The Excellence of Porsche Products

Porsche has been delivering outstanding cars to the world for over 70 years. Today, the 911 stands as an icon of sports cars, and the models I’m deeply passionate about—the Panamera, the open-air thrill of the Boxster, the Cayman, the Cayenne, and the Macan—all embody that spirit.

No matter which model you drive, you truly feel that Porsche is a sports car. Whether it’s a Porsche built 30 years ago or the latest model, the excitement never fades. That’s truly remarkable.

There are even Porsches with over 600,000 km on the odometer (about 15 times around the Earth), and it’s said that around 70% of all Porsches ever made are still running on the streets today. Their durability and excellence as industrial products are truly extraordinary.

At this point, a thought struck me:

The reason Porsche can keep making such amazing cars is because the people who work there do so with passion, pride, and exceptional skill.

No matter how brilliant the blueprints or how advanced the factory, without motivated and capable people, such outstanding products simply couldn’t be made.

The saying “A company is its people” rings especially true for Porsche.

Porsche’s Focus on Employee Training

I’ve watched programs and read various materials about Porsche’s manufacturing sites, and time and again I’ve sensed that Porsche’s factories place great importance on employee training.

Repeatedly, I’ve come across statements like:

“Creating an environment where employees can work passionately and enjoyably,”
“To achieve big goals, the whole team must unite and push projects forward,”
“I’ve worked at Porsche since my father’s generation, and we all share that spirit and take pride in building these cars.”

(Of course, I believe other automakers also value employee training, but still…)

While browsing online, I found an article featuring Oliver Blume, CEO of Porsche AG, where he said:

“Working at Porsche means approaching your work with perfectionism and passion front and center. With this as a foundation, each person takes responsibility and operates their area accordingly.”

Perfectionism and passion… At that moment, I thought, there’s no way I could work in a Porsche factory (-_-). I have passion, but I’m too laid-back, so manufacturing isn’t for me. …Not that anyone’s asked me to work there anyway (lol).

Reading further, the CEO shared:

“Even as an executive, I’m part of the team, so I must thoroughly understand the technology.”

He personally visits the production lines every time a new model is developed to see things with his own eyes. This hands-on approach by the CEO and executives directly passes Porsche’s spirit and attention to detail to new employees.

That really makes sense.

*Source: Porsche Japan “In Pursuit of Perfection”

Employee Satisfaction Leads to Customer Satisfaction

An interview article with Albrecht Reimold, Member of the Executive Board for Production and Logistics at Porsche AG also included this insight:

Despite being extremely busy with building the Taycan production plant and starting production of the new 911, he spends 20% of his workday on organizational strategy and another 20% preparing for the Taycan. Of course, he also closely monitors the new 911 production. But above all, he prioritizes making sure staff are motivated and happily engaged at work.

Checking whether employees are passionate about Porsche is crucial because when employees enjoy their work, that enthusiasm is reflected in the products and ultimately in customer satisfaction. That’s why he always focuses on fostering a culture of leadership and takes his responsibility seriously.

*Source & images: There is certainly nothing routine about 911 production

Porsche’s production line motto is said to be “No mistakes accepted, made, or passed on,” which means every person involved must take leadership and responsibility for their work.

As a result, in March 2018, Porsche announced it would pay a special bonus of 10,000 euros to employees that year. This decision followed strong business results in 2017 and applied to about 23,000 employees. It was the fourth consecutive year of bonus payments tied to good performance.

I’m a little jealous (laughs).

While the emotional side is important, I believe happiness both materially and spiritually matters most. Including bonuses, these efforts surely boost employee motivation. As a Porsche fan, my greatest hope is that employees continue working with high motivation and keep producing outstanding products infused with the Porsche spirit.

May Porsche always remain true to itself.