Engagement and Development
Engagement
Highly engaged employees are crucial to our company’s success. Engaged employees enjoy going to work. They radiate optimism, achieve or exceed their objectives, have lower absenteeism and suffer fewer injuries than others. Our Chairman and CEO, Murray Martin, has made the building of an engaged workforce one of the company’s top five priorities.
We seek to engage employees through challenging work assignments, career development opportunities and programs that promote personal and professional growth. We encourage dialogue, solicit feedback and measure engagement through a range of mechanisms, both online and off.
One key online channel for these initiatives in the U.S. is PB Voice, an intranet site that allows employees to submit questions and review answers on a variety of topics. In addition, our PB Voice partners host local forums and short surveys for particular groups of employees. Other online channels include social networking and forums for employees to share their thoughts and experiences.
The Pitney Bowes annual global employee survey is available in 18 languages and is confidential. The survey explores overall engagement, action planning and manager effectiveness and focuses on development, recognition, future vision and communication. In addition to multiple-choice questions, it provides employees with an opportunity for more detailed feedback via confidential written comments. The response rate is typically between 80 and 85 percent.
We use information from surveys to develop new tools and create action plans to address issues raised. Innovations driven by survey results include weekly global communications from senior leaders, process improvements related to performance management and succession planning, and numerous training programs.
We recognize managers and teams that demonstrate high engagement by showcasing their practice in our internal magazine, at group meetings, and by asking them to lead engagement and communication training.
Case study: Connecting employees with company goals
Employee survey results indicated that employees wanted more information on how their work connected with overall company goals. In response, we began requiring that all action plans include steps to show the connection. We also changed the performance management process to include company goals at every level, and we focused on this issue in new management communications. Between 2006 and 2008, favorable responses to the item “I can see a clear link between my work and the goals of Pitney Bowes” increased by 19 percent.
Development
We focus on hiring talented people, nurturing their growth, and providing them with opportunities to make a real impact for themselves and for Pitney Bowes. We see employee development as a partnership between an employee and his or her manager, with strong support from our Human Resources organization.
Our company values are at the heart of our learning and development philosophy. We have identified fundamental behaviors for our employees based on our values. We also have a leadership capability model that defines expected leadership actions for our managers and senior staff.
From their first day on the job through their entire career, Pitney Bowes employees are encouraged to own their career development and take advantage of learning and development programs. Each year, employees work with their managers to set performance goals and objectives, identify strengths and development needs, and build a developmental plan to broaden current skill sets and acquire new ones. Employee development takes many forms, including on-the-job training and rotational assignments, coaching and employee mentoring, internal learning programs and online resources. We also offer tuition reimbursement for job-related higher education.
Leadership development is a continuing focus. We strive to identify leaders early on and give them the knowledge and experience they need to excel. We provide a wide array of leadership, communication, and performance management learning solutions—from foundational programs to help new managers transition successfully, to advanced courses for seasoned leaders and executive education programs. We also provide targeted development for specific individuals or groups, such as early-in-career high performers and diversity talent.
Case study: License to Lead
In 2008, we launched “License to Lead,” a three-day foundational leadership training workshop developed by American Management Association® specifically for new Pitney Bowes managers. The workshop provides tactical skills and a framework for attracting talent, managing through others to accomplish goals, and developing employees to foster high engagement and retention.
Case study: Executive Education
Early in 2009, we launched a new executive education program, developed in conjunction with the Darden School of Business in Virginia. Program participants learn from world-class faculty, interact with company executives, and develop lasting relationships with Pitney Bowes colleagues from around the world.
Work/life balance
We encourage flexible working arrangements to help employees manage the demands of work and home. We provide tools to help employees develop flexible working proposals that meet both our needs and theirs. Flexible options may include telecommuting, compressed work weeks, part-time assignments, and variable work schedules.
Case study: Home Agents
Based on employee input, our Customer Care team implemented a Home Agent pilot program in 2008 to increase flexibility for employees atU.S.
One key online channel for these initiatives in the U.S. is PB Voice, an intranet site that allows employees to submit questions and review answers on a variety of topics. In addition, our PB Voice partners host local forums and short surveys for particular groups of employees. Other online channels include social networking and forums for employees to share their thoughts and experiences.
The Pitney Bowes annual global employee survey is available in 18 languages and is confidential. The survey explores overall engagement, action planning and manager effectiveness and focuses on development, recognition, future vision and communication. In addition to multiple-choice questions, it provides employees with an opportunity for more detailed feedback via confidential written comments. The response rate is typically between 80 and 85 percent.
We use information from surveys to develop new tools and create action plans to address issues raised. Innovations driven by survey results include weekly global communications from senior leaders, process improvements related to performance management and succession planning, and numerous training programs.
We recognize managers and teams that demonstrate high engagement by showcasing their practice in our internal magazine, at group meetings, and by asking them to lead engagement and communication training.
Case study: Connecting employees with company goals
Employee survey results indicated that employees wanted more information on how their work connected with overall company goals. In response, we began requiring that all action plans include steps to show the connection. We also changed the performance management process to include company goals at every level, and we focused on this issue in new management communications. Between 2006 and 2008, favorable responses to the item “I can see a clear link between my work and the goals of Pitney Bowes” increased by 19 percent.
Development
We focus on hiring talented people, nurturing their growth, and providing them with opportunities to make a real impact for themselves and for Pitney Bowes. We see employee development as a partnership between an employee and his or her manager, with strong support from our Human Resources organization.
Our company values are at the heart of our learning and development philosophy. We have identified fundamental behaviors for our employees based on our values. We also have a leadership capability model that defines expected leadership actions for our managers and senior staff.
From their first day on the job through their entire career, Pitney Bowes employees are encouraged to own their career development and take advantage of learning and development programs. Each year, employees work with their managers to set performance goals and objectives, identify strengths and development needs, and build a developmental plan to broaden current skill sets and acquire new ones. Employee development takes many forms, including on-the-job training and rotational assignments, coaching and employee mentoring, internal learning programs and online resources. We also offer tuition reimbursement for job-related higher education.
Leadership development is a continuing focus. We strive to identify leaders early on and give them the knowledge and experience they need to excel. We provide a wide array of leadership, communication, and performance management learning solutions—from foundational programs to help new managers transition successfully, to advanced courses for seasoned leaders and executive education programs. We also provide targeted development for specific individuals or groups, such as early-in-career high performers and diversity talent.
Case study: License to Lead
In 2008, we launched “License to Lead,” a three-day foundational leadership training workshop developed by American Management Association® specifically for new Pitney Bowes managers. The workshop provides tactical skills and a framework for attracting talent, managing through others to accomplish goals, and developing employees to foster high engagement and retention.
Case study: Executive Education
Early in 2009, we launched a new executive education program, developed in conjunction with the Darden School of Business in Virginia. Program participants learn from world-class faculty, interact with company executives, and develop lasting relationships with Pitney Bowes colleagues from around the world.
Work/life balance
We encourage flexible working arrangements to help employees manage the demands of work and home. We provide tools to help employees develop flexible working proposals that meet both our needs and theirs. Flexible options may include telecommuting, compressed work weeks, part-time assignments, and variable work schedules.
Case study: Home Agents
Based on employee input, our Customer Care team implemented a Home Agent pilot program in 2008 to increase flexibility for employees at