RBS 2008 Annual Report Download - page 150

149RBS Group Annual Report and Accounts 2008
RFS Holdings is implementing an orderly separation of the business
units of ABN AMRO with the company retaining the following ABN
AMRO business units:
•Continuing businesses of Business Unit North America;
•Business Unit Global Clients (excluding the Brazil Global Clients
Business) and wholesale clients in the Netherlands (including former
Dutch wholesale clients) and Latin America (excluding Brazil);
•Business Unit Asia including Private Clients India and Indonesia; and
Interest in Prime Bank, Pakistan (excluding the interest in Saudi
Hollandi);
•Business Unit Europe (excluding Antonveneta);
Employees
As at 31 December 2008, the Group employed over 199,000 employees
(full-time equivalent basis) throughout the world. Details of employee
related costs are included in Note 3 on the accounts on page 190.
The Group utilises a wide range of recruitment channels to ensure that
the recruitment and development of its employees are fully aligned to its
organisational requirements.
The Group offers a competitive remuneration and benefits package to
all employees.
Employees are able to participate in incentive plans specific to their
business, and the Buy As You Earn and Sharesave schemes align the
interests of employees with those of shareholders.
Employee learning and development
The Group maintains a strong commitment to creating and providing
learning opportunities for all its employees through a variety of personal
development and training programmes and learning networks.
Employees are encouraged to do voluntary work with community
partners.
Employee communication
Employee engagement is encouraged through a range of
communication channels, at both a divisional and Group level. These
channels provide access to news and information in a number of ways,
including the intranet, magazines, video, team meetings led by line
managers, briefings held by senior managers and regular dialogue with
employees and employee representatives.
The Group Chief Executive and other senior Group executives regularly
communicate with employees across a range of channels.
Employee consultation
Each year, all employees are invited to complete the global employee
opinion survey. The survey is confidential and independently managed
by Towers Perrin-ISR. The survey provides a channel for employees to
express their views and opinions about the Group on a range of key
issues.
In 2008, the response rate was 88%, the second highest response rate
since the survey began. This represents over 156,000 employees
participating in the survey, from more than 50 countries and in 20
languages. For the first time, this survey was extended to former ABN
AMRO employees.
The Group recognises employee representative organisations such as
trade unions and work councils in a number of businesses and
countries. The Group has a European Employee Communication Council
that provides elected representatives with an opportunity to understand
better the impact on its European operations.
Diversity
The Group's Diversity policy and associated policy standards set a
framework for broadening the Group’s talent base, achieving the highest
levels of performance and enabling all employees to reach their full
potential irrespective of age, disability, gender, marital status, political
opinion, race, religion or belief or sexual orientation.
The Group is also committed to ensuring that all prospective applicants
for employment are treated fairly and equitably throughout the
recruitment process and its comprehensive resourcing standards cover
the attraction and retention of individuals with disabilities. Reasonable
adjustments are provided to support applicants in the recruitment
process where these are required. The Group provides reasonable
workplace adjustments for new entrants into the Group and for existing
employees who become disabled during their employment.
Safety, health and wellbeing
Protecting its employees and customers from harm is a fundamental
principle of the way the Group operates and its goal is to minimise work
related injuries and ill health. The Group also recognises that the
general health and wellbeing of its employees impacts on their
engagement and productivity. Promoting good health, and providing
support to its employees when they need it, is therefore also core to its
approach.
During 2008, the Group focused on the core themes of globalisation of
safety, health and wellbeing, improving health and raising awareness,
while continuing to manage safety and health risks.
Pre-employment screening
The Group has a comprehensive pre-employment screening policy to
guard against possible infiltration and employee-related fraud. In
addition to existing workplace security measures, all people engaged
on Group business are now being screened prior to commencing
employment.
Code of conduct
The Code of Conduct and related policies forms part of the terms and
conditions of employment for all those employed by the Group and sets
standards for those not directly employed such as contractors and
agency workers.
The code supports the Group’s aim to operate in a similar way across
the many countries in which it operates and is therefore applicable to
employees in all locations. The code is a high level collection of key
policies to inform employees of the Group’s expectations of their
behaviour and practices.