Case Study
Company:
The company operates large distribution networks for electricity, gas and water in a federal state and is responsible for their expansion and maintenance. With around 4,000 employees, it is represented at numerous locations in the federal state. It also has several logistics centers with a total area of 85,000 square meters and 10,000 different items for the expansion and maintenance of the grids. An employee with a severe disability was hired at one of the logistics centers.Disability and impairment of the employee:
The man has a disorder from the autism spectrum, which is why he has impairments in the area of perception or filtering relevant information as well as social interaction and communication with other people. Difficulties in planning action sequences are accompanied by problems with short-term changes to the environment and routines. Communication and work processes must therefore be clear and unambiguous. He also needs a little more time to complete his work tasks.Education and profession:
The man completed training as a warehouse logistics specialist, worked in his profession for several years and was then unemployed for a while. Despite numerous internships, applications and job interviews, he was initially unable to find a new job. He was finally successful at the distribution network company, as his qualifications matched and the company had already had positive experiences with employing people with disabilities.Workplace and work organization:
The employee stores items in the logistics center and puts together the various orders, which he receives via the logistics software in the office area. These are then collected by freight forwarders. To do this, he uses electric pallet trucks, for example, to put together larger items in bulk and smaller items from the shelves in pallet cages. He then prepares the items for collection by the forwarding agents. When collecting the items, they are also responsible for handing over and confirming the accompanying documents. He also carries out cleaning tasks with a ride-on sweeper in the warehouse area.At the beginning of his job, the employee was gradually trained in his area of responsibility. To this end, his team leader involved the company's representative body for severely disabled employees. With regard to the employee's disability, cooperation within the team and the induction process, the representative recommended involving the Integration Service (IFD) to provide support. The IFD sensitized the managers and team leaders as well as the colleagues so that no misunderstandings and conflicts arise due to the special aspects in the social area and in communication. They discussed how to deal with this and what is important for the employee and the team. When communicating, it is important that he receives precise and clear instructions without words such as "possibly" or "perhaps". The tasks to be completed must also be prioritized by the team leader in a supportive manner so that they can then be completed by the employee in sequence. The team can particularly rely on the quality of the work carried out by the employee, as he performs it 100% and without errors.
Support and cooperation:
When the previously unemployed employee with a severe disability was hired, the company received an integration grant from the employment agency in the form of a wage subsidy. The induction was accompanied and supported by the specialist integration service, which can continue to be involved by the employee or the company as required.The company receives a financial subsidy from the integration or inclusion office as compensation for the support provided in the company or the personnel support provided by the team leader and to secure the job, as the employee requires slightly more working hours to perform the tasks.
ICF Items
Reference Number:
Pb/111344
Last Update: 21 Apr 2026