Our Talents

Our employees are the vital energy for our business success. In addition to ensuring a safe workplace, we have always strived to create a harmonious environment for our staff. "SHINE" is our human resources strategy. Through Synergy, Holistic Development, Ideal Workplace, Nurturing Future Leadership, and Excellence, we encourage every employee to "SHINE" and light up the community we serve. A wide range of activities and programmes promoting the overall well-being of our employees is offered. Work-related skills, management and CSR training are also arranged to facilitate their personal and career development.

Our staff show their talents in Family Day.

Employee Profile

We are committed to providing equal opportunities in relation to all human resources matters for all individuals and in any activity during the course of their employment. This includes recruitment, training, promotion, transfer, compensation, benefits provision and termination, among others. It is regardless of age, gender, physical or mental state, marital status, family status, race, colour, nationality, religion, sexual orientation or political affiliation. Our Equal Opportunities Policy is in place and there have been no cases of discrimination. Forced labour and child labour are also strictly forbidden.

Aiming to have an employee mix that reflects diversity, we hire candidates based on qualification, capability and expertise for each specific job. With the long history of our development in Hong Kong, all senior management are hired locally at the moment. In terms of gender representation, 15% of our 2,000-strong workforce is woman including 10% of our senior management as at end 2010. Most employees work on a full-time basis, with only 0.5% working part-time.

Remuneration for Employees

To recruit and retain talent, we offer a competitive total remuneration package which is commensurate with job requirements and individual performance. The package aims to provide comprehensive and well-balanced cash and benefit provisions to our employees and encourage and reward their good performance.

Our total remuneration package is reviewed annually to ensure its competitiveness, with particular reference to relevant industries and comparable companies. Annually, our Corporate Key Performance Indicators give direction and guidance to individual employee work plans, and to their achievements. Contributions are quantified and rewarded according to our "Pay-for-Performance" remuneration philosophy and policy. Paternity leave was also introduced in early 2011.

With the provision of an attractive remuneration package and a good working environment, our turnover rate has been maintained at a low level. In 2010 the turnover rate was 6% including retirement.

Two-way Communication

Our business relies to a large extent on the teamwork of our employees, which builds on trust and communication. Through various internal communication channels and platforms, we have long cultivated an environment that facilitates open two-way dialogue between employees and the management. We continuously engage with our employees to inform them of our plans and strategies, and implement Group policies and business initiatives.

One of these engagement mechanisms is the Joint Consultation (JC) Committee. It comprises seven JC Panels with 73 regularly elected members from all levels of employees. They act as bridges between employees and the Company. JC members put forward employee requests and at the same time explain and convey company issues and policies to their constituents, creating a win-win situation. In addition to quarterly meetings, we held a half-day JC Workshop for all JC members in 2010. It aimed at refreshing and enhancing their thinking and problem-solving skills as well as their abilities in carrying out the role of employee representatives. In addition, we maintain regular dialogue with the trade union for exchange of ideas and clarification on company policies or practices. Meetings with union members were conducted on a need basic during the year.

The JC workshop serves as an effective communication channel for the management and employees.

Another channel to engage staff is the sub-committee of the Company's Defined Contribution Scheme which is made up of employee representatives elected by colleagues. Regular meetings are organised to exchange ideas and foster cooperation. Business improvement work groups and the sustainability champion network provide focal points for developing business strategies and for sharing and building knowledge.

To facilitate communication, the corporate intranet regularly features company and employee news, upcoming events, divisional and departmental information while the "Tell Us What U Think" online suggestion box encourages employees to share their views and ideas.

In addition, we have an employee hotline, corporate newsletters, an employee suggestion scheme, suggestion boxes, monthly employee relations visits to various work locations, theme talks, canteen focus groups and topical briefing sessions on company issues to keep employees abreast with the Company's latest developments.

Training & Development

We recognise people development as a significant part of our human resources strategy to support our business operations and growth. We aim to enhance the knowledge and skills of our employees so they can perform well in their current roles, achieve their career aspirations and meet future business challenges.

Training and development programmes are provided for staff of all levels to enhance their knowledge and skills.

CSR workshops encourage staff to think big and start small.

Substantial resources are mobilised to provide effective management and skills development training. These include the overseas attachment programme, the "Corporate Excellence" training series for management, CSR workshops and other technical and functional programmes. Such activities ensure a multi-skilled workforce, leadership succession and the nurturing of a learning culture throughout the Company. In 2010, training time amounted to 37.7 hours, or 4.7 days, on average per employee.

About 11% of our employees will reach retirement age within the next five years. Succession planning and related training and development programmes are in place to develop talented and experienced individuals to take up more responsibilities in the future. As part of the succession planning, we have developed structured trainee programmes for fresh graduates, preparing them to become experts in different areas. In fact, many of our past trainees have risen to managerial positions in the Company.

Graduate trainees learn to be "interdependent" through team exercises.

To enhance the sense of belonging of our young engineers at the Lamma Power Station, we launched the Plant Ownership Programme in 2000. Young engineers, assigned as plant owners, are encouraged to look after plant operations and equipment. The programme has achieved satisfactory results with improvements in reliability and availability of the plant and equipment as well as reductions in operating and maintenance expenditures. The programme has also been instrumental in training up young and capable engineers as successors for key positions. The total number of projects under the programme has grown from 24 to more than 50 and is continuing to increase.

For employees about to reach retirement age, we organise pre-retirement talks to assist them in planning and adapting to the next phase of life including how to handle emotional challenges. Their spouses are also invited for mutual support.

Employee Wellness

Our Employee Wellness Programme was introduced in 2008. It offers and facilitates a wide range of work-life balance activities and programmes to care for employees' physical, emotional, intellectual and social wellness.

To promote a healthy lifestyle and a balanced diet, the canteen in Lamma Power Station joined the EatSmart@restaurant.hk Campaign launched by the Hong Kong Government's Department of Health. EatSmart dishes such as "More Fruit and Vegetables" and "3 Less" are offered. Our canteen focus groups regularly gauge employee views for continuous improvement of canteen services. Colleagues were pleasantly surprised when they received watermelons and pears in August 2010 encouraging them to take on a healthy diet.	Fruit is distributed to staff to promote a healthy diet.
Following the success of the Weight Management Programme launched in 2009, a new programme followed in 2010 which provided both weight loss and weight gain plans to employees in need. To promote emotional and psychological wellness, health talks and fitness tips, talks on work-life balance and handling pressure are organised while an Employee Counselling Hotline is available to provide a more personalised service. In 2011, this hotline service will be extended to provide round-the-clock service.	Staff welcome our Weight Management Programme where they learn how to keep fit.
To further encourage work-life balance, we facilitate staff members to form different interest groups and organise after work activities to foster friendship. Interest groups, including calligraphy, karaoke, badminton and ping-pong, hold weekly or monthly gatherings. Not only can members enjoy relaxing moments after work, they also take the opportunity to serve the community with their hobbies. For example, members of the calligraphy group wrote "hui chun" at one of their gatherings in early 2011 for distribution to the elderly in home visits before the Chinese New Year.	Calligraphy interest group members write "Hui Chun" for distribution to the elderly.
Our annual Family Day was held on 30 October 2010 with more than 1,200 employees, their families and friends participating. Echoing the International Year of Biodiversity, an eco-costume competition was organised to bring out the theme of "Hand in Hand, Love the Earth". The fun-packed event also offered telematches, game booths, cooking and handicraft demonstrations, electrical appliance promotion and health check counters.	Telematches bring fun and excitement to staff participating in Family Day.

The HK Electric dragon boat team competing hard in a race at Aberdeen.

Winning team of the 20th Inter-Departmental Lawn Bowls Tournament.

Champion team of the 22nd Inter-Departmental Table Tennis Tournament.

Over 460 staff and their families join the eco tour to Tung Ping Chau on a sunny day in July.