Employees

XLS

Total number of employees

As of Dec. 31	2015	2016	2017	2018 Merck Group	2018 thereof Merck KGaA
Total number of employees	49,613	50,414	52,941	51,749	11,133
Men	28,997	28,848	30,083	29,006	7,036
Women	20,616	21,566	22,858	22,743	4,097

XLS

Number of employees by hierarchical level

As of Dec. 31

2015¹

2016¹

2017¹

2018
Merck Group²

2018
thereof Merck KGaA²

1	From 2015 on, these figures include Sigma-Aldrich, however as of Dec. 31, 2017 the job grading system had not yet been implemented for employees of Sigma-Aldrich legal entities in Germany, or for employees of Allergopharma. In the facts and figures, these employees are included under “other employees (below Role 3)”.
2	In 2018, our job grading system had not yet been applied to the employees of Sigma Aldrich in Steinheim (Germany), or to those of Allergopharma. In the facts and figures for 2018, these employees are included under “other employees (below Role 3)”.

Total employees

49,613

50,414

52,941

51,749

11,133

Senior management (Role 6+)

146

181

197

193

Middle management (Role 4 & 5)

2,211

2,685

2,927

3,095

1,155

Low management (Role 3)

6,622

8,139

8,904

9,019

2,661

Other employees (below Role 3)

40,634

39,409

40,913

39,442

7,223

% of women (total)

thereof in senior management (Role 6+)

thereof in middle management (Role 4 & 5)

611

805

917

1,025

368

thereof in low management (Role 3)

2,636

3,361

3,714

3,795

1,036

thereof other employees (below Role 3)

17,348

17,375

18,197

17,888

2,676

% of men (total)

thereof in senior management (Role 6+)

125

156

167

157

thereof in middle management (Role 4 & 5)

1,600

1,880

2,010

2,070

787

thereof in low management (Role 3)

3,986

4,778

5,190

5,224

1,625

thereof other employees (below Role 3)

23,286

22,034

22,716

21,554

4,547

by age group
Up to 29 years old (%)

thereof in senior management (Role 6+)

thereof in middle management (Role 4 & 5)

thereof in low management (Role 3)

130

183

194

211

111

thereof other employees (below Role 3)

7,424

7,229

7,479

7,279

1,460

30 to 49 years old (%)

thereof in senior management (Role 6+)

thereof in middle management (Role 4 & 5)

1,407

1,670

1,782

1,829

692

thereof in low management (Role 3)

4,770

5,784

6,308

6,206

1,766

thereof other employees (below Role 3)

24,815

23,996

24,733

23,536

3,497

50 years or older (%)

thereof in senior management (Role 6+)

105

125

124

thereof in middle management (Role 4 & 5)

799

1,008

1,142

1,261

460

thereof in low management (Role 3)

1,722

2,172

2,402

2,602

784

thereof other employees (below Role 3)

8,395

8,184

8,701

8,627

2,266

XLS

Average number of employees by functional area¹

2015

2016

2017

2018²

1	The average employee headcount is calculated by adding up all employees at the end of each of the last 13 months, and dividing this total by 13. Employees of Sigma-Aldrich, a company acquired in November 2015, are only included in the employee headcount calculations as of November 2015.
2	The average employee headcount for fiscal 2018 incorporates the Consumer Health employees on a pro rata basis up until the end of November 2018 due to the divestment of the Consumer Health business as of December 1, 2018.
3	In conjunction with the new job architecture implemented in 2017, some functional areas have been renamed and reorganized. Due to the new structure from 2017 on, it will only be possible to deliver a limited trend forecast in a year-on-year comparison.

Group

41,511

50,439

52,053

53,809

Thereof women

17,180

21,136

22,353

23,388

Production

11,563

14,829

15,571

16,240

Thereof women

3,642

4,698

5,059

5,359

Logistics/Supply Chain³

2,581

3,955

3,729

4,014

Thereof women

913

1,459

1,442

1,569

Marketing and Sales/Commercials³

12,871

14,887

15,115

15,479

Thereof women

5,204

6,401

6,609

6,981

Administration

6,763

8,190

9,286

9,864

Thereof women

3,757

4,421

4,798

5,067

Research and Development

5,097

6,249

6,789

7,245

Thereof women

2,674

3,274

3,591

3,871

Infrastructure and Other

2,636

2,329

1,564

966

Thereof women

990

883

854

541

XLS

Number of employees by region

As of Dec. 31	2015	2016	2017	2018 Merck Group	2018 thereof Merck KGaA
Total	49,613	50,414	52,941	51,749	11,133
Europe	23,429	24,438	25,980	25,792	11,133
women	10,316	10,884	11,627	11,464	4,097
women (%)	44	45	45	44	37
Number of employees with temporary contracts	1,079	1,031	1,279	1,209	483
% of employees with temporary contracts	5	4	5	5	4
North America	9,794	10,037	10,520	10,978	0
women	4,183	4,308	4,518	4,742	not applicable
women (%)	43	43	43	43	not applicable
Number of employees with temporary contracts	22	122	138	148	not applicable
% of employees with temporary contracts	0.2	1	1	1	not applicable
Asia-Pacific (APAC)	11,096	10,754	11,294	10,486	0
women	3,706	3,981	4,298	4,348	not applicable
women (%)	33	37	38	41	not applicable
Number of employees with temporary contracts	1,888	2,231	2,603	2,846	not applicable
% of employees with temporary contracts	17	21	23	27	not applicable
Latin America	4,352	4,140	4,050	3,340	0
women	1,986	1,910	1,896	1,648	not applicable
women (%)	46	46	47	49	not applicable
Number of employees with temporary contracts	43	40	40	62	not applicable
% of employees with temporary contracts	1	1	1	2	not applicable
Middle East and Africa (MEA)	942	1,045	1,097	1,153	0
women	425	483	519	541	not applicable
women (%)	45	46	47	47	not applicable
Number of employees with temporary contracts	127	153	172	189	not applicable
% of employees with temporary contracts	13	15	16	16	not applicable

External contractors are currently not logged in our employee data system, nor do we currently have any plans to integrate them.

XLS

Employees by business sector

As of Dec. 31	2015	2016	2017	2018
Healthcare employees	18,566	18,837	19,795	17,456
Thereof women	8,522	9,090	9,656	8,884
Thereof women (%)	46	48	49	51
Life Science employees	18,611	19,178	19,607	20,667
Thereof women	7,883	7,928	8,276	8,837
Thereof women (%)	42	41	42	43
Performance Materials employees	6,228	5,469	5,529	5,278
Thereof women	1,531	1,427	1,455	1,411
Thereof women (%)	25	26	26	27

XLS

Employees by contract type

As of Dec. 31	2015	2016	2017	2018
Total employees	49,613	50,414	52,941	51,749
Number of employees with permanent contracts	46,454	46,837	48,709	47,295
% of employees with permanent contracts	94	93	92	91
thereof women	19,034	19,741	20,741	20,545
thereof women (%)	41	42	43	43
Number of employees with temporary contracts	3,159	3,577	4,232	4,454
% of employees with temporary contracts	6	7	8	9
thereof women	1,563	1,744	2,117	2,198
thereof women (%)	49	49	50	49


full-time employees	47,292	48,056	50,498	49,273
% full-time	95	95	95	95
thereof women	18,557	19,457	20,677	20,577
thereof women (%)	39	40	41	42
part-time employees	2,321	2,358	2,443	2,476
% part-time	5	5	5	5
thereof women	2,059	2,109	2,181	2,166
thereof women (%)	89	89	89	87

XLS

New employees

As of Dec. 31

2015¹

2016

2017

2018
Merck Group

2018
thereof Merck KGaA

1	These figures exclude the 8,975 Sigma-Aldrich employees who are not classified as new hires because they joined Merck as part of the Sigma-Aldrich acquisition.
2	Formula for calculating the rate of new employee hires: Total number of new employee hires divided by number of employees at the end of the fiscal year.
3	Formula for calculating the rate of new employee hires by age/gender/region: New employee hires of the focus group divided by the total number of new employee hires.

Total number of new employee hires

5,710

7,085

7,285

7,129

696

by age group

Up to 29 years old

2,088

2,930

2,940

2,967

332

30 to 49 years old

3,252

3,736

3,848

3,728

331

50 or older

370

419

497

434

by gender

Women

2,450

3,388

3,412

3,401

298

Men

3,260

3,697

3,873

3,728

398

by region

Europe

2,119

2,689

3,058

2,560

696

North America

730

1,348

1,603

1,524

Asia-Pacific (APAC)

1,913

2,201

1,955

2,222

Latin America

780

636

497

583

Middle East and Africa (MEA)

168

211

172

240

Rate of new employee hires² (%)

by age group³

Up to 29 years old

30 to 49 years old

50 or older

by gender³

Women

Men

by region³

Europe

100

North America

not applicable

Asia-Pacific (APAC)

not applicable

Latin America

not applicable

Middle East and Africa (MEA)

not applicable

XLS

Staff turnover^1,2

2015

2016³

2017

2018
Merck Group⁴

2018
thereof Merck KGaA

1	The table contains unadjusted turnover rates. The rate excludes employees who depart due to parental leave or a long-term illness, as well as employees who are transitioning to the non-working phase of partial retirement.
2	Employee headcount is calculated as follows: Total number of leavers from the past 12 months divided by the average employee headcount multiplied by 100.
3	Includes Sigma-Aldrich as of 2016
4	Excludes Consumer Health

Total turnover rate

10.38

12.07

9.05

9.09

2.13

Turnover rate by gender

Men

10.13

12.87

8.75

9.03

2.21

Women

10.73

10.96

9.46

9.18

1.99

Turnover rate by age group

Up to 29 years old

17.49

19.20

13.66

14.24

3.51

30 to 49 years old

9.69

11.37

8.38

8.53

1.79

50 or older

8.08

9.19

7.87

7.39

2.10

Turnover rate by region

Europe

6.22

6.23

6.22

5.73

2.13

North America

12.72

11.50

11.02

9.90

not applicable

Asia-Pacific (APAC)

15.95

22.37

12.53

14.51

not applicable

Latin America

15.29

18.85

13.74

15.41

not applicable

Middle East and Africa (MEA)

10.80

11.22

9.77

not applicable

Total number of leavers

4,168

6,087

4,710

4,613

233

by gender

Men

2,386

3,771

2,596

2,578

153

Women

1,782

2,316

2,114

2,035

by age group

Up to 29 years old

943

1,464

1,058

1,061

30 to 49 years old

2,505

3,589

2,713

2,649

106

50 or older

720

1,034

939

903

by region

Europe

1,290

1,490

1,488

1,457

233

North America

638

1,132

1,143

1,064

Asia-Pacific (APAC)

1,540

2,543

1,387

1,468

Latin America

618

814

570

522

Middle East and Africa (MEA)

108

122

102

In 2018, the average length of service for employees Group-wide was 10 years (2017: 9.8 years), with 14.9 years (2017: 14.6 years) for Merck KGaA employees.

XLS

Work-related accidents¹

2015

2016

2017

2018
Merck Group

2018
thereof Merck KGaA

1	Including supervised workers

Lost Time Injury Rate (LTIR = workplace accidents resulting in missed days of work per one million man-hours)

1.4

1.3

1.5

1.3

2.8

by region

Europe

2.6

2.2

2.4

1.9

2.8

North America

0.9

1.1

1.0

1.1

not applicable

Asia-Pacific (APAC)

0.3

0.4

0.3

not applicable

Latin America

0.7

0.4

1.3

1.5

not applicable

Middle East and Africa (MEA)

0.5

1.6

0.0

0.7

not applicable

Number of deaths

by region

Europe

North America

Asia-Pacific (APAC)

Latin America

Middle East and Africa (MEA)

by gender

Women

Men

Both Merck employees as well as contractors have been included in the calculation of these indicators.

Through the LTIR, we record work-related accidents that involve at least one day of missed work. A work-related accident is an injury that results from the type of work, in the course of doing said work, and that has no internal cause. Work-related accidents are considered relevant if they occur on the premises, on business trips, during goods transport, as a result of external influences (e.g. natural disasters), or due to criminal acts involving personal injury. Commuting accidents and accidents during company sporting activities are not included. First-aid incidents are generally not included in the LTIR since these usually do not result in more than one day of missed work.

By 2020, we intend to sustainably lower the LTIR to 1.5. The aim is to permanently stabilize or outperform this challenging number, which we achieved for the first time in 2015.

We have defined the LTIR as a key indicator for the Merck Group. Therefore, we do not publish any other indicators such as workplace accidents, lost days or days of absence. The LTIR is not broken down by gender as this differentiation is not relevant to our strategic planning.

For Merck KGaA (about 22% of the employees of the Merck Group), we only report work-related illnesses if these have been certified as an occupational illness by the employers' liability insurance association. In 2018 period, two cases of work-induced illness were verified (as of the end of August 2018).

XLS

Employees who regularly receive a performance and development evaluation

2015¹

2016²

2017 Merck Group²

2018
Merck Group^3, 4

2018
thereof Merck KGaA

1	The 2015 data is based on a reporting date of February 29, 2016.
2	From 2016 on, figures include Sigma-Aldrich, but as of Dec. 31 2017, the job grading system had not yet been implemented for employees of Sigma-Aldrich legal entities in Germany and of Allergopharma. In the facts and figures for 2018, the employees whose positions had not been graded are included under “Other employees (below Role 3)”.
3	Excludes Consumer Health
4	In 2018, our job grading system had not yet been applied to the employees of Sigma Aldrich in Steinheim (Germany), or to those of Allergopharma. In the facts and figures for 2018, the employees whose positions had not been graded are included under “Other employees (below Role 3)”.
5	In 2017, we switched our job architecture from a Global Grading System to Roles. Figures have been retroactively adjusted for previous years.

% of employees who receive a performance and development evaluation

100

by gender

Women

100

Men

100

by employee category⁵

Senior management (Role 6+)

100

Middle management (Role 4 & 5)

100

Low management (Role 3)

100

Other employees (below Role 3)

100

Regular feedback and employee performance evaluations are essential to fairly ranking individual performance and to helping all employees follow their own career path at Merck. Our globally uniform Performance and Talent Management Process requires annual feedback meetings and performance assessments for all employees rated Role 2 and up in the job grading system that was used since 2017. Figures have been retroactively adjusted for previous years. Apart from evaluating employee performance, this helps us to identify individual development opportunities.

When it comes to applying this process, our individual subsidiaries can decide for themselves whether to include employees rated below Role 2. In Germany, all permanent employees have been participating in the Performance and Talent Management Process since 2013. In 2018, a total of 50,920 employees worldwide were involved in the process. The Performance and Talent Management Process is coordinated via our online platform HR4You.

XLS

Internationality of employees

As of Dec. 31

2015¹

2016²

2017²

2018
Merck Group³

2018
thereof Merck KGaA

1	These figures do not include the employees of Sigma-Aldrich, a company that was acquired in November 2015. As of December 31, 2015, the job grading system had not yet been implemented there.
2	From 2016 on, figures include Sigma-Aldrich. However, as of Dec. 31 2017, the job grading system had not yet been implemented for employees of Sigma-Aldrich legal entities in Germany or for employees of Allergopharma.
3	In 2018, our job grading system had not yet been applied to the employees of Sigma Aldrich in Steinheim (Germany), or to those of Allergopharma.

Number of nationalities

122

129

131

136

Number of nationalities in management positions (Role 4 or above)

% of non-Germans in management positions (Role 4 or above)

XLS

Employee age by region
As of Dec. 31

Number of employees	Worldwide	North America	Europe (including Germany)	Merck KGaA	Asia-Pacific (APAC)	Latin America	Middle East and Africa (MEA)

2017
Up to 29 years old	7,676	1,438	3,272	1,589	2,257	521	188
thereof women	3,512	608	1,585	634	945	294	80
30 to 49 years old	32,895	5,465	15,680	5,838	8,099	2,913	738
thereof women	14,540	2,423	7,287	2,195	3,074	1,405	351
50 or older	12,370	3,617	7,028	3,250	938	616	171
thereof women	4,806	1,487	2,755	1,069	279	197	88
Average age	41.4	44.1	42.5	42.6	36.9	40.3	39.4
Total employees	52,941	10,520	25,980	10,677	11,294	4,050	1,097

2018
Up to 29 years old	7,494	1,573	3,175	1,574	2,082	470	195
thereof women	3,534	661	1,537	633	966	285	85
30 to 49 years old	31,638	5,636	15,247	5,987	7,616	2,342	799
thereof women	14,238	2,511	7,044	2,281	3,123	1,183	377
50 or older	12,611	3,769	7,370	3,572	788	528	159
thereof women	4,971	1,570	2,883	1,183	259	180	79
Average age	41.7	44.1	42.8	42.9	36.9	40.4	39.2
Total employees	51,749	10,978	25,792	11,133	10,486	3,340	1,153

XLS

Age of youngest employee

As of Dec. 31

2015

2016¹

2017

2018

1	Includes Sigma-Aldrich as of 2016

Age of youngest employee, excluding apprentices

XLS

Voluntary insurance benefits (voluntarily introduced and (co-) financed)

As of Dec. 31

2015

2016¹

2017

2018
Merck Group

2018
thereof Merck KGaA

1	Since 2016, we have been reporting voluntary insurance benefits that we offer our employees. No such data was tracked for the preceding year.
2	Any spend on voluntarily introduced and (co-) financed healthcare benefits for employees and possibly their dependents. Not taking into consideration any mandatory social security cover (mostly covered by an insurance policy).
3	Figure retroactively adjusted.
4	Any spend on voluntarily introduced and (co-) financed accident insurance that pays a defined amount in case of death or disability caused by a work-related accident (not taking into consideration any mandatory social security cover, e.g. workman's compensation).
5	Any spend on voluntarily introduced and (co-) financed life insurance cover that pays a defined amount of money in case of natural death (not accidental).
6	Any spend on voluntarily introduced and (co-) financed insurance cover that disability pays for salary continuation in case of inability to work caused by an insured incident.

% of employees with healthcare benefits²

–

68³

% of employees with Group accident insurance⁴

–

% of employees with life insurance⁵

–

% of employees with disability insurance (short-term and long-term)⁶

–

All our employees are covered by either statutory or voluntary accident and health insurance. Employees of Merck KGaA are covered by statutory insurance as stipulated by the regulations in force in Germany.

We offer a company pension in numerous countries along with various programs for supplemental company pensions and survivor's benefits.

The global benefits listed in the table above are designed to provide additional security to our workforce and their families and to improve their quality of life. Benefits represent voluntarily employer-initiated as well as employer-financed assistance to our workforce in addition to the regular compensation package.

Our benefits offer meaningful choices, where possible, to support a diverse workforce and are sensitive to the needs and customs of the employees who use them, regardless of country, age, family status, interests, or values.

XLS

Long-term pension obligations and post-employment benefits

€ million	2015	2016	2017	2018
Present value of all defined benefit obligations as of Dec. 31	4,153	4,698	4,707	4,719
Pension expenses	210	226	304	295

Depending on the legal, economic and fiscal circumstances prevailing in each country, different retirement benefit systems are provided for the employees of the Merck Group. Generally, these systems are based on the years of service and salaries of the employees. Pension obligations of the Merck Group include both defined benefit and defined contribution plans and comprise both obligations from current pensions and accrued benefits for pensions payable in the future. In the Merck Group, defined benefit plans are funded and unfunded (see our Annual Report 2018, Note on Provisions for pensions and other post-employment benefits).

XLS

Flexible working hours in Germany

As of Dec. 31

2015

2016¹

2017

2018²

1	Includes Sigma-Aldrich as of 2016
2	Essentially reflects the figures of Merck KGaA.

% of employees utilizing the “mywork@Merck” working model

In coordination with their teams and supervisors, employees taking advantage of “mywork@merck” can choose when and where they work.

XLS

Parental leave in Germany

As of Dec. 31

2015¹

2016¹

2017²

2018²

1	Figures only pertain to the Darmstadt and Gernsheim sites in Germany (which accounted for around 22% of Merck Group employees in 2018). Figures are calculated on the basis of the data from one entire year, which also includes those employees who took parental leave during the calendar year but who had not returned by Dec. 31.
2	Figures pertain only to Merck KGaA (which accounted for around 20% of Merck Group employees in 2017, and roughly 22% in 2018). Figures are calculated on the basis of the data from one entire year, which also includes those employees who took parental leave during the calendar year but who had not yet returned by Dec. 31.
3	Since parental leave can be taken for a period ranging from one month to three years, it is possible for employees to be recorded across a period of up to four calendar years. This explains why the number of employees on parental leave exceeds the number of employees who have a right to it.
4	Figure will be available on Dec. 31, 2019.

Number of employees with a right to parental leave

317

359

353

308

thereof women (recorded via maternity leave in the respective year)

149

191

151

188

thereof men (recorded via special paternity leave in the respective year)

168

202

120

Number of employees who took parental leave³

485

480

352

500

thereof women

301

303

150

240

thereof men

184

177

202

260

Number of employees on parental leave who worked part time during their leave

102

128

thereof women

109

thereof men

Number of employees who returned from parental leave

183

174

312

thereof women

143

thereof men

132

112

169

247

Return to work rate (%)

37.7

36.3

88.6

62.4

thereof women

16.9

20.5

95.3

27.1

thereof men

71.7

63.3

83.7

95.0

Number of employees still working for Merck one year after their return from parental leave

184

190

238

–⁴

thereof women

–⁴

thereof men

129

117

149

–⁴

Retention rate (%)

96.8

95.6

89.8

–⁴

thereof women

98.2

93.8

85.6

–⁴

thereof men

96.3

96.8

92.5

–⁴

XLS

Employees with disabilities¹ (%)

1	Only pertains to Merck KGaA (which accounted for around 22% of Merck Group employees in 2018, calculations based on the German Social Code IX - SGB IX).

As of Dec. 31

2015

2016

2017

2018

Employees with disabilities¹

4.7

4.5

4.3

XLS

Apprentices

As of Dec. 31

2015¹

2016²

2017²

2018

1	Only pertains to Merck KGaA (roughly 19% of the Merck Group's total employee headcount in 2015).
2	Only pertains to Merck sites in Germany (approximately 25% of the Group's total workforce in 2016, 2017 and 2018). Essentially reflects the figures of Merck KGaA.

Number of apprentices

506

576

588

604

% of apprentices

5.3

4.6

4.4

4.5

LTIR

The lost time injury rate measures the number of accidents resulting in missed days of work (one or more days) per one million man-hours.

Role

Merck uses a market-oriented system to rate positions within the company. To facilitate consistency across the organization, each position is assigned a specific role, with an overarching job architecture classifying each role as one of 11 levels, 15 functions and an array of career types (Core Operations, Services & Support Groups; Experts; Managers; Project Managers).

Merck Corporate Responsibility Report 2018

TAG overview

Results

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