Vodafone 2006 Annual Report Download - page 60

58 Vodafone Group Plc Annual Report 2006
Employees
Vodafone employs approximately 60,000 people worldwide, with a goal to recruit,
develop and retain the most talented, motivated people that are well aligned with the
Vodafone brand essence. The Company aims to do this by providing a good, safe
working environment, treating people with respect and offering attractive incentives and
opportunities. Training and development programmes help employees to develop their
skills and experience and to reach their full potential, benefiting themselves and the
Company.
Employee Involvement
The Board’s aim is to ensure that Vodafone people understand the Group’s
strategic goals and the mutual obligations of working in a high performing,
values-based organisation.
Vodafone’s values continue to provide a common way of doing things and are implicit in
all that the Group does for and with its shareholders, customers and employees. During
the year, Vodafone launched a major employee engagement initiative to bring alive the
essence of the Vodafone brand. ‘Red, Rock Solid, Restless’ is the cornerstone to
changing the culture of the Group by inspiring the behaviour of employees in their
interactions with customers and other stakeholders.
The Board places a high priority on effective employee communications to create a
dialogue with the Group’s people. In addition to the more traditional channels, the Group
increasingly uses its own products and services, such as SMS and audio based
messaging, and is currently trialling 3G video based internal communications media in
some local markets. This is the natural next step in the evolution of VTV, the Group’s
successful intranet based business television service.
The Chief Executive and other members of the executive management team continue
to host the “Talkabout” programme, which aims to visit each of the Group’s local
operating companies every year. In the “Talkabout” sessions, the executive team use the
opportunity to discuss the Group’s strategic goals with as wide an audience of Vodafone
people as possible, listening to their views and talking about the issues that matter most
to them, as well as exchanging ideas about how Vodafone can serve its customers as a
single, global team.
All of these initiatives are supported and enhanced by a comprehensive range of award
winning in-house publications for effectively sharing information with employees on
key performance indicators for the business. The Vodafone intranet was recently
included by Nielsen Norman Research in their authoritative list as one of the ten best
intranets in the world.
Vodafone’s success is driven by the passion and effort of the Group’s employees. In
return, Vodafone values employees’ opinions on improving the performance of the
Group. Within European subsidiaries, employee representatives meet annually with
members of the executive management team in the Vodafone European Employee
Consultative Council to discuss the performance and prospects of the Group and
significant trans-national issues.
In 2005, Vodafone carried out its second biennial Employee Survey to measure the
levels of employee satisfaction and engagement. 89% of employees from 17 countries,
including Japan, took part to inform the Company on its progression on the key issues
highlighted by the first survey in 2003.
The results showed that Vodafone employees had responded more positively in 2005
than in 2003. Specific results indicated that the overwhelming majority of employees
are proud to work for Vodafone, understand the importance of Vodafone’s values, know
the results expected of them in their jobs and have a good understanding of Vodafone’s
strategic goals and priorities. The number of employees agreeing with the statement
“I am proud to work for Vodafone” was equal to the high performance norm for
companies on the Fortune list of “Most Admired Companies”.
Vodafone is focused on continually improving and, as a result, the Company has
identified three areas to be addressed through co-ordinated global and local action:
•To take a genuine interest in employees and their development, by taking a more
proactive approach to developing employees, with a specific emphasis on coaching
and feedback. This area will be supported by the global launch of a performance
management process in the next financial year and the launch of selected functional
‘Academies’ which focus on the professional and skills development offered to
employees;
•To improve the Group’s understanding of the underlying customer focus issues in
each market and identify improvements in the service offered. Meeting customers’
requirements remains at the heart of the business and will continue to differentiate
Vodafone from our competition; and
•To develop practical global frameworks and guidelines to help employees effectively
manage change within the business.
The next Employee Survey is scheduled to take place in the 2007 financial year.
Employment Policies
The Group’s employment policies are consistent with the principles of the United
Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Labour
Organisation Core Conventions and are developed to reflect local legal, cultural and
employment requirements. High standards are maintained wherever the Group
operates, as Vodafone aims to ensure that the Group is recognised as an employer of
choice. Employees at all levels and in all companies are encouraged to make the
greatest possible contribution to the Group’s success. The Group considers its employee
relations to be good.
Equal Opportunities
Vodafone does not condone unfair treatment of any kind and operates an equal
opportunities policy for all aspects of employment and advancement, regardless of race,
nationality, sex, age, marital status, disability or religious or political belief. In practice,
this means that the Group is able to select the best people available for positions on the
basis of merit and capability, making the most effective use of the talents and
experience of people in the business, providing them with the opportunity to develop
and realise their potential.
The Disabled
The directors are conscious of the special difficulties experienced by people with
disabilities. Every effort is made to ensure ready access to the Group’s facilities and
services and a range of products has been developed for people with special needs. In
addition, disabled people are assured of full and fair consideration for all vacancies for
which they offer themselves as suitable candidates and efforts are made to meet their
special needs, particularly in relation to access and mobility. Where possible,
modifications to workplaces have been made to provide access and, therefore, job
opportunities for the disabled. Every effort is made to continue the employment of
people who become disabled via the provision of additional facilities, job design and the
provision of appropriate training.
Health, Safety and Wellbeing
The health, safety and wellbeing of the Group’s customers, employees and others who
could be affected by its activities are of paramount importance to Vodafone and the
Group applies rigorous standards to all of its operations.
The health and safety management in each operating company is audited annually and
the results are submitted in a report for discussion by the Board. The Group’s annual
global health and safety audit has shown a consistent rise in scores every year since
inception in 2002. New standards, policies and a health and safety management system
have been implemented, with an increase in consultation, participation and best practice
sharing by health and safety professionals from the operating companies. These will be
further developed in the next financial year.