Mirja Becker – Senior Vice President, Group HR

I manage a small, specialised team working in the NSW and ACT markets. Our main tasks are focused on selling MKS, EAC, EML and DHW product clusters. Primary sales channels are our locksmith MKS dealer network, DHW, EAC & EML reseller network and our growing EAC project and system integrator sales channel. We work closely with our architectural and automatics sales teams to capitalise on project opportunities. We aim to maximise revenue generated within individual projects by increasing cluster sales, particularly in high security master key systems and our smart electronic access control product solutions.

What is it like working for dormakaba?

Working for a market leader brings much satisfaction. We have a great team culture and work hard for each other, locally and right across the globe. Knowing that the company is committed to providing a stable work environment, with lots of personal learning and growth opportunities, provides a perfect platform for employees to flourish. This ultimately leads to great outcomes, not only for our people, but for our most important asset of all, our customers.

What motivates you most in your work?

Every day brings new and exciting challenges. I feel a great sense of satisfaction achieving the goals we have set for ourselves, in both sales targets and first class customer experiences. Being in a role with a major technology focus is exciting. We are seeing security and productivity technology play an increasing part in much of our daily lives. dormakaba have a clear plan for product development to lead the way in the modern digital security world. There is a real energy in the group to be the best in class and I am really happy to be a part of making that dream a reality in our local business.

What makes dormakaba special?

It’s definitely the people. We have so many talented people across the whole group it is difficult not to be inspired every day. We have leadership with a clear vision for our future success backed up by focused planning that is well communicated to the teams across the world. Our ambition, drive and focus make dormakaba an exciting place to be.

What is it like working for dormakaba?

dormakaba is a great company to work for because it always looks after its staff and always puts it people first, safety is a priority and not an afterthought. It always has opportunities to progress in the company with lots of variety of roles.

What motivates you most in your work?

My motivation is to try to get the most out of myself and lead by example and get the best out of my team so we all can enjoy coming to work.

What makes dormakaba special?

dormakaba is a special place to work as there is an incredible team culture where management really care about team members and all staff support each other. We are not afraid to suggest new ideas to make things better and it brings satisfaction when they are implemented.

As a service sales consultant for dormakaba I reach out to businesses and people all around Perth and WA to grow our contracted customers and the preventative maintenance side of the business. My role allows me to get out and about and meet current and prospective clients and share with them, the wide array of services we offer as a global corporation. Secretly, I like to tell those who ask what I do for a living that I get paid to take people out for coffee 😉

What is it like working for dormakaba?

Working for dormakaba today is very different to when I first started with the company four years ago, we are ever evolving and that’s the exciting part about working for this company, we are progressive. We’re a busy company and you’ll hit the ground running, But we have an incredible network of support to help you reach your full potential.

What motivates you most in your work?

It would most definitely be the people I work with; we are all about supporting each other.

What makes dormakaba special?

What is really special about dormakaba is the positive working relationships you can build with people all across the country. There are people on the other side of the country that I've never met in person but yet I feel very comfortable having a friendly conversation and a laugh with, as if I've known them forever. You learn about each other’s families and histories and if it wasn’t for this company, they are people I would have never even knew existed, so I think that’s pretty special.

What is it like working for dormakaba?

I feel like a family member and an essential part of dormakaba

What motivates you most in your work?

The culture, people and learning new things every day motivates me to work in dormakaba.

What makes dormakaba special?

Culture, Multi diversity, the loving and caring environment. I enjoy the flexibility to work from home when required.

What is it like working for dormakaba?

It is great. We have a lovely team and I must say, that I am very happy here.

What motivates you most in your work?

The brand itself, the team and the values that dormakaba have. They take care of their staff and that is amazing.

What makes dormakaba special?

Their values, the brand, their goals and the way they are concerned about the environment. And of course the team.

I’m currently the Engineering Manager for dormakaba Australia, after initially being a Product & Production Engineer focusing on our IGS range. My role is a mix of providing technical support to different parts of our business – helping sales with special applications or technical queries from customers, helping the factory solve find ways to improve their processes & our being available to assist our product managers with technical challenges related to current or future planned products.

What is it like working for dormakaba?

Thinking about the day-to-day side of the roles I’ve had; “exciting” is not the right word but if I take a step back and think about the bigger events I’ve seen take place over 8 years, “exciting” starts to be a better fit. The Dorma+KABA merger, relocating our head office, new product launches, rebuilding our ERP system & most of all a renewed focus on continuous improvement across the business - Those things add up to a lot of interesting projects and positive changes that have kept me satisfied while working here.

What motivates you most in your work?

The challenge of turning todays problems into solutions – whether it be solving an application issue to support a sale, or helping the production team implement process improvements, there’s always a challenge to be found. A current project in Australia is the development of a Product Testing Centre which will greatly increase the ways in which the small team I manage can support the business.

What makes dormakaba special?

The people I work with and the attitudes that the company fosters are the main thing to mention here. Working together and pushing for the right solutions for our customers where there is both support and high expectations makes it a great environment to work in. Whether it’s finding a way to meet a special one-off demand or planning for big changes, the people here are always ready to help, share their experiences and look for new ways to improve. It’s a good work environment and having had a little to do with people that work for dormakaba in many different parts of the world from what I’ve seen there is a similar sentiment everywhere and knowing that helps make it feel like we are part of the same team.

Meet David, a dormakaba service technician. That means you'll find him on the ground and on the go, working face-to-face with customers, solving problems and always learning. What are his days like? Read on to find out why he loves his job.

What is it like working for dormakaba?

For me, it’s all about the team. I really enjoy working with my colleagues, and they always have my back. As a Service Technician, I’m out and about all the time, and the flexibility and the freedom suit me – it does feel a bit like I’m my own boss. In addition, my tasks are really versatile and interesting.

What motivates you most in your work?

I think it is the way we work together as a team. I know I can rely on my colleagues even though we do not sit in an office together but are on the road a lot. And I’m proud that dormakaba trusts me to do my job right. Plus they give me the time to learn and to evolve; you are not being blamed in case something isn’t perfect. It’s just another opportunity to improve.

What makes dormakaba special?

dormakaba always strives to get better and develop further. The company has grown a lot ever since I started, and the fact that it is well prepared for future challenges gives me a sense of security. I think where I live, this job really is one of a kind.

This joint interview features two engineers talking about a topic they love – innovation. Andreas and Mihai go deep on what it takes to create an environment that fosters innovation, and everything is going digital. They talk about the technology of yesterday, today, and, perhaps most excitingly, what lies ahead. Intrigued? Read on. Or better yet, join the team!

What does innovation mean for dormakaba?

Andreas Häberli:At dormakaba, innovation is at the heart of our mission: We want to make access in life smart and secure. We stay true to that by striving to improve every day. Innovation is driven by courage and curiosity, which are two of our company values. For us, innovation means creating space to experiment and provide access to the newest technology. We continue to invest more in innovation than our competitors, reflecting the importance of innovation at our company. We are proud that dormakaba has a longstanding history of setting standards in the industry, even well before the merger of the two companies Dorma and Kaba. One of them is the reversible key patented by Kaba in 1934, and a more recent milestone is our Mobile Access solution.

Mihai Barbulescu:Responding to a rapidly changing global environment with vastly different needs compared to 20 or even 10 years ago and new digital opportunities requires innovation. We are quite aware of our position in the market and understand that many competitors and start-ups are looking to challenge it which motivates us to always innovate and stay ahead. Our products are aimed to improve people’s daily lives, so the focus is always to come up with a brilliant solution and continuously redefining access.

What does innovation mean to you personally?

Andreas Häberli:Innovation requires a flexible mindset, imagination and an inquisitive nature. I believe that it is also crucial to have a willingness to be wrong – your experiments will fail. There is no way around it, it is part of the process. If you embrace the problem and are motivated to try again and again, you can work your way towards a solution. Innovation for me also means teamwork: It is not a solitary exercise. You need to have a diverse group of people around you working towards the same goal.

Mihai Barbulescu:For me, innovation has to do with play and curiosity. It is tremendously exciting to try new things, to find out what works, and to imagine what role it could play in two or five years. At my work, I get the freedom to explore and try out new approaches. Every once in a while a true innovation revolutionizes how our customers use our products. When this happens, it is a really special moment to feel the impact it has on changing people’s lives and behaviors.

What kind of environment do you need to be innovative?

Mihai Barbulescu:Having the time and space to creatively try things out without the pressure of having to deliver a certain product at a certain time helps me a lot. I am pleased that at dormakaba I have the freedom to experiment and grow – I was able to experience many exciting technology shifts while also evolving my career based on my interests and change job titles four times during the last seven years.

It is also valuable to exchange ideas openly with my colleagues. This interdisciplinary exchange of knowledge always inspires new ideas. It is important for innovation to have different perspectives from different cultures. At dormakaba, you have access to a network of innovators across the globe to exchange and test your ideas faster. The barriers to reach out to colleagues are low: we share information openly and work as a team.

Andreas Häberli:I agree, our global teamwork is something I value. Besides leveraging our interconnectedness, we also make organizational changes to provide the right environment. In order to prioritize innovation and digitization, we established a new organizational unit: "dormakaba digital". Our digital transformation experts develop digital services and products and act as strategic advisors and "sparring partners" for our customers.

What is the innovation work like at dormakaba?

Andreas Häberli:First of all, we constantly question our business, our products, and processes. After all, in order to develop innovations efficiently, you first have to start with yourself and set up your working methods in the best possible way. A simple example: As a global group, it is important that we speak a common "innovation language". When we speak of "Decision Point B", for example, everyone should know what is meant. This sounds trivial, but it's important that we work hand in hand to develop innovations.

Mihai Barbulescu:We have two balanced views on innovation. The first is to look at technology trends and select those that are most promising for our company. We explore with these technologies and attempt to embed them within our products to see what is possible which could not have been imagined before. Equally crucial is the question: What do customers want? What challenges do they face? This can also happen in the course of a development process. That is why we have to think and work agile.

Andreas Häberli:Right. We address customer needs in a targeted manner: with intensive research and development and, again, we invest here significantly more than our competitors.

You just mentioned customer needs and new technology trends. What developments and challenges do you currently see? What is your outlook for the upcoming years?

Andreas Häberli:Touchless access, or touchless economy, will be crucial for the years to come. Think about improving mobile access – a development that dormakaba spearheaded – that allows distribution of personalized access rights without meeting in person. Other solutions are “sense on approach” technologies, either based on video analytics or based on a new wireless technology (Ultra-Wideband, aka UWB) which we pioneered jointly with a start-up company in the last few years. It can be paired with automatic doors, or optical door “buttons” that trigger door opening without touching. Naturally, we cannot give any specific details – you will have to come work with us to know what we are developing. However, an example as to how we were informed by both customer needs as well as new technology, would be the self-boarding gates at airports. dormakaba is the world’s leading supplier of self-boarding gates, which significantly reduce boarding times while simultaneously improving service and security.

Mihai Barbulescu:There are several aspects that I find especially interesting. Facial recognition, for instance, is a game-changer for access control. Instead of relying on objects (card, phone, key, etc.) for access control, you are yourself the method of access. User experience is much improved, but there are obstacles in the data and security implications. It is exciting to think of solutions to these issues.

Also, analyzing anonymized access control data could provide a lot of information about traffic flow and security issues. Making decisions based on such data can improve the product operation significantly. Like Andreas said, come to work with us to be the first to know which exciting developments lay ahead!

When it comes to sustainability, how does dormakaba set itself apart from the rest? Lea is here to explain. She built her career with dormakaba from the beginning, earning her bachelor's degree through a dormakaba work-study program. While continuing to work full-time with us, she also completed her master's degree. Now she's laser-focused on making our entire supply chain sustainable. Read all about her daily work life and all the doors that have opened for her right here.

"Sustainability is my mission"

Sustainability often starts with small changes until it permeates everything. This was the case with dormakaba. Today, sustainability is the foundation of our actions within all areas of the company.

I did a dual study program at dormakaba and was offered a job after I got my degree. Sustainability in the building sector became more and more important at that time, for example topics such as product declarations or environmentally friendly materials. What sets our company apart is that dormakaba recognized these developments early on, and sustainability has become the foundation of dormakaba’s strategy. It was exciting that I helped shape the sustainability strategy of dormakaba.

Teamwork helps to achieve goals

I started and keep on building my career here. Over the years, I have been able to gather expert knowledge in the field of sustainability and therefore I received more and more responsibility. I work mainly project-related which means that my range of tasks is always changing and it never gets monotonous. Working on projects also means I can regularly celebrate successes when we achieved our goal. A big advantage is that I rarely work alone, as I cooperate with many different, often international, stakeholders across the company. Those change from project to project. Working in different teams helps to change perspectives and to learn new things. This has deepened my knowledge about project management, to just give one example.

If I have the project lead for the development of an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD), my job is to set up meetings, organize project responsibilities, and to draw up the EPD report. By providing EPDs based on international standards, dormakaba shares comprehensive information on the environmental impact of its products with regard to the entire product life cycle. Thus, dormakaba offers experts from the construction industry, such as planners, architects, and building owners, detailed ecological information with reliable facts and figures on the environmental impact of building products. To measure our successes and to ensure lasting changes and constant progress, we have regular follow-up meetings.

Sustainability ambassador

Being an ambassador of sustainability is another important part of my work. I give presentations about the topic and publish articles on the intranet as well as on our website. With this, I try to make sustainability a decision criterion in the daily work of everyone at dormakaba and even beyond. If you want to read one of my articles, click here! It makes me proud that we aim for our entire supply chain to be sustainable. I am deeply convinced that sustainability is crucial for future success. It is motivating to be a part of this organizational change and to see the impact of my contribution.

The commitment to sustainability at dormakaba is also recognized outside. dormakaba has recently been awarded a Gold Medal for its sustainability management by the assessment firm EcoVadis, placing the company in the top 5% of all assessed companies worldwide. Sustainability is my mission – and much more than a job. I try to live this in my private life as well. I experienced at work that each small step can have a lasting impact.

Get to know Lea Kullmann

What is the best thing you learned from a coworker?

How office pranks can improve the team spirit and lead to a creative environment.

What is your proudest achievement?

I was working full-time while getting my master’s degree when I was doing my dual study at dormakaba.

What was your best dormakaba moment?

It was wonderful to experience the diversity at our company when meeting the faces of dormakaba.

What did you learn at dormakaba that had a big impact on you professionally?

Teams with different backgrounds, experiences and views are producing the best results.

On the 1st of July 2016 dorma and kaba become dormakaba, making one of the top three companies of access control and security solutions on the global market . The merger brings together everything you need for secure access to building and rooms from one source. The parallels between our companies' histories combine and complement each other seamlessly.

Innovation has always been a key component of how both Dorma and Kaba do business. As dormakaba, we are now unifying this shared value by pooling our resources and sharing our experiences. Together, we strive to be an innovative leader in our industry.

We continue to invest in innovation, always aiming to create genuine added value for you through our smart access and security solutions.