How can performance-related pay work in the public sector, Robby Herzog?
In this episode of the ‘amtlich voran’ podcast by EMBRACE and the ZEIT Publishing Group, I speak to Robby Herzog, Head of Human Resources at BARMER. Robby brings an exceptional perspective to the table: He has been with BARMER for 30 years, 25 of which he spent as a staff representative before moving into HR. Today, he is helping to shape a truly pioneering project there: performance-related pay at a statutory health insurance fund and a public-law corporation.
One quote that particularly stuck with me was: “Our basic assumption is always: everyone does a great job and gets a great salary for it. But for those who go above and beyond – that excellence, that outstanding performance – that’s what we’re willing to pay extra for.”
Among other things, we discussed the following topics:
🚀 From the 1980s remuneration system to a model for the future
What began as the necessary modernisation of a decades-old collective agreement at BARMER evolved into a much larger project centred on job architecture, transparency, fairness and, ultimately, performance-based pay.
🤝 Why trust is more important than the perfect checklist
The so-called ‘flexibility elements’ only work if there is trust between the employer, Ver.di, the staff representatives and management – right down to a shared willingness to roll back the model if it doesn’t work financially or culturally.
💰 The moment of truth comes with the payout
Managers must now reward outstanding contributions whilst conveying that no additional pay by no means implies poor performance – how this affects culture, motivation and staff retention will be the crucial question for BARMER.
🔗 Further links
- Robby Herzog on LinkedIn
- BARMER – further information about the company and its HR practices
- Full details of the ‘amtlich voran’ forum on 1 October 2026 in Berlin can be found HERE
- You can listen to the ‘amtlich voran’ playlist featuring all previous episodes HERE