By Alithea De Jesus
Nothing inspires and retains employees if the company promotes a positive culture, inclusivity, and diversity in the workplace especially now in the midst of the trying time where mental health issue has become one of the concerns in the time of the pandemic.
Apart from inspiration and retention, the objective of the enterprises and owners is to increase the productivity of the employees without pushing them to become burned out in the process. This is the reason why many companies are very keen to consider the uniqueness of an individual’s need and support to make them not just productive but also happy.
While the pandemic revolutionizing the future of work, not all companies are ready to adopt working under the new normal. Today many employees put value not just on the compensation but also in a positive company environment that shows support, respect and compassion.
This is what Schneider Electric has been known for having a workplace that encourages their employees to value their purpose since they are part of something important, and that they are trusted and empowered to make a difference and create a positive change.
Consequently, Schneider Electric is now certified as a Great Place To Work. The recognition applies to Schneider Electric’s offices in the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam, covering over 11,000 employees.
Management consulting firm Great Place to Work is the global authority on workplace culture. They help organizations quantify their culture and produce better business results by creating a high-trust work experience for all employees. Using survey questions, they analyze participating employees’. experiences through several dimensions. A GTPW certification is the mark of a great employee experience and a strong testimony of to a company’s culture. It helps build pride among employees but also helps to attract new talent, partners, and customers.
For this year’s report, Great Place To Work made it a point to include current workplace issues such as the culture of inclusivity, as well as the COVID-19 crisis. In addition to the survey, the report asked organizations about their practices, policies, and programs in response to the pandemic.
Schneider Electric Philippines has ranked especially high in diversity and inclusion. Committed to becoming an agent of change and building a better world where diversity, inclusion, equity are not mere concepts, the company has created several policies, initiatives, and programs to create a culture where all forms of diversity are seen as a real value for the company.
“At Schneider Electric, we bring these concepts to life by actively promoting greater diversity within our teams,” said Oliver Blum, Schneider Electric’s Chief Human Resources Officer. “In my experience, as the balance begins to improve people start to see a path for their own growth and success – this in turn creates an environment of inclusion characterized by greater engagement, performance, and innovation.”
“We look at many different angles in order to build that diversity,” said Ferran Raurich, Schneider Electric Senior Vice-President for Human Resources International Operations. “What we have to make sure is at the base of the pyramid I need to have this inclusive environment where I have policies and initiatives who help me to drive a talent webline which is going to represent the total diverse population.”
Schneider Electric Philippines continues to include and diversify its community with its unceasing efforts to empower the Filipino youth. Their commitment to improve learning and employment opportunities through their programs such as their 15,000 volunteering days, the annual Schneider Go Green competition, and their two early careers programs: Schneider Graduate Program and Schneider Internship Program.
“We strongly believe that great people make Schneider Electric a great company with a great working culture,” said Alexandre Vermot, Country President of Schneider Electric Philippines. “Our teams have the opportunity to carve their own career paths and contribute to making the company the global leader in energy management and automation. Our teams also have a strong sense of purpose, and this is highly evident in the work being done to invest in the next generation of talent in our industry.”
The GPTW certification serves as a proud demonstration of Schneider Electric’s effort in building a great company for its people by providing them with meaningful work in an inclusive and diversified workspace, as well as a push for the company to continue these efforts to foster a productive and empowered work environment in the years to come.
