We seek to be the best employer with the best supervisors.
Competence development
As part of the 2011 strategy process, our business sectors defined their most important areas of expertise with regard to success and creating a competitive edge. They were: the ability to develop workable solutions, profound expertise in projects and contracts, and having a better understanding of markets and customers than our competitors.
In order to support competence development, we offer customized training to all personnel groups. In 2011, we launched the PAKKI training programme, which is targeted at waged employees and onsite personnel. We use this training as a concentrated method of promoting occupational safety and developing skills that ensure top-quality results – in short, it provides mandatory competence training. Our PAKKI training programmes are also open to all of our subcontractors, which helps ensure that our partners’ professional skills are up to date and our projects are implemented responsibly.
Development discussions
Development discussions are a vital management tool. Their primary goal is to encourage personnel to promote our strategy through their work: development discussions convert strategic targets into concrete everyday tasks and performance goals. In general, development discussions are conducted with majority of permanent employees.
The annual process begins with development discussions for the Executive Board, followed by other management levels. Supervisors then conduct development discussions with employees. These discussions may also be followed-up with discussions halfway through the evaluation period.
We employ also the early support model in our development discussions. Supervisors must consider employees’ wellbeing and ability to cope before any potential problems arise.
Improving management skills
In 2011, we continued to run the LEKA Management Academy, which was established in 2009. LEKA training hones a variety of management skills, such as change management, leadership and interaction skills. During LEKA training, supervisors also go through the Group’s joint operational guidelines, such as the Code of Conduct, as they are responsible for passing this information on to employees.
We also offer supplementary courses to support LEKA Management Academy training. These supplementary courses form the VIILA training programme.
Personnel survey
Every year, we conduct a personnel survey to measure job satisfaction and the practical implementation of our strategy. The Group-wide response rate was 49 per cent in 2011. The response rate in some areas of the organisation was extremely low and did not therefore generate statistically reliable results. It appears that the low response rate was partly due to the method f collecting employees’ responses, and this will be changed. The fall in responses could also indicate that personnel were dissatisfied with how we handled their responses to previous surveys. We will therefore be investing more time and energy in making good use of these results at all organisational levels.
On the basis of the personnel survey results, we’ll be setting clear targets for our key areas of development – we’ll be drawing up an action plan and actively monitoring its implementation. We’ll also be able to systematically monitor the progress of our development measures. For example, we used the results of the 2011 personnel survey to create an index for measuring the quality of our change management. This index will support Lemminkäinen’s change management, and the results will be monitored by both the Group’s Executive Board and the executive boards of each business sector.
Remuneration
In 2011, we focused on enhancing and standardising our remuneration practices, so as to support the implementation of our strategy and a ‘one Lemminkäinen’ approach. We also wanted to ensure that our remuneration practices are in line with our values. We have continued these developments in 2012.
In addition to monetary rewards, Lemminkäinen also offers non-monetary benefits. We invest in, for example, healthcare and exercise. We seek to improve our personnel’s wellbeing by offering opportunities for flexible working hours and working from home.
Equality at Lemminkäinen
Lemminkäinen’s principles of equality are based not only on legislation, but also on our own equality action plan, which seeks to promote unbiased treatment for all employees, a diverse personnel structure, standardised remuneration, and working conditions suitable for everyone.
The plan’s implementation is monitored and evaluated at Group level by Lemminkäinen’s codetermination advisory committee, and in each business sector by the relevant codetermination body. Regional state administrative agencies and the Ombudsman for Equality ensure that we adhere to legislation.
Equality and its implementation were also included in Lemminkäinen’s personnel survey. 71 per cent of respondents considered Lemminkäinen to be an equal opportunities work place. Our goal for 2012 is to create guidelines to prevent the harassment and ill treatment of personnel.
In 2012, we will draw up a policy for age management. We want our managers to pay attention to the varying needs of employees of different ages. Preventing age discrimination is part of our age management programme.
Updated 23.8.2012