Geobra redundancies and outsourcing, restructuring Playmobil (Autumn 2023)

[Macruran]

Ah so it's the secretary's fault. Did H-Brand nominate her personally or did she scheme her way in?

[playmovictorian]

This makes sad reading 

From an article of the Business Insider https://www.businessinsider.de/wirtschaft/kuendigungen-abmahnwellen-psychodruck-wie-der-deutsche-spielzeughersteller-playmobil-in-die-krise-geraet-b/

"According to Manager Magazin, Albert herself said in an internal meeting that Playmobil was no longer really relevant to consumers."

Albert and her management team are making themselves unpopular not only among consumers, but also internally. “Dismissals, waves of warnings, psychological pressure and transfers (…) are the order of the day,” said IG Metall operations manager Bianka Möller to Manager Magazin. There is “a climate of fear”.

Many former employees and managers, such as head of entertainment Christine Brand, head of human resources Cordula Glatthaar and head of technology Robert Benker, quit after Albert took over or were replaced. Albert now alone determines the important decisions and the course of the company."

Well dear Mrs Albert, Playmobil is still relevant to me and I will always cherish these little figures and what imagination and creativity can make of them 

The crisis at Playmobil unknown to me until this topic was raised appears to be nothing new since reports of it date as far back as 2019 with many analysts saying that the global flop of the Playmobil movie did not help, that the company is losing important shares in the toy market and its recent releases did not meet the expected demand or success. Playmobil has done what so many global companies do in times of crisis with hiring global management consulting firms such as McKinsey & Co to run an audit in March resulting in drastic measures in order to keep the company afloat and viable but at the cost of 700 employees being laid off just a few months away from Christmas and at the start of what is expected to be a harsh winter for many of us.

My take on this is that although Playmobil is still one of the most beloved, trusted and recognisable brand in the world with kids and parents alike, it just isn't a global player in the toy market anymore but still can be creative in the years to come on a "smaller" scale and maybe this toxic corporate environment that so many business publications refer to over the years will diminish as I believe that the immense pressure of trying desperately to remain at the top of the game ultimately proved to be a failure both with customers and long term faithful employees who walked out or were dismissed over recent years.

[Klickteryx]

If she actually said the product was no longer relevant to consumers then she needs to go. Yes the world is changing but toy shops still exist and children still need tactile play rather than just button pushing.
Lego and other companies have also proved that there is a huge adult market for toys from programmable robots to resin models and even plushies of pop culture characters.

[GrahamB]

Sad indeed.
The pandemic changed a lot of things and now the global economy is in shamble.

Not forgetting the invasion of Ukraine and Brexit, both of which have had major detrimental impacts to parts of the global economy.

[Redmao]

Seriously though, the lady needs to be shown the door if she doesn't believe in the product. Why would she be left in charge with no prior experience nor confidence into the brand?
Playmobil is a fantastic brand and while a few themes had me scratch my head their recent endeavors into the collectible market through their Hollywood cars have been awesome.
Who else produced such a fantastic rendition of Knight Rider's Kitt or an actual James Bond car with figures? I really hope that the design department can keep on releasing sets based on 80's heroes.

[playmofire]

Seriously though, the lady needs to be shown the door if she doesn't believe in the product. Why would she be left in charge with no prior experience nor confidence into the brand?
Playmobil is a fantastic brand and while a few themes had me scratch my head their recent endeavors into the collectible market through their Hollywood cars have been awesome.
Who else produced such a fantastic rendition of Knight Rider's Kitt or an actual James Bond car with figures? I really hope that the design department can keep on releasing sets based on 80's heroes.

I think the position is that she can only sack herself.

[Oliver]

I think the position is that she can only sack herself.

I think this is the case - I'm sure a couple of years ago someone posted on here about previous management problems at Playmobil, and the weird corporate structure it seems to have

[StJohn]

I think this is the case - I'm sure a couple of years ago someone posted on here about previous management problems at Playmobil, and the weird corporate structure it seems to have

Here: https://www.playmofriends.com/forum/index.php?topic=17366.0 - probably the most entertaining (and disturbing!) piece about Geobra management ever written.

[tahra]

You only have to look to the sets to understand people there have no idea about playmobil.

Or the app - nobody who knows a bit about playmo reviewed that.

It was supposed to be a SYSTEM - all works together, all can be expanded. But they have no idea.

It's very very very sad.

[Redmao]

I think the position is that she can only sack herself.

Ain't that a dictatorship?