Talent
Our success as a company is linked intimately to the success of our employees as individuals. To this end, TE offers professional development courses with a focus on management, sales, and engineering training for our employees. We also offer rotating assignments with accompanying training to develop applicable skill sets.
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Development and Training
Over the past three years, we have expanded our talent development and training programs beyond basic on-the-job skill training to include career building programs in the areas of operations, engineering, and leadership. We are also expanding our internal development opportunities, such as rotational and short term assignments, to all of our employees.
In operations, we have rolled out the TE Operating Advantage (TEOA) program, a company-wide effort designed to improve productivity, reduce costs, and deliver greater satisfaction to our customers and greater value to shareholders. TEOA provides various levels of Lean training at all of our manufacturing sites, to over 75,000 employees globally. In the past two years, more than 4000 employees have been trained in Lean principles and over 1500 employees have completed advanced training and are certified as Lean practitioners.
Leadership Development
A main objective of our talent development and training strategy is to develop TE leaders across all businesses and functions. Several years ago, we launched programs focused on leadership development with our executive and senior level management. In 2011, we are extending our leadership development programs to over 1000 leaders globally with our cornerstone development program called the "TE Leadership Way." This program focuses on the requirements for leadership within TE and will be made available for all existing, as well as newly appointed, leaders on a regular basis in every region.
In 2011, we will continue to advance our talent development and training efforts globally, engage and energize our employees, and, support employees in advancing their careers.
Instructor-Led Workshops & E-Learning
We provide individuals with formal learning experiences available through instructor-led workshops as well as through e-learning methods. In addition to formal learning, we make available a wide range of development experiences, including coaching, mentoring, performance feedback and assessment, and action learning teams.
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We offer over 5000 online professional development programs covering a wide variety of topics; many are available in up to 19 languages. Each year, more than 20,000 employees participate in these online programs globally. We also spend more than $2 million annually to support employees to achieve educational degrees or certifications.
Training in China
To meet the increased training needs of our workforce in China, where we hired more than 11,000 additional employees in fiscal 2010, TE administered more than 50,000 hours of training, and oversaw 65 engineering sessions that attracted more than 1,700 participants. A new learning center is expected to open in Shanghai in early 2011 that will extend our regional training while establishing a stronger presence in the Shanghai community.
Career Management System
Wherever in the world our employees work, we strive to put them in a position to succeed. Using our Career Management System (CMS), managers have an obligation and the ability to understand the employees' skills, career interests, and development needs, and to work with employees to build individual advancement plans that help the employees meet future goals.
For fiscal 2010, of the approximately 20,000 employees who have access to the CMS, approximately 85 percent completed a performance appraisal and career development plan. Using the CMS technology to track our Performance Goals, Assessments and Development Plans ensures a process that is consistently providing best practice performance and talent management on a global scale. TE relies on the data entered into the system to provide necessary visibility into organizational talent, and to make critical workforce and succession planning decisions.
Mentoring Programs
We also are in the process of formalizing mentoring programs. Those employees who meet and exceed performance expectations can expect to have career advancement opportunities commensurate with their abilities and potential.
Employee Engagement
At TE, we believe employee engagement is critical to our long term success. Our employee engagement is specifically linked to our ability to support professional and career development; to effectively communicate with people at all levels in the company, and to create an environment that is healthy, safe, and inclusive.
To help create a work environment that improves morale and engagement, numerous TE facilities around the world will be undergoing substantial physical upgrades. Many of our revitalization projects will use innovative ways to celebrate our company's history, as well as foster a more collaborative and progressive environment for our future.
Engagement Survey
In fiscal 2008, we measured engagement with an all-employee survey that investigated how our people felt about working at TE. High-level findings from this survey showed us that employees wanted more opportunities for growth and development, and increased communication from business leaders. They also wanted more transparency.
A follow up pulse survey in fiscal 2010 showed that employee engagement improved significantly. Approximately 70 percent of employees favorably rated overall satisfaction with TE as a place to work and were proud to say that they work here. More than 64 percent were willing to refer a good friend or family member to TE for employment.
Improved Communication
Improved communication was an important theme, too. Employees gave high scores to questions about how well their supervisors and business unit leaders kept them informed about business progress and employee safety results. Data indicated that employees also appreciated the company's efforts to improve learning and development opportunities and upgrade job training.
Areas for Improvement
Although the overall results from this survey were positive, there were still areas for improvement:
- Many employees were not aware of career advancement opportunities;
- The link between job performance and financial rewards was not understood well; and,
- Although employees gave higher scores to cooperation and communication across functions and departments, many indicated that more still could be done.
Results from the 2010 study are currently being shared in each business, and action planning teams will continue to address their respective areas of focus.
Employee Turnover
Overall, TE has a strong rate of employee retention. Compared to the industry average of 2.4 percent, we experienced an average of 2 percent turnover during fiscal 2010.
Our biggest employee turnover challenge comes with our manufacturing plants in China where, as in all manufacturing sectors, it is not unusual for employees to switch employers on a regular basis. Our employee turnover rate in Chinese-based manufacturing plants runs around 7 percent per month, and this can lead to challenges meeting our goals for productivity and product quality. We are seeking to address this challenge by offering our Chinese-based employees more career choices and development opportunities than has traditionally been the case in manufacturing settings.
Another contributing factor to increased employee engagement and retention rates at TE is a company-wide commitment to facilitating what we call talent mobility. Through this strategy we encourage employees to take new positions in other departments and divisions across the company. The goal of this program is to inspire employees to share expertise across functions, roles and geographies. During fiscal 2010 we exceeded our goal of at least ten lateral transfers per quarter at the managerial level and organized 116 active international assignments among managers.
Employee Relations
TE operates in many countries throughout the world, and endeavors to keep its employees informed of operational changes in a manner consistent with all applicable requirements.
TE employees at one U.S. facility have union representation, while TE employees outside of the U.S. are represented by various unions and works councils. TE complies with our obligations in all locations, including those arising as a matter of law, under the terms of collective bargaining agreements, and under applicable works council agreements. TE strives to do what is just and fair for its employees, often going above and beyond what the law and other legal obligations require, particularly with regard to notice periods and severance.
Diversity
At TE, we recognize that diverse cultures, perspectives and experiences drive engagement, which builds high performance teams. We adopt work practices that create an inclusive environment, we employ methods to recruit a diverse workforce, and we are committed to providing opportunities for everyone to contribute to their fullest potential.
We identified gender diversity as an area where we could improve. To support gender diversity at TE, we launched the TE Women's Network in 2010. The primary mission of this network is to develop, retain and recruit women. To date, the network has more than 400 members focused on empowering and supporting women at TE, creating an environment which helps women become more successful, and developing ways to attract more women to the company.
Available Reporting Channels
When concerns about inappropriate treatment or discrimination do arise, we encourage employees to report them promptly so we can resolve problems quickly, before they escalate. A number of reporting channels are available to TE employees, including options for anonymous reporting, and we prohibit retaliation for good-faith reporting of such concerns. TE strives to address these situations promptly, thoroughly, and appropriately. Our goal is to avoid problems completely, and foster our core values of treating all employees with respect and dignity.
Injury-Free and Healthy Workplace
TE has a comprehensive approach to employee safety that includes top management support, employee involvement, and a single global approach. Our goal is simple: an injury-free workplace. We are pursuing that goal by adhering to health and safety rules and practices at all TE facilities across the globe.
Safety Performance
We diligently track and measure occupational injury and illness at all of our locations. Safety performance is a key operational performance indicator, and is regularly reviewed at the company, business unit and plant levels. A network of trained safety personnel and third-party audits further ensure consistency in reporting and recording of occupational injuries and illnesses.
TE is committed to ensuring the highest level of safety for our employees by:
- Adhering to environmental, safety, and security rules and practices at all our facilities;
- Requiring each location to have an active safety program supported by all levels of the organization; and,
- Requiring all locations comply with all applicable laws and regulations.
The following charts illustrate our progress in improving safety performance in the last three years.
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We also make sure that third-party audits check our regulatory compliance on a regular cycle. What’s more, continuous improvement is driven by our safety management system, the TE Health & Safety Framework. Though this management system is consistent with external standards such as OHSAS 18001, we have customized it to the needs of our businesses and our vision of achieving injury-free performance. Each manufacturing and distribution facility around the world self-assesses against the TE Health & Safety Framework and uses the results as a key part of their annual safety improvement plans.
Alignment with TEOA
Overall, our safety efforts are aligned with our TE Operating Advantage (TEOA) program, a company-wide effort designed to improve productivity, reduce costs, and deliver greater satisfaction to our customers and greater value to shareholders.
Employee Health and Welfare
TE is committed to helping our employees and their families evaluate, maintain, and improve their physical, mental, and financial health through a wide variety of programs in all of the countries where we operate.
The Employee Assistance Program is a resource available globally to all employees and their family members that provides professional, confidential assistance to deal with mental health issues, family concerns, parenting issues, and financial needs. Preventive health programs are offered to all employees and include a Global Flu Vaccination Program and a Smoking Cessation Program. TE also helps employees stay informed about serious health conditions and diseases by providing a variety of focused educational resources such as short trainings over lunch or individual consulting sessions with health care professionals. In communities surrounding our facilities in Asia, doctors are invited to visit employees' homes and speak to their families regarding health risks and how to mitigate them. The goal of these efforts is to educate employees on how to lead healthy lives so they can avoid more serious health problems.
At some of our production locations in China, TE provides housing for employees and is committed to ensuring that this housing is safe, secure and promotes employee health. In recent years, we have invested in upgrading housing facilities with amenities such as air conditioning to ensure that our workers are comfortable, as well as Internet access and recreational amenities.
Safety Awards and Achievements
- Our Dongguan, China, facility received the Production Safety Award from the local work safety administration for its efforts to provide a safe work environment for employees. The facility also received the Environmentally Friendly Company Award from the local environmental protection bureau for the positive effects of its environmental efforts on the community.
- In 2010, the TE facility in Swindon, United Kingdom, earned the British Safety Council Award for its low accident rate, and successful safety and ergonomics programs. This was the thirty-fourth consecutive year the Swindon plant has earned this award. The Wiltshire Occupational Safety and Health Association also presented the facility with its Member’s Award, recognizing plant management’s practice of doing daily “gemba walks” to observe and improve safety efforts.
- The TE facility in Shunde, China was awarded the An Kang Health & Safety Award from the Foshan Labor Union and Foshan Work Safety Bureau. The award recognizes extensive health and safety training of hundreds of employees on topics such as the use of fire extinguishers and fire drills, and the completion of corrective actions to reduce safety hazards.
