sain t-gobain annu al report 2008 annual report

Encouraging and facilitating
job mobility
Employee mobility is a powerful tool for driving growth
and consolidating our corporate culture, as people
change positions among our different businesses
and country organizations.
The number of transfers has nearly doubled over
the past decade across both Sectors and geographies.
The Human resources organization includes an international
network of mobility managers who guide and supervise
employees in planning their move. Combined into an
integrated information system, a wide variety of systems
and resources help to facilitate the exchange of
information on employee aspirations and mobility
opportunities:
• The annual performance review, where HR managers
can identify an employee’s interest in changing jobs
in the near to medium term. In 2008, 76.5% of managers
had a performance review with their manager, compared
with an ultimate goal of 100%. The review is conducted
using a standardized form that has been gradually
deployed since 2008 and will be systematically used
across the Group as from 2009.
• Employee reviews and succession planning,
which are performed every year using the same
standardized form in every unit. These reviews are
designed to foresee possible changes in positions
and people over the middle and long term in the various
Sectors and Delegations, taking into account each
employee’s mobility aspirations.
• Easy transfers among Sectors and Delegations, supported
by the circulation of a document describing available
positions, current and future expatriate opportunities
and other key mobility information.
In addition, employees looking to advance their careers have
access to several internal sources of information:
• A frequently updated list of job openings, readily accessible
on the intranet and classified by country, skills cluster
and type of employment contract.
• The International Mobility Guide, which facilitates
the process of relocating to a new country.
• Internal newsletters, which also play a role in informing
employees about mobility opportunities. The “Postcard”
and “Itinerary” sections profile employees and expatriates,
providing insight into our various businesses
from both a personal and professional standpoint.
EXPATRIATION: FAIRNESS,
CONSISTENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS
To ensure equal treatment of employees and to improve
transparency and effectiveness, the expatriation
guidelines were revised, expanded, amended
and harmonized Group-wide in 2008. In addition,
an International Mobility skills center was set up
during the year.
All of the procedures have been incorporated into a
standard contract used for every expatriate, regardless
of country of origin, destination and job position.
This enables each Delegation to manage international
mobility for its nationals in a similar fashion using
the skills center’s resources. At the same time,
the International Mobility Guide has been revised
to reflect these new guidelines.
EMERGING MARKETS:
FOCUSING ON LOCAL MANAGEMENT
The talent management process, and mobility policies
in particular, are designed to position the right skills
in the right place, regardless of whether they are
delivered by expatriate or local employees. In emerging
markets, the Group is increasingly emphasizing local
managerial talent.
Nationals already make up a substantial proportion
of our executive teams:
• 72% in Central and Eastern Europe;
• 85% in Central and South America;
• 59% in emerging Asia.
The proportion is even higher among managers
as a whole:
• from 85% in Russia to 97% in the Czech Republic,
in Central and Eastern Europe;
• 99% in Brazil;
• 91% in China.
Saint-Gobain’s executive leadership is following the same
trend. Whereas in 2000, just two executives came from
emerging markets, 10 attended the 2008 Group Executives
Seminar for our 150 top executives. The Management
Institute is preparing and training an increasing number
of managers from emerging economies, a process that
is gradually yet significantly increasing the percentage
of host-country nationals in the Group executive team
(see page 65).
MANAGEMENT REPORT
63
Saint-Gobain - 2008 Annual Report