EasyJet 2015 Annual Report Download - page 38

34 easyJet plc Annual report and accounts 2015
Corporate responsibility continued
easyJet has an apprenticeship programme within its engineering
team, with currently 14 apprentices in the airline. The apprentices
receive 8 months' classroom training, followed by 16 months with
easyJet in a mix of aircraft maintenance and office-based roles.
On completion of the programme the apprentices receive an
NVQ Level 3 in aeronautical engineering and an 'A licence' to
carry out standard maintenance tasks on aircraft.
easyJet's graduate programme currently has 38 participants from
across Europe. The graduates spend two years in different parts
of the airline to develop their skills and increase their knowledge.
easyJet also uses mentoring as a way to develop people, with
benefits for both the mentee and mentor. All easyJet pilots are
mentored by a more senior colleague and mentoring also takes
place within the Company's management and administration
community.
One team value
easyJet holds an annual 'Spirit Awards' event which celebrates the
work of employees who live the easyJet values in their behaviour.
easyJet managers decide which employees will get a ticket to
the celebration event, which is attended by over 500 people.
easyJet bases and its head office also have culture teams in
which employees volunteer to arrange activities such as team
social events.
easyJet continues to support its managers through the
Company's people management development programme,
which aims to provide people managers with the skills and
knowledge they need to effectively manage their direct reports.
This programme is accredited by the University of Bedfordshire
and counts towards ongoing study for an MBA. A total of 247
managers have now completed this course, including 72 this year.
Connected crew
Connected crew is a programme to engage pilots more closely
with the business by improving communication and offering
further learning and development opportunities. Pilot focus
groups are carried out to give pilots the opportunity to ask
questions and provide feedback to the management team
face-to-face. Since the programme began in 2013 sessions have
been held at London Gatwick, Milan, Paris Charles de Gaulle,
Bristol and Manchester and attended by over 980 pilots.
Command leadership training has been enhanced, so that it
covers leadership and commercial awareness for new and
existing captains. Since the programme began in 2013 over
1,200 captains have received the training.
A culture of wellbeing
The physical and psychological health of the Company's people
is important for its continued success and growth. easyJet's
overall aim is to keep its people happy, healthy and in work.
By analysing management information that comes from its
specialist providers the airline has been seeking to improve
existing services and provide targeted help and support for
employees. Findings indicate that although it is necessary to
continue to support and promote good physical health, there
is a need to provide additional focus on people's psychological
health. Current initiatives in this area include developing a peer
support network, as well as improved training on mental health
for all of its people.
easyJet is working with its new occupational health and
employee assistance provider to further develop the support
it offers to its employees. easyJet staff can now complete a
health risk assessment, which gives a personalised health report
and suggestions for positive lifestyle changes. There are also
podcasts, factsheets and 'ask the expert' forums for our people
to access information on a wide range of topics covering mental
health, physical health and life skills such as parenting,
relationships and debt management.
Recognition and reward
easyJet's approach to reward is critical to its ability to attract
and retain people. The Company offers a competitive reward
package designed to deliver a performance culture, with the
emphasis on cash and variable pay rather than fixed benefits.
The reward package includes an annual performance-driven
bonus (based on personal and Group performance) and share
awards (based on the financial performance of the Group).
easyJet is committed to being a Living Wage employer. All direct
employees of easyJet in the UK are already paid above the
'UK Living Wage', established by the Living Wage Foundation,
which is currently £7.85 per hour and is above the UK National
Minimum Wage. easyJet is working with the Living Wage
Foundation to discuss considerations for the airline sector, such
as variable pay for pilots and cabin crew, as well as the potential
to extend the Living Wage to employees of airline suppliers.
Employee benefits
All easyJet employees, with a minimum amount of service, have
the opportunity to become shareholders in the Company. At
30 September 2015 they held interests in 12.6 million shares
between them worth £224 million.
All employees can join easyJet's Save As You Earn scheme,
which allows employees to save money from their salary with
the option to purchase shares. All UK employees can take part
in the Buy As You Earn scheme, in which employees can buy
shares from their salary each month and easyJet buys matching
shares. The UK schemes are approved by Her Majesty's Revenue
& Customs. easyJet also awards Performance (Free) Shares
to employees.
easyJet employees may, subject to their holdings and the share
price performance, be able to realise gains in share value. For
example, 1.5 million Performance (Free) Shares vested during
the year and the Save As You Earn scheme, which matured
during 2015, had an exercise price of £4.18. The share price
at 30 September 2015 was £17.77.
easyJet also offers a small number of associated airline benefits
in line with the Company's cost-focused approach. These include
insurances and access to travel on easyJet services at cost price.
easyJet contributes towards a group personal pension plan in
the UK and, where negotiated, to pension arrangements for
employees in Germany and Portugal.
easyJet aims to provide flexible working arrangements, part-time
working and job sharing that fit its business model and the
personal circumstances of its people. As at 30 September 2015
there were 1,382 easyJet employees who worked part-time
(working fewer than 35 hours per week), making up over 13%
of the employee population.