The unannounced inspection visits by top managers were obviously not well received. “You could just tell by the aggression,” Demmler continues. “By having the door slammed shut. By being threatened with the police. By being asked if you don’t have to make an appointment first.”

Jesus christ imagine being this oblivious.

"We harassed workers outside of their work hours and they were mean!"

There will be a lawsuit and it will be hilarious to anyone with the vaguest concept of workers rights

A hundred workers should go to visit the CEO home...

As a German, this is so fucking hilarious. No German manager would ever come up with an idea like this. This must be some clueless yanks who think they can import their idiotic "hustle culture" here.

If you have a legitimate suspicion, that your employee is not actually sick, you can hire a private investigator. Otherwise you just shut the fuck up. And if your sick leave ratio is high, you should ask yourself what it is in your company, that makes people sick.

Demmler obviously emphasised that the intention was not to criticise or make demands of the employees – rather, they wanted to find out how people were doing and how they could help.

How about doing that, when they feel better, and are back at work... Did they bring soup and tissues?

That shit is extremely rare over here in Germany, and it will not improve employee satisfaction or their commitment. And you are not bound to open the door anyways or to stay home when you are sick (you can get better at your partners place, no problem) so simply don't open the door when you are sick.

If someone came unannounced to my home identifying themselves as the Head of Human Resources, checking in on my sick leave... I'd probably sneeze or have a giant coughing fit right in their face.

"If there's anything you need" -- bud, I need to be left alone to recover.

Reject this American imperialist capitalist bullshit.

That time should be billed extra

Demmler obviously emphasised that the intention was not to criticise or make demands of the employees – rather, they wanted to find out how people were doing and how they could help.

Toxic work culture, simple as. One needs look no further than the fact that the managers felt it was ok to do this in the first place.

Now the company paid the sick leave PLUS the HR person going on a field trip 🤣