Employees

Our employees are the Group’s most valuable asset – thanks to their experience we remain the market leader. Their commitment drives our growth, enhances the quality of our services, and enables us to gain new business capabilities.

foto: Employees 1

The PGNiG Group is one of the largest employers in Poland. It employs individuals with extensive experience and high qualifications, but is also the first choice employer for many young people. This kind of human capital is our most valuable asset, as it is through our employees that we can provide our customers with the highest quality service, achieve international success and pursue a broad range of investment programmes.

In 2013, the PGNiG Group’s headcount stood at 30,930. This represents a slight fall of 1,108 in employment levels from the Group’s 2012 headcount of 32,038.

Headcount as at the end of 2013, by segment (persons)

2013 2012 2011 2010
PGNiG Head Office  606 617 838 840
Exploration and Production 10,754 10,990 12,054 11,592
Trade and Storage 3,464 3,780 3,841 3,809
Distribution  13,050 13,255 13,865 13,881
Generation 1,066 1,069 – –
Other activities 1,990 2,327 2,185 2,296
Total 30,930 32,038 32,783 32,418
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Development

Investment in human resources furthers PGNiG’s plans, but also supports the personal ambitions of every employee. As the PGNiG Group’s subsidiaries are engaged in a wide range of business activities, it is up to each of them to determine the type and extent of their staff training.

A key role in the process of human resources development is played by the training management system. Our employees are given opportunities to improve their professional qualifications through a range of training programmes, postgraduate studies, trade conferences, seminars and symposia, and also through occupational training and self-education (e-learning).

Depending on their respective responsibilities and individual needs, employees can participate in a variety of training courses in all aspects of modern business, including risk management, legal environment analysis and customer service. Training courses which focus on soft skills, such as communication, teamwork, team management and task management, are also an important part of the process.

Courses are also conducted to enable acquisition and development of employees’ practical skills, and progression of their skills in project and human resources management. In 2013, PGNiG employees were involved in two such initiatives − the Managers Academy and the Project Management Academy.

Development of our Exploration and Production activities will require PGNiG employees to possess skills in conducting discussions and negotiations and also in establishing long-term relations with local authorities and communities. The training we give our employees is designed to prepare them for such roles.

It is extensive and furthers the development and enhancement of their professional qualifications, with subsequent benefit to the Group from higher productivity levels. Human resources development translates into higher value of the PGNiG Group, which is viewed positively by investors and customers. In turn, it also makes us a more desirable employer to potential newcomers.

The largest employer

The PGNiG Group takes utmost care to fulfil its obligations towards employees and their families. These obligations, related chiefly to social welfare and healthcare, include:

Work placements and internships

PGNiG also runs an internship programme open to all those participating in the annual ‘Win an Internship’ contest and the ‘Energy Academy’ project. In 2012, the Group launched a training programme for students from technical universities interested in the oil and gas industry. It involves a number of initiatives, including work placements in exploration and production. While being an attractive way to gain professional experience and new skills and to learn more about working in the industry, the internships offered by PGNiG are also a chance to gain employment with the PGNiG Group. Companies of the PGNiG Group also provide apprenticeships to students and graduates from across Poland.

Recruitment

PGNiG gives preference to internal recruitment, which allows us to make full use of our employees’ potential, and also motivate them to work more productively and develop their individual skills. External recruitment is carried out only when specialist expertise not available in-house is needed.

Recruitment is split into the following stages:

  1. Applicant selection – at this stage, the recruitment specialists review submitted job applications to ensure they comply with the requirements of the listed job vacancy.
  2. Assessment testing – candidates with suitable professional profiles are then invited to take an assessment test, whose nature depends on the skills required for a given position. Typical tests include:
    • competency check;
    • on the job assessment tasks;
    • language assessment;
    • analytical thinking and logical reasoning;
    • problem-solving.
  3. Job interview − candidates who perform well in the testing phase are invited for interview. The interviewers typically question candidates on professional contexts where they have previously used the relevant skills and expertise. This stage is also used to appraise the candidate’s soft skills required in the job. Our competency and behaviour tests are a very useful tool in the assessment process. The interview is also a chance to get to know the candidate, and gives the interviewee the chance to ask questions or clarify doubts related to the future position.
  4. Interview with a manager – candidates who reach this stage attend interview with the manager of the team offering the vacancy. Following this, a final decision is made on one of the candidates.
  5. Recruitment closing – all candidates getting to the second and further stages of the recruitment process receive feedback on their performance.

foto: Employees 2

Team Integration

Team spirit and cooperation between PGNiG Group employees are essential elements in the productivity and quality of their work. The everyday work of the Group’s employees is supported by both conventional and electronic means of communication. As part of our communications initiatives, employees receive a daily online newsletter highlighting the most important developments in the PGNiG Group, as well as MaGAZyn, an internal bulletin also devoted to key Group developments. We have also implemented a system based on ‘communicators’ – individuals responsible for disseminating information to employees across the Group.

Our Intranet site, PGNiG Info, is always up-to-date on Company matters and is an essential source of data and services for personnel using the PGNiG network. Through our Corporate Intranet, employees can communicate with each other on different authorisation levels and access important information on their work. PGNiG’s Intranet also features Lotus sametime − an instant messaging service for rapid exchange of information. Sametime means users can communicate with each other in real time across the whole network. It is a tool for use in group meetings, conference calls and collaborative projects in teams working together around the Company. The Intranet also has its own search engine speeding access to information and providing a search facility on corporate website documents and data, and on the Web as a whole. Most interestingly, employees can, according to need and preference, use dedicated online tools to access their branch portals or the Lotus email, view the Company calendar and access the sametime platform. There is also a bulletin board which can be used, for example, for items employees wish to buy, sell or exchange. The system of internal communications within the Group, including the Intranet, is undergoing constant upgrades.

Code of Ethics and appointment of the Ethics Officer

The values we have recognised as fundamental to the development of the Code of Ethics for PGNiG Employees include credibility, accountability, partnership and quality. These values, now integral to our Code, have always been important to our personnel as they form an integral part of the miners’ ethos, which has shaped our tradition and continues to be a valued part of PGNiG’s activities. Accordingly, the Ethics Programme Management System was an important step in the creation of a sustainable and competitive business, ensuring market success as well as personal development and satisfaction of employees.

The appointment of an Ethics Officer and implementation of the Ethics Programme Management System at PGNiG were provided for in its Strategy of Sustainable Development and Responsible Business. Internal consultations were held with PGNiG management staff on the details of the Code of Ethics, and there were also external consultations with academics, NGOs and public authorities. Their input was taken into account in preparation of the final version of the Code. A dedicated 24/7 ‘ethics hotline’ was launched for PGNiG employees to ask questions or report concerns on the rules of ethical conduct, and a direct email address was also made available for this purpose. The result of our efforts was the approved PGNiG Code of Ethics and PGNiG Ethics Programme Management System, the appointment of a PGNiG Ethics Officer at the Head Office, and the appointment of an Ethics Committee consisting of department heads directly involved in ethics issues (HR Management, the Sustainable Development and Responsible Business Officer, etc.). The Code of Ethics and Ethics Programme Management System were then disseminated to the PGNiG Group as a whole.

Employment restructuring

Since January 2009, the Group has operated the ‘Programme for Workforce Streamlining and Redundancy Payments to PGNiG Group Employees for 2009–2011 (Stage 3)’. The Programme will expire on December 31st 2015, unless one of the Parties (PGNiG or the employees) terminates it prior to that date. Its operation is based on the ‘stand-by’ principle, meaning that it may be implemented in extraordinary circumstances and requires all companies to follow a uniform procedure across the Group.

The redundancy payments under the Programme are financed from PGNiG’s Central Restructuring Fund capital reserve or other funds established by PGNiG Group companies.

In 2013, the Programme was implemented at three companies of the PGNiG Group, namely:

In total, the Programme covered 206 employees. The one-off redundancy payments to employees made redundant at those companies were financed from PGNiG’s Central Restructuring Fund.

Sports and recreation activities

For the last ten years, the SportGas Oil and Gas Association for Sport and Tourism has been actively involved in initiatives to promote sports and physical activity. Comprising a growing number of disciplines (including tennis, football, badminton, shooting, volleyball, bridge, basketball, angling, squash, skiing and running), the Association organises professional games and tournaments, as well as special show events. What is more, the Association is open not only to PGNiG Group employees, but also other workers in the energy sector.

In 2013, over 300 SportGas members were able to develop skills and interests through a number of initiatives promoting a healthy lifestyle and fair play, including competitive business leagues, cross-industry/cross-country tournaments and holiday training camps abroad. For more information, see www.sportgas.pl.

Performance assessment

In 2011 we launched the PGNiG Performance Assessment System, which was developed as part of a broader initiative, the ‘Implementation of the New Group Management Model’, under the ‘PGNiG Group’s Value Based Management (VBM) Programme for 2009-2015’. In 2012, the Performance Assessment System was modified to bring it more into line with the dynamic situation in the current marketplace. Revisions were made both to the principles of assessment and the software supporting the assessment process, to more effectively support management in achieving their strategic objectives. Assessment of every Company employee is conducted on a quarterly basis, based on a set of standardised criteria across all Branches. In the process, particular emphasis is placed on targets assigned to individual employees, which are also linked to the strategic objectives of the organisation. During the assessment process, the manager and employee discuss these goals and expectations, and identify areas to work on with the support of a supervisor. This allows employees to discuss the needs and challenges associated with their positions, and is a source of feedback on both their achievements and potential issues in their professional development. Key features of the system implemented at PGNiG are clarity and transparency of its criteria, simplicity and universality, and the cyclical nature of the assessment process.

In 2013, the Performance Assessment System was again revised. The frequency of assessment was modified and the requirement to assign tasks to additional employees was lifted. At present, the assessment takes place twice a year.

PGNiG’s Performance Assessment System complements its Management By Objectives (MBO) programme, designed for top management. A comprehensive assessment of how the organisation’s strategic objectives are implemented is also the basis of how employees involved in this process are assessed and remunerated. The System is designed to reinforce a sense of responsibility for the PGNiG Group’s performance among its employees.

Workplace Safety

An employer who conscientiously invests in occupational health and safety knows that by doing so it not only prevents accidents, work-related diseases and major industrial incidents, but also enhances the company image with positive impact on its success.

An employer has a duty to protect the life and health of its employees using the latest in science and technology, in areas such as ergonomics, sociology, psychology, occupational health and general good practice.

The issue of occupational health and safety is a humanitarian as well as an economic one. In the course of their work, employees are exposed to risks arising not only from the work itself, but also from the environment in which they operate. Consequently, better working conditions create the feeling among employees that their work is less arduous, making the working day a more productive one.

Most important, however, is to determine the seriousness of threats to health and safety in the workplace and whether they are being adequately dealt with. For this purpose, we have the tool of workplace risk assessment. On the basis of the assessment, both protective and preventive measures are taken ranging from collective and personal protection, modernisation of plant and equipment, renovation and modernisation of premises, to specialist training, staff health check-ups, implementation of occupational health and safety management systems, to development of instructions and procedures, all for the purpose of elimination or mitigation of risks.

In economic terms, OHS solutions implemented following a risk assessment have a positive effect on diverse elements, such as productivity, output, insurance premiums and workplace accident costs.

Furthermore, OHS activities are not only subject to basic internal regulations, but also to specific laws such as the Geological and Mining Law, the Construction Law and also the Act on Mine Rescue Operations, as well as legislation on fire safety, environmental protection and more besides. Knowledge of these can ensure the best possible working conditions and their continuous improvement.

All these laws and regulations are reflected in the OHS policy work carried out at the PGNiG Group by both the Management Board and individual employees.

In addition, to meet the highest international standards in winning new contracts and business partners and improving Company ties with foreign entities, in December 2011 the Management Board of PGNiG implemented, through the adoption of its Health, safety and Environment (HSE) Policy, the HSE Operator System. The system safeguards the health of workers, ensures safe working conditions, and helps protect the environment. Although there is no legal obligation to implement the HSE System, PGNiG has done so voluntarily beyond its obligations and duties. It is of utmost importance to PGNiG to ensure the highest safety levels for employees, local communities and the environment, through safe operation and minimisation of risk at every step. The HSE system we have implemented is based on best practices of the petroleum industry, following guidelines laid down by the OGP (International Association of Oil & Gas Producers) and the E&P Forum (Exploration & Production Forum). The main objective of our new HSE Operator System is to build a culture of safety and awareness amongst our employees.