Chrysler 2008 Annual Report Download - page 33

Report on Operations Human Resources32
The Group had 198,348 employees at year-end 2008, compared
with 185,227 at year-end 2007, with approximately 33,300 new
hires being made during the year and 27,400 individuals
leaving the Group. The remaining net increase of around 7,200
employees was attributable to changes in the Group’s scope of
operations, which principally included: consolidation of the
Plastic Components and Modules business line by Magneti
Marelli, the insourcing of logistics services by Fiat Group
Automobiles in Italy, and the insourcing of parts distribution
activities by CNH in North America and Latin America.
Approximately 30,000 employees (classified internally as
Professional) have specific professional qualifications, and 44%
of them work outside Italy.
Organizational and managerial changes
In 2008, the Group continued implementation of the
organisational model which, in 2007, resulted in the creation of
Group-level positions to coordinate the principal business
processes, thereby encouraging the sharing of skills and
experience, creating synergies and ensuring increased
collaboration across Sectors.
This central coordination has contributed toward
harmonisation of the decision-making process at Group level
and has played a fundamental role in the identification of
talented personnel within each of the various professional
areas, promoting its internal growth to more effectively
respond to the needs of the organisation. As part of this
process, a global, inter-sectoral review was conducted of 15
professional families enabling, subsequent to selection and
approval by the Group Executive Council, managers and
professionals having the characteristics necessary to cover
certain key positions to be transferred between Sectors.
All human resource management processes are based on the
leadership model which has been in place for the past four
years for all professionals globally. A pilot project has been
instituted at certain European entities with the model being
extended to include all white-collar employees.
Training
Investment in training to support Group activities and
individual professional development totalled about €91 million.
Isvor Fiat provided training, consulting and professional
support representing an equivalent of 18,686 days of training
and ‘on-the-job’ support. A further 89,104 hours of web-based
distance learning were also provided to 17,825 users.
Grants and Scholarships
The Fiat Grant and Scholarship Programme for children of
Group employees was a well-received initiative once again this
year. In addition to Italy, other countries which have
participated so far include France, Spain, Poland, Belgium,
Brazil, North America, China and the United Kingdom. In 2008,
a total of 1,148 grants were awarded (351 in Italy and 797
outside Italy) amounting to €2.2 million.
Industrial relations
A constant dialogue was maintained with trade unions and
employee representatives at company level throughout the
year to achieve consensus-based solutions to manage the
impact on workers of various measures taken to respond to
changed market conditions. Discussions in the first half of the
year mainly focused on measures to meet growing market
demand through increased work flexibility at manufacturing
plants, mainly through utilisation of overtime, fixed-term
workers, and increase in the number of shifts. In the second
half – due to the global financial crisis and its impact on the
real economy which exposed the Group to a significant, abrupt
and unexpected reduction in orders and subsequent decline in
production levels – discussions with trade unions mainly
focused on the gradual reduction of agency workers and
workers with fixed-term employment contracts, and the
implementation of measures to suspend production in some
European countries and in North America.
Human Resources