What does a recruiting process look like that meets the expectations of different groups of applicants while also making effective use of digital technologies? Students at Hof University of Applied Sciences from the Business Administration, Digital Business, International Management, and Economic and Organizational Sociology programs explored this question in the “Working World 4.0” module in collaboration with their industry partner, LAMILUX.
Following a keynote presentation in which Prof. Dr. Brautsch addressed the current academic perspective and trends in the “World of Work 4.0,” seven teams worked throughout the semester on current issues in the field of Recruiting 4.0—a central topic in the modern world of work. The goal was to develop innovative yet practical approaches to make the recruitment process at LAMILUX more efficient and candidate-focused.
Academia Meets Business Practice
Collaboration with the company was closely integrated. Regular coordination with the designated contact person at LAMILUX, combined with expert coaching from the two participating faculty members—Prof. Dr. Christine Brautsch (Head of Business Administration and Digital Business programs) and Prof. Dr. Günter Hilmer (Head of Master’s in Digital Business Management and Supply Chain Management & Logistics programs)—facilitated a continuous exchange between academic insights and practical business requirements.
The overarching task was divided into three sequential sprints. A sprint refers to a clearly defined, time-limited work phase in which teams focus on a specific subtask and present a tangible result at the end.”
Prof. Dr. Christine Brautsch, Associate Dean of the Faculty of Economics
Prof. Dr. Günter Hilmer also emphasizes the added value of the format:
“Here, students were able to experience firsthand how scientific methods and digital tools can be applied to real-world challenges in companies. Close collaboration with a industry partner, in particular, creates valuable learning experiences and fosters the development of skills relevant for the future.”
Prof. Dr. Günter Hilmer
Personas as a “Common Thread”
A central element of all three sprints was the analysis of different target groups. To this end, the teams developed so-called personas—fictional but scientifically grounded profiles of potential applicants. These ranged from experienced production specialists to managers and students. Based on these personas, tailored solutions were developed and presented to the industry partner in the form of presentations, concepts, and initial prototypes.
Sprint 1: Focus on the Candidate Journey
In the first phase of the project, the teams analyzed the entire candidate journey—that is, the path potential applicants take from first seeing a job posting to receiving a job offer.
Approaches were developed to address each target group effectively throughout the entire application process. Among other things, the focus was on selecting appropriate communication channels and designing exemplary job postings.
Sprint 2: Designing Structured Selection Processes
The second sprint focused on conducting interviews and selection procedures. The goal was to make job interviews and decision-making processes more transparent, comparable, and efficient.
To this end, the teams developed structured interview guides, scoring models, and potential applications for digital and AI-supported tools. The results were presented directly at LAMILUX. During a company visit, the students also gained insights into operational processes and were able to directly link their concepts to real-world practice.
Sprint 3: A Successful Start at the Company
The final sprint focused on the pre-boarding and onboarding of new employees. The goal was to generate creative ideas on how to best support different target groups both before their first day of work and during their onboarding.
The LEGO® Serious Play® method was used to develop the concepts. By building models, complex relationships are visualized, discussed, and further developed collaboratively. The students used this approach to develop innovative and target-group-specific ideas for designing the onboarding experience at LAMILUX.
Valuable Insights for the Workplace of Tomorrow
The students gave the project overwhelmingly positive feedback:
“What I found particularly exciting was the close collaboration with a real-world partner. We were able to apply our theoretical knowledge directly while also experiencing how important it is to consistently tailor digital solutions to the needs of different target groups. Working on the personas and exchanging ideas with LAMILUX gave me valuable insights into modern recruiting.”
Natalie Wiesinger, student
Patrizia Trapper, Hiring & Talent Acquisition at LAMILUX, also draws a positive conclusion:
“The collaboration with Hof University has opened up valuable new perspectives on our recruiting and onboarding processes. We were particularly impressed by the students’ creativity, as they combined current scientific findings with a fresh perspective on practical applications. Such collaborations create real added value for both sides and help us continuously enhance our appeal as an employer.”
Patrizia Trapper, LAMILUX
Prof. Dr. Christine Brautsch concludes:
“The project impressively demonstrated how practice-oriented teaching and corporate collaborations can benefit from one another. While the students tackled current challenges in the workplace and expanded their methodological skills, LAMILUX gained new perspectives and scientifically grounded insights for the further development of its recruiting and onboarding processes.”
Prof. Dr. Christine Brautsch, Hof University of Applied Sciences
(Head of Business Administration & Head of Digital Business)
and Prof. Dr. Günter Hilmer (Head of Master’s in Digital
Business Management & Head of Supply Chain Management
and Logistics; Image: Hof University of Applied Sciences;
