HR Corner Accolades for HR policies by Isabella Lee Motivational programmes keep employees abreast of company development Learners taking part in corporate training programmes have traditionally had little say in the process, with curriculum design, objectives, teaching methods and attendance modes usually entirely decided by employers. However, things are changing. "Effective adult learning today depends on 'pulling', not on 'pushing'. This means employers must motivate employees to take initiative to grow and to 'pull' themselves to learning opportunities," explains Serene Wong, vice president, human resources — Greater China, DHL Express, Asia Pacific. Ms Wong is tasked with leading her teams to develop and implement DHL's blueprint for organisational bench-building, succession and career planning, as well as employee engagement, in the Greater China region. In particular, under the company's learning and development policy, the DHL Logistics Management University, a 1,200 square metre management-training facility, has been established in Shanghai to develop world-class logistics and supply-chain management specialists for the industry. The academy, with the capacity to train between 7,500 and 8,200 students per year, currently serves DHL staff from the company's Greater China markets, including China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Mongolia and North Korea. "We are the only organisation in the industry that has made such a significant investment in a physical location for classroom training, which supplements our Web-based classes to meet our training, learning and development objectives," Ms Wong points out. "Staff members look at more than just salary or benefits. They also consider the choices that the company offers them" Flexible learning E-learning is also a vital part of DHL's staff-development programmes, as it offers an expedient and practical education channel for nearly all employees, who can link into the system to improve themselves and take advantage of the flexibility it offers in terms of lesson scheduling and location. DHL's own online English-language training programme known as the "yellow course", includes both learning modules and tests. "English is one of the most important skills for employees in the Greater China area. Apart from just teaching participants English, it is important that their competence in the language is also measured," Ms Wong notes, adding that the course therefore comprises an assessment component, which can be compared with other recognised systems such as TOEIC (Test of English for International Communication) and IELTS (International English Language Testing System). Students find that their scores are useful when it comes to personal development, since they can use their present capability as a jumping point from which to move forward. Also, since each level represents a particular company-wide standard, students can set clear goals for themselves. In addition to generic training programmes, DHL also places strong emphasis on leadership development. DHL's human resources philosophy is to foster people who grow together with the company, stresses Ms Wong. A positive company culture, which focuses on open communication among employees, is crucial to achieve this. "All managers undergo a defined leadership programme on their first day at DHL," Ms Wong remarks. "We believe managers should play a role in creating a positive work environment for all the people working here." 360-degree perspective DHL also offers staff in leadership positions the opportunity to enhance their soft skills through a unique self-reflective programme. On a yearly basis, co-workers such as senior colleagues, peers and subordinates, as well as customers and vendors, are invited to provide feedback on their partners' or colleagues' performance. The collated feedback assists team leaders to gain insight into their own strengths and identify areas for improvement. "Sometimes there are blind spots where we see a person from a limited angle, but this leadership programme acts as a mirror for employees," Ms Wong notes. "Staff members look at more than just salary or benefits. They also consider the choices that the company offers them. At DHL, employees can climb a structured career ladder from the division they start off in. They also have the option to explore different experiences in other sections of the organisation," she continues. DHL's successful HR initiatives have clearly paid off. Staff turnover in Hong Kong and the mainland are exceptionally low, at 10 per cent and 11 per cent respectively. This compares favourably with the industry-wide averages of over 12 per cent in Hong Kong, and 20 per cent in mainland China. Additional indicators of the organisation's success include its "Best Training, Learning and Development" award in the Hong Kong HR Awards 2007, and its "People Development Programme of the Year" award in the APCSC 2006 Customer Relationship Excellence Awards. "Many of the organisations that entered these competitions have built up excellent reputations for their HR policies. We were delighted to receive the awards, recognising our commitment to being an employer of choice," concludes Ms Wong. Salient points Employees motivated to take initiative to grow Investment in classroom and Web-based development programmes for staff English-language skills crucial in Greater China Managerial abilities enhanced through feedback Policies lead to recognition and awards Taken from Career Times 17 August 2007, p. B16 Your comments are welcome at [email protected]