Abbott 2004 Global Citizenship Report - Abbott Laboratories

Exceptional PerformanceA Respectful and Responsive Work EnvironmentEmployee performance begins with the work environmentitself. We understand that in order for employees to be mosteffective on the job, they must be encouraged to find anacceptable balance between the demands of their personallives and the challenges of their work obligations. Our seniormanagement team is committed to creating a workenvironment that allows employees to reach their fullpotential. Our success in helping employees depends on ourability to monitor emerging work/life issues, educatemanagers on societal trends, and help translate ourcompany policies and programs into practice.In 2004, we introduced two new employee benefitsprograms in the United States and also enhanced anexisting U.S. employee benefit:Competitive Compensation and BenefitsAbbott’s total rewards program combines elements ofbase pay with a broad array of benefits and opportunitiesfor growth and development, and is intended to comparefavorably with the programs of other leading health carecompanies in the global markets in which we compete fortalent. Abbott’s compensation philosophy is to pay forperformance. On average, total compensation is targetedto be competitive at the median of other leading healthcare companies, and for some positions at the median ofcompanies within local job markets. Individual pay mayvary based on an employee’s competency, experienceand performance.• We created a new paternity leave policy, offering newfathers two weeks of paid time off. Through the end of2004, 75 percent of eligible employees took advantage ofthe benefit.• In partnership with Working Mother magazine, we launched“Business Backs Breastfeeding,” a flexible workplaceprogram designed to help companies provide moreeffective support for mothers who choose to continuebreastfeeding after returning to work. We enhanced ourlactation program to offer counseling in addition todedicated breastfeeding rooms, further supporting mothers’ability to choose their infant nutrition options.• Our adoption leave benefit, which provides $10,000 andtwo weeks paid time off for associated travel and legalexpenses, can now be used before the adoption isfinalized or within 15 weeks after the adoption is finalizedfor purposes of caring for the child.Alice McCaslin, senior financial analyst in Abbott GlobalPharmaceutical Operations, took advantage of our new adoption leavebenefit to care for her daughters, Joy and Jenna.30