Focus on Our People
All our HR philosophies and policies are premised on the belief that our people are our most valuable asset and are the key drivers towards organization success. In an ILO 2002 publication “Corporate Success Through People – Making International Standards Work For You”, Nikolai Rogovsky and Emily Sims, have cited TCL as one of the few Caribbean companies to attain corporate success through its people. Our people-oriented values and approaches to management has encouraged employee participation, cooperation and communication enterprise-wide.
We have fostered an atmosphere in which our group of empowered and inspired employees can enjoy their jobs, where the challenges and responsibilities of the respective functions act as drivers towards the achievement of excellence. Additionally, there exists a collective commitment across the divide where our employees view untainted feedback and positive criticism as part of the process in a never-ending journey towards a new way of doing things.
Philosophy On Recruitment & Selection
The TCL Group is committed to the principle of selection on the basis of merit, it is based on this background of merit that the Group has undertaken the position of “growing its own timber” and to this end, the Group’s recruitment policy meritoriously seeks to fill vacancies primarily through internal sources where the talents unequivocably resides internally. However, where the Group finds that no such expertise resides within the Group, then it shall search externally for such talents as needed. Recruitment is a significant investment and the Group has a duty to apply due diligence before making a selection decision.
The Group will at all times seek to select individuals with the effective competence to perform the job, that is to say, individuals with the necessary skills and capacities. However, the Group recognizes that personality filtering is key to determining the best individual to organization match. Therefore, in keeping with a meritorious system the Group fills vacancies with both the technical and behavioural competences that match the organizations needs.
Recruitment and Selection of superior talent is also a function of the Group’s ability to attract highly competent persons. This therefore challenges the Group’s determination to provide competitive compensation packages, advancement opportunities, and job security.
This holistic approach of attracting, selecting and retaining valued intellectual capital is an outcome strategically linked to the Group’s desire to attain the preferred reputation as an Employer of Choice throughout the region. Further, Subsidiaries are encouraged to broaden both the explicit and tacit knowledge base of its recruits through a series of job rotation strategies. The continuous re-assignment of persons from one exposed area of competence will help build both individual and organizational flexibility and know-how.
Philosophy On Compensation
The Group’s compensation philosophy is a reflection of its commitment to how it values its employees and is consistent with the Group’s strategic objectives of providing a competitive compensation package, which will attract superior talent throughout all levels of the employment market. The Group’s compensation structure hinges on the following principles of:
- Competitive sustainability by providing an above-average base salary for its employees within each Subsidiary location at that particular industry
- Maintaining internal equity through effective job classifications
- Offering a minimum suite of benefits that includes Group Health, Group Life, Pension and ESOP for all employees to enjoy
- Reward outstanding individual performance
Philosophy On Promotion & Progression
The Group recognizes that all employees in the Organization constantly need new challenges, knowledge and skills to successfully contribute to the achievement of organizational goals. Therefore, it will create an environment, which fosters employees’ growth and development to enable their full potential to be realized. In addition, employees will be encouraged to take advantage of self-development opportunities to better prepare themselves for jobs within the Company. TCL also recognizes that employees must take responsibility for their development and display initiative in this regard.
Employee Assistance Programme
As part of the Group’s thrust towards Corporate Wellness in an effort to improve employee morale, reduce absenteeism, increase individual productivity and overall organizational performance, the Group has been quite effective in its use of the Employee Assistance Programme (E.A.P.). Each of our employees have access to this service under the strictest confidence, with the expectation that such programmes will allow employees to make adjustments in their lifestyle in order to maintain high standards of health, or to improve their health as they strike a balance between those prevailing work and life issues.
Reward & Recognition
The TCL Group has implemented a holistic Reward and Recognition Programme that is philosophical underpinned in creating an environment where innovation, teamwork, continuous learning, employee commitment and achievement of objectives are nurtured and encouraged. The Programme was constructed to re-enforce behaviours by rewarding results and in so doing it will instil a recognition culture where this becomes “a way of life” within the organization. It is one of several initiatives that the Group recognizes as being necessary for shifting cultural norms from a construct of entitlement to one of reward for performance.
The Programme is driven by the following objectives: -
- To bring structure and transparency to an already fairly well entrenched culture of recognition
- To encourage innovation and creativity among the general workforce
- To encourage teamwork
- To help in shifting the Group’s compensation culture from one of entitlement, to one of reward for performance
- Dovetailing the Reward and Recognition strategy with the Strategic direction of the Group
We recognize that our employees are the potential resonating within this organization and a vivacious source of strength and a pool of unlimited talent. With this in mind the Programme is framed with six (6) categories awards:
- Teamspirit
- Creativity & Innovation
- Outstanding Performance
- Continuous Learning
- Community Wellness
- Long Service
In essence our new Reward & Recognition programme is founded on “building a fire within our employees”.
FLS Automation
In 1995, Trinidad Cement Limited introduced a computer-based Process Control System with the installation of its Kiln 4 line. This system was supplied by FLS Automation (USA) and is formally called the ECS System, it now controls Kilns 3 and 4 and is proposed to also control Cement Mill 3.
Since its installation the ECS System has contributed to improved plant reliability and efficiency, and provides much flexibility to the operators and engineers for improving plant control strategies. The ECS System also allows for easy access to trending and analysis of operational data, with a view to continuous improvement.
The ECS System was upgraded in March 2004 to a new version of the software based on Microsoft Windows 2003 and XP. This upgrade provides a platform for operational data to be shared in the future between the 3 cement plants in Trinidad, Barbados and Jamaica and is expected to yield substantial benefits to the Group.
Enterprise Resource Planning Solution
The TCL Group recently commenced the implementation of its Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, which will enable a more streamlined value chain, operational effectiveness and faster execution to capitalize business opportunities. This Solution leverages the Internet and reduces the complexity of our business processes and the supporting IT infrastructure while providing a flexible platform to continually improve our business operations. It will therefore allow the TCL Group to achieve the following objectives:
- To establish common information systems throughout the group’s subsidiaries
- Centralize the storage of information, so that there is consistency, accuracy and timeliness of information across the Group
- To strengthen the group’s management of Human and Financial Resources
- To establish formal, computerized business and reporting processes for Research and Development, Production Management, Product Costing and Pricing, Quality Control and Customer Relations Management.
- Facilitate learning and knowledge sharing across the Group, so that as we grow as a Group the information is still “globally accessible”, example for expansion purposes newly acquired companies can adopt the administrative structures that already exist.
- Allow for easy integration with our current maintenance management systems