will also learn how to handle both criticism and praise well and confidently.

Tip 3: More visibility at work?

With these five tips you will be noticed in your workplace and by potential employers!

Network!

Networking events are an effective way to make new contacts and get known within the professional community. There, you can exchange ideas with your peers and benefit from valuable advices and experiences.

Get positioned!

Publish articles or attend podcasts, discussion forums and conferences to share your knowledge and position yourself as an expert. This will increase your credibility and reputation.

Show your digital presence!

In the digital world, LinkedIn is an important professional network to promote yourself as an expert. Update your profile and get actively connected by sharing and commenting on posts.

Take on projects!

Sign up as a project leader. In this way, you can not only gain valuable experiences, but also demonstrate your leadership skills to your colleagues and make a name for yourself within the company.

Send in your application!

Be brave and dare. Actively apply for leadership positions and emphasise your experiences and skills. Never hesitate to do so because you think you don't meet all the requirements.

Tip 4: Achieving a good work-life balance?

These tips will help you focus on what really matters.

Set priorities.

Think about what really matters to you and where you want to invest your energy. Write down your goals and check regularly if you are still on the right track.

Get structured.

A good organisation is the key to success. Create a schedule and plan your week in advance. Actively take time for family and friends. Smart apps o r to-do lists help you manage your tasks and complete them effectively.

Communicate openly and honestly.

Communicate your needs and wishes to people around you. Be open and honest when talking to your family, friends and employer.

Schedule breaks.

Take time for yourself and allow yourself to take breaks to relax and recharge your batteries. This can be a walk during your lunch break or a relaxing bath in the evening.

Allow yourself to make mistakes.

Nobody is perfect and mistakes are part of life. What's important is that you learn from them and don't get discouraged.

Tip 5: Leadership Insights?

With these five approaches, you can be a good leader for your team.

Communicate clearly and simply.

Make the effort to talk to your employees on a regular basis. Make sure that your communication is clear, understandable and coherent. This creates clarity and helps to avoid misunderstandings and mistakes.

Create transparency.

Be open and honest with your employees. Even on unpleasant topics, you should be fair and not withhold relevant information. This builds trust and shows your team that you respect and value them.

Support your team.

Support and encourage your employees to maximise their individual strengths and develop a real passion for the job. Always encourage them to develop professionally and personally.

Create a good feedback culture.

Regular feedback sessions are important. Constructive criticism helps your employees to work on themselves. Praise and recognition are signs of appreciation and important factors to motivate your team.

Focus on equity and team spirit.

You should ensure that you treat all employees the same. A work culture that promotes equity and team spirit makes employees feel included, safe and valued.

Erika van Dyck

Use the valuable experience of international role models and shape your own career path!

Get to know the women who are managers at ERGO today - and take a look at a wide range of careers and experiences. They have managed to overcome challenges and successfully shape their careers.

Be inspired and use their tips to start your leadership career at ERGO.

“With the initiative “Women in Leadership” we want to showcase our many talented and successful female leaders around the world with even greater confidence, in turn inspiring current and future employees to take the next step and empower them to fully tap into their potential at ERGO.”

Dr. Markus Rieß, Chief Executive Officer ERGO Group AG

Q&A - Women in Leadership

  • ERGO has various programmes and initiatives aimed to encourage and support women in their career development.

    ERGO career programmes

    These programmes are aimed at junior managers at ERGO and offer them targeted further training, coaching and networking opportunities:

    • EXPLORE - International Group Trainee Programme
    • ERGO GROW - for prospective and experienced managers

    Mentoring programme

    The mentoring programme for women has been an important and successful part of ERGO's career programme since 2012. It provides targeted support for female employees to enable them to get ready for a management role or to develop further in the management role they have already attained. All information on the ERGO mentoring programme can be found in our magazine article.

    Women's network women@ergo

    The international network offers women from all ERGO companies a platform to network, exchange ideas and work together on topics relating to diversity, equity and inclusion.

  • At ERGO, meeting the women's quota is firmly embedded in the "Ambition 2025" strategy. Our goal is to increase the percentage of women in management positions to 40 percent by 2025. We are equally committed to equal rights for women in professional life and to more diversity. We recognise the strength and innovation of diverse teams. We invest in career and mentoring programmes, training and networks to create optimal conditions for women at all stages of their lives.

  • Across all hierarchical levels, the proportion of women in Germany is 56.6 percent. As of 31 December 2022, 29.5 percent of management positions in Germany were held by women, compared to 39.6 percent internationally. 83.6 percent of employees benefit from flexible working hours, 91.7 percent have access to mobile working.

  • ERGO is setting the tone for a modern and inclusive working culture with a wide range of measures:

    • Job advertisements that address diversity
    • Awareness training courses to sensitise employees to the issue of diversity
    • Offers to make the workplace and work location more flexible
    • ERGO internal nationwide parent counselling
    • Job sharing
    • Part-time management

    Back in 2002, ERGO was the first insurance company to be awarded the berufundfamilie® audit for its offers to reconcile work and family life as well as for further objectives of a family-conscious HR policy. ERGO also carries the top4women seal.

    Zertifikat seit 2009 audit berufundfamilie    Siegel "top4women"

  • Take your career in hand today, here and now! Show us who you are and get to know your future team. We are ready and looking forward to meeting you.

    ERGO. Grow together.


  • ERGO offers women opportunities and support for their professional and personal development. Our promise: we provide the frameworks and clear the path to enable all committed and ambitious employees to advance.

    Diversity and equality are fundamental elements of our corporate culture. Open-mindedness, creativity, reliability, mutual respect, appreciation and the courage to try something new defines how we view ourselves as a brand, an employer and a reliable partner for our customers in national and international business alike.
    You can find out more about how diversity is really practiced and lived within ERGO on our Diversity page.


Are you ready to grow together with us?
Find the next challenge that suits you best!
Let us grow together!
As a strong team at ERGO:

Apply now!

Lena Lindemann and Oliver Willmes
World Women's Day 2023: "We think it's important to create equitable opportunity."

It is the first International Women's Day for Lena Lindemann, ERGO Group Labour Director, and Oliver Willmes, Chairman of the Board of Management of ERGO International, since they took over the sponsorship of women@ergo 2.0. In this interview, they talk about diversity as an important part of ERGO Ambition 2025 and what equality means to them personally.

With mentoring on the way to a management position

As an attractive employer in Germany, ERGO uses various measures to create an environment that promotes personal and professional growth and enables female employees to develop their potential and contribute to the appropriate position. The mentoring programme for women contributes to this.