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SGS Hong Kong Ltd |
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On-going Evolution Leads to an Ideal Management System
The large-scale multi-national corporation SGS operates a global network of nearly 1,000 offices, employing more than 10 thousand employees around the world. Under the corporate banner of "We aim to be the most competitive and productive service organization in the world," SGS believes happy customers come from happy employees. As a result, the management team is committed to creating a work environment that emphasizes open communication, transparency, fairness, mutual trust, respect and support. In addition to these factors, they also have in place on-going internal evaluation programmes and effective system improvement processes, allowing the company to evolve toward perfection.
Cultural Management – A Focus on Team Spirit and Quality Services
Established in 1959, SGS Hong Kong Limited has a team of more than 700 employees carrying out core services that include: high quality inspections, testing and certification. In addition, they provide clients with professional training courses and high quality consultancy services to help elevate management practices and standards. SGS has also perfected unique ways to boost its own the internal management system to provide the very best levels of service.
"One of our strategies is 'Cultural Management'," according to Ms Candy Lee, People & Organizational Effectiveness Director of SGS Hong Kong Limited. "Our focus is to nourish a team culture and quality service culture. We establish this team culture through various specially organized inter-departmental work teams and committees whereby colleagues from different departments co-operate and contribute their professional skills, while learning from others and express their individual views. By fostering greater team spirit our staff can maximize their flexibility and work on clients' needs in more focused ways."
"Within the past two years, we have also unveiled an array of activities and campaigns to enhance a quality service culture. For example, we've produced for our staff a "Service Excellence Handbook", which offers a comprehensive outline on ways to achieve quality service standards required by different work units."
Integrated Performance Links Up Objectives Both Small and Large
Remuneration is also important and necessary to encourage employees to adhere to corporate service standards. Ms Lee adds that- "The standards highlighted in the Handbook reflect the measurement variables for staff performance, which are directly linked with staff rewards and promotion schemes."
Ms Lee also points out that SGS believes in the importance of exploring leadership caliber capabilities and nurturing the professional growth of all its employees. She says "We actively implement programmes for staff development, retaining of elite employees, as well as tailor-made training courses for new staff."
"An 'Integrated Performance Management System' has also been initiated to correlate quantified performance measures and reward schemes. From top to bottom, the various departmental sections are required to set their own goals in line with the achievement of corporate objectives, while at the individual level, the company also sets clear work targets for employees.
Corresponding rewards can be earned when employees, departments and managers hit the targets." Ms Lee adds that other than promotions and salary increments, the Company also encourages and acknowledges staff performance by presenting awards like Employee of the Year, Sales of the Year, Service Ambassador, and others.
Vertical and Horizontal Development for Three Job Categories
According to Ms Lee, SGS staff is divided into three categories: (1) technical staff who has professional qualifications for product testing, (2) front-line staff who are responsible for sales and customer services, and (3) administrative staff who perform various supporting roles. Different promotions and development platforms, as well as remuneration schemes are tailor-made for different categories.
A substantial degree of flexibility is maintained among different work fields.'Vertical development' is not the only way to advance in our company; we also encourage 'horizontal development' as well. For instance, some technical staff can tackle new challenges by transferring to sales or customer services if they wish," says Ms Lee.
Learn at Overseas Offices from Business Trips
Job Rotation as well is actively encouraged at SGS to allow staff to learn new skills and share experiences. Because of the global nature of their operations, management often sends employees to its overseas offices to learn new skills and broaden their perspectives. "Our staff can learn about the strengths of different offices in China, Taiwan, America and Europe from these overseas business trips," says Ms Lee. "In Hong Kong, office job rotation and job training have also been widely implemented. Moreover, we offer education subsidies to employees to help support self-learning and career advancement."
The heavy emphasis on training and knowledge management at SGS is also reflected in the setting up the Company's Knowledge Centre where employees can make use of valuable reference books and advanced computer facilities. Ms Lee also notes that they have also established an electronic library with a large amount of important information, case studies, on-line college papers and other documents.
Emphasis on Communication and Empowerment
SGS's training programmes are not only created and revised by management. As part of the Company's overall total training scheme, staff opinions are collected by focus groups, and surveys are also employed as important tools for regular evaluation of training contents and methods.
SGS's emphasis on communication and empowerment is also seen in other areas to help avoid inflexibility among staff. For example, in those instances when a client wishes to receive certification services in a short period of time, the project manager can form a specific task force with suitable staff from various departments to fulfill the client's need in a fast and efficiency way.
Caring for Employees in Many Ways
Based on the company philosophy that happy customers come from happy employees, SGS believes that the physical and physiological health of employees is as important as monetary rewards. That's why self enrichment luncheon session "Managing Your Emotions" or "Know More About Muscular Fatigue' have been offered. An 'Employee Assistance Programme', which helps employees with personal and family problems, has also been implemented for staff well-being.
In addition, a "Quality Work Life Team" regularly organizes company-wide activities, including charity walks, departmental sports games (with staff acting as cheerleaders), and photograph contests, which are published in the employee newsletters. All of these activities and more help contribute to a more harmonic balance between work and leisure for staff.
Emphasis on staff communication and consistent improvements under a highly systematic yet flexible management style is helping SGS achieve continuous growth and is leading to the creation of a perfect management unit.
This year SGS also plans to recruit 170 new employees, among which half will be technical personnel while 10% will serve in front-line positions and the rest will act as support staff. If you are interested in joining SGS, please see the company's print and on-line recruitment advertisements, as well as visit them at career expos and other job recruitment fairs.
My life at SGS
"I have experienced the company's strong growth and the elevation of human resources to a strategic position."
"I have been with the company for seven years, and in that time our business results, corporate management strategies and methods have continually improved. I began as 'Human Resources and Administration Division Manager' and after a major restructuring process two years ago, I have now moved up to 'People & Organizational Effectiveness Director'. Unlike some other companies in which the role of the personnel department is viewed in a more traditional way with mainly an administrative function, SGS uses human resources as a key strategic positioning tool. With administrative roles out and new responsibilities in, our enhanced department has been able to further help overall corporate development." |
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