Lend Lease | Every Action Adds Up
Our People
Detail
Contents
- Measuring Employee Engagement
- Building On the Diversity of Our People
- Growing and Retaining Our Talented People
- Attracting Young Talent
- Employee Policies
Lend Lease founder Dick Dusseldorp built a sustainable company on the talent of Lend Lease people. He strived to inspire and engage talented people by creating a work environment where they could flourish.
More than 50 years later, the development, retention and attraction of talented people have never been more important, especially in the current global skills shortage.
Global employee data collection will be extended to provide more annual information on workplace diversity, employee learning and development, succession planning and other recruitment issues affecting our employees around the world. This data will be used to shape best-practice strategies for the good health of the organisation.
Measures include:
- Number of employees: gender, age, status and length of service
- Percentage of diversity in management
- Diversity candidate turnover as a percentage of total staff turnover
- Percentage of employees undertaking training
- Proportion of people taking parental leave
- Number of people returning to work after taking parental leave
- Percentage of Lend Lease stock owned by employees
- Number of graduates
Global employee data collection, used to shape best-practice strategies for the good health of the organisation, will be extended to provide more annual information on workforce diversity, employee learning and development, succession planning and other recruitment issues impacting our employees around the world.
*Full chart only available in Flash web site
Qualitative Analysis
We can’t rely on quantitative data alone. We have been undertaking focus groups in our different regions to understand better what the issues around diversity are and to propose solutions. The focus groups have been on Workplace Flexibility, Women in the Workplace, Intergenerational Diversity and Cultural Diversity. Since last August, focus groups have been run in London, Manchester, Madrid, Moscow, New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and Sydney with more cities to follow.
Measuring Employee Engagement
We recognise the importance of tracking employee perceptions and benchmarking people management performance against best practice within the industry and against global high-performing companies generally. Results of the second Lend Lease Global Employee Engagement Survey, undertaken in September 2009, identified and prioritised activities to sustain high levels of employee engagement at all levels of each business.
All employees were invited to participate in the survey and 79 percent responded, which was a considerable increase and very positive for the survey in its second year. The overall Lend Lease results showed strong positive scores for employee engagement, safety and adherence to values. In these categories, Lend Lease significantly outperformed comparative property companies. Lend Lease will look to continue the Employee Engagement Surveys and are reviewing the frequency of when they will occur.
The continued participation in this survey demonstrates strong commitment to Lend Lease employees and the importance of listening to employees to assist in developing specific attraction and retention strategies.
Employee communication
Our response to employee feedback from the global employee survey occurs in a number of ways. Our Communications, Knowledge and ICT teams have worked together to transform our global intranet ("The Hive") into a portal, to help improve the quality of online communication, collaboration and knowledge sharing within Lend Lease.
Working committees are created in individual businesses to review, prioritise and respond to the employee feedback. A team of key Executive Management members have been focusing on three specific topics that were highlighted as key areas of focus and improvement which include Executive Management engagement and communication, the Lend Lease values and overall management and leadership.
In addition to "town hall" meetings, "toolbox talks" on site and a range of training and information workshops and presentations delivered in person, Lend Lease employees are also updated via webcasts and video messaging through the internal network.
Building on the diversity of our people
We have a well-developed a vision statement for diversity at Lend Lease:
"Our aim is to create environments in which individuals are involved, supported, respected and connected so their maximum potential is reached; where people are respected for who they are and what they do. This means a workplace in which diversity is valued; in which everyone has the opportunity to develop skills and talents consistent with our values and business objectives. A diverse workplace leads to greater creativity and improved leadership effectiveness. We want Lend Lease to be a company where the best people want to work."
Lend Lease appointed its Global Head of Diversity in January 2008 and continues to hold that role throughout 2010 to develop a strategy that will encompass programs and initiatives across the organisation and provide cultural direction to the businesses on tactical programs and systems related to attracting, retaining and promoting a diverse workforce.
We will regularly benchmark Lend Lease’s position on diversity, through the Global Employee Engagement Survey and by comparison with other organisations, to ensure it is in line with current marketplace practice. The use of metrics, such as number of diverse candidates in senior roles and succession plans, will allow us to gain a full understanding of our strengths and weaknesses.
The introduction of focus groups in 2008 concerned with women in the workplace, age diversity, disability, cultural diversity and workplace flexibility this year will play a vital role within the Diversity Strategy. During 2008 and 2009, 37 focus groups comprised of over 400 employees attending, were held globally in Australia, United Kingdom, United States and Europe.
The implementation of regional diversity councils in Australia, Asia, UK, Europe and the USA, has allowed for the discussion and resolution of local employee diversity concerns. The regional councils are chaired by a senior member of the Executive Management Team, with at least one person from local employee resource groups. Similar to this is the Global Diversity Council, which will be launched later in 2010 and is to be chaired by the Global CEO with at least one independent member as well as a range of management levels and experiences. The aim of all these councils is to increase discussion of diversity within Lend Lease and provide a means for the discussion of best-practice policies throughout the organisation.
There are now Women in the Workplace Employee Resource Groups in Australia, USA and the UK, with groups to be launched in Asia and CEMEA. The Chair of each of these groups sits on their relevant Regional Diversity Council.
As discussed above, the creation of focus groups, Diversity Councils and Employee Resource groups has allowed for discussions around diversity within Lend Lease. Employees can participate in these groups and also via blogs and discussion boards, in order to facilitate company-wide discussion about the potential to further develop the diversity of employees within Lend Lease.
Women
More than 30 percent of Lend Lease's workforce is represented by women, and 21 percent of the talent pool within Lend Lease are female. Both of these metrics are targeted for increases in the next two to three years through a variety of initiatives.
With only one woman on the Lend Lease Board and one woman on the Executive Management Team, we recognise we have some way to go in achieving greater representation of women in senior and executive roles across the organisation. It is important to note, however, while the Equal Opportunity Management Program was not formally introduced until 1986, the Lend Lease Board appointed its first female director in 1977, and in 2000 Jill Kerr Conway was the first woman appointed to the Chair.
There are several key initiatives are planned to support women in our workplace including networking groups such as employee resource groups, mentoring, high potential women programs and return to work programs.
People with Disabilities
Lend Lease Information Communications Technology (ICT) has been actively seeking employment opportunities for people with a disability since 2004, when Lend Lease ICT and the Commonwealth Rehabilitation Service (CRS) Australia first started working in partnership.
The partnership involved developing an on-the-job training and mentoring programs for people with a disability who had information technology (IT) career goals.
Trainees with a range of physical and psychological disabilities have successfully completed the on-the-job training and mentoring programme and are valuable employees of the Lend Lease ICT team.
To date, Lend Lease has provided 18 on-the-job training and mentoring programs and has placed 13 people in jobs, not only in ICT but also in Bovis Lend Lease, Lend Lease Management Services (Shared Solutions), Learning and Development Academy and, recently, Lend Lease Retail.
We are also undertaking a review of our recruitment practices to identify and address barriers to employment for people with disabilities.
Globally, we are developing a toolkit to address issues of our employees with disabilities.
Growing and retaining our talented people
Learning and development
Our aspiration is to be an industry leader in providing all employees with learning and personal development opportunities. While it has long been a key focus within Lend Lease businesses to provide best-practice learning and skilling opportunities, we now see it as critical to the organisation's transformation to a sustainable business that employees understand and work towards their full potential. We are continually defining and redefining what learning and skilling and professional development leadership means at Lend Lease.
While each Region manages the delivery of its own Learning and Development program, this is coordinated globally to ensure we are building and developing the strategic
capabilities required in our businesses for the future. Our global learning and development team are also in the process of implementing a global learning and development management
system which will increase our ability to reach a wider community of our employees as well as be able to enhance our reporting and metrics on our
learning and development programs.Our learning and development offering encompasses technical training as well as the development of leadership and
interpersonal skills that distinguish success in many of our roles. Additionally, Lend Lease provides comprehensive induction and orientation programmes for
newly recruited people.
Learning and development opportunities play a central role in rewarding employees for their performance and contribution to business success. We are focused on ensuring consistent opportunities for the development of our people across our global business.
Executive development
We recognise that the development of our leaders of the future is critical to our continued business success. Executive development is therefore a key component of our global succession and talent management processes.
We have recently developed an executive competency model and implemented a rigorous assessment process for executives and future leaders. Together, these enable a
more focused and strategically aligned approach to executive development. By integrating formal educational programs offered through a number of leading
business schools across the globe with coaching and mentoring, we provide an extensive development experience for our senior leaders and high potential employees.
Mentoring programs
Professional and personal mentoring, both formally and informally, is part of Lend Lease's culture and also gives expression
to our corporate values: Respect, Integrity, Innovation, Collaboration, Excellence and our newly added value of Trust.
Mentoring occurs at every level of the organisation, and many of our employees who are mentored within the organisation become mentors in community engagement programs in which Lend Lease businesses participate.
The Global Diversity Mentoring Program was launched in September 2008 and centres around members of the Executive Management Team mentoring high-potential candidates to facilitate greater diversity throughout the more senior levels of management. This identification of high-potential individuals is a key focus in the diversity strategy because of the potential to overlook high-potential individuals within minority groups.
We continue to develop and enhance this program based on feedback from both mentors and mentees. In 2010, this program will be relaunched to better align with and leverage our talent management process, providing increased development opportunities for our high potential and emerging talent.
Secondment opportunities
The Hornery Institute (THI), established in 2001 as a gift of retiring CEO Stuart Hornery, helps the property sector to develop sustainable communities that make them better places to live, learn, work and play. Lend Lease invests in the secondment of employees to THI, where they contribute to and learn from best-practice community development that they later bring back into Lend Lease businesses.
View the Hornery Institute website by clicking here: www.horneryinstitute.com
Lend Lease Foundation and its role in employee development
Lend Lease founder Dick Dusseldorp established "Foundation" in 1983, dedicated exclusively to the well-being of our employees, their families and the communities in which we operate.
We know that our continual success is fuelled by the dedication and enthusiasm of the great people who work here. Foundation aims to ensure that Lend Lease is a place where great people want to work.
Foundation runs programs based on three categories—Health & Well-Being, Personal Development and Community. Springboard is our flagship personal development program.
Springboard—inspiring, engaging and empowering our people
Springboard is Foundation’s flagship global program, and is unique to Lend Lease. It is designed to help each individual realise and continuously reach their potential, in both their work and personal life.
The program aims to nurture a continuous learning culture at Lend Lease. Since 1996, Springboard has continually evolved over the years, adapting to the needs of Lend Lease employees, but at its core are the Lend Lease values of Respect, Integrity, Innovation, Collaboration and Excellence.
Over 3000 employees from around the world have participated in Springboard since the program began.
Early Springboard programs centred around a forum in which employees could come together and share knowledge and experience. In 2002 Springboard evolved and was based around the ‘Shackleton’ experience in which participants focused on inner strength and fortitude and making every day count.
Since its launch in 1998, Springboard has undergone a number of changes to keep pace with our business needs and opportunities. Our more recent Springboard programs partner with community organisations, offering a highly interactive and rewarding component to the Springboard experience.
Springboard continues to evolve, building on its successes.
In November 2008 Springboard Thailand was launched and the first two Springboard programs were a great success. For the first time Springboard centred on a sustainability theme, and introduced a third party – by way of a community partner – School For Life.
The latest evolution of Springboard is strategically aligned to Lend Lease's broader goals, with sustainability a central theme of the program, and the basis of the interactive component. Through the Springboard experience employees will learn of the importance of environmental and social objectives, both in their personal and professional lives. Our aim is to provide a positive experience for participants AND to create a positive and practical legacy for our community partner, so benefits will continue to flow for all parties well into the future.
In June 2009 a new community partner and location was confirmed. The community partner is ‘Djarragun College’ – an independent college catering for indigenous Australians and Torres Strait Islanders. The College promotes excellence in education with a strong emphasis on values education and discipline in a loving and supportive environment, providing guidance and counselling for students at risk, including students with behavioural issues. Djarragun’s curriculum is broad and encompassing, developing students emotionally, socially and academically.
Springboard Djarragun was a great success, providing a memorable learning and development experience for delegates and students, and delivering a number of projects that will provide ongoing benefits to the College.
One of the goals of Springboard is to partner with the community group where we can deliver maximum benefits to our partner and delegates. The community partner must also align with the goals and direction of Springboard. On the basis of this assessment, Mossman Community Centre was selected as our community partner for Springboard in 2010.
Springboard is an inspiring and compelling personal development program, and in its most recent form, is a great example of employees ‘giving back’ to a community in which our company operates.
Attracting young talent
Lend Lease founder Dick Dusseldorp foresaw the need to provide skilling and training opportunities, particularly for young people. In 1981 Lend Lease sponsored the establishment of the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU)–Lend Lease Foundation, which contributed to the creation of thousands of apprenticeships and traineeships. WorkSkill Australia started with Lend Lease sponsorship in 1984 to mentor young apprentices, and the Lend Lease Youth Council and Lend Lease Apprentice Council were also formed to provide support networks.
On Dick's retirement in 1988, Lend Lease staff and shareholders thanked him by establishing the Dusseldorp Skills Forum, which today continues his early work in skilling the next generation.
Many of the businesses across the regions participate in the recruitment programs managed by universities and other places of education, and Apprentice Programs continue to operate in various businesses.
Vacation Intern Program
The Vacation Intern Program (VIP) is sponsored by Lend Lease's Foundation to provide the opportunity for families of Lend Lease employees to experience a working environment as they prepare to enter the workforce.
The VIP runs independently of other Lend Lease undergraduate or graduate programs and offers students, who must be enrolled in an undergraduate or post-graduate degree at an accredited higher-educational institution, paid on-the-job learning relevant to their chosen career for four to six weeks during their end-of-year break.
Children, siblings, nieces, nephews, cousins, spouses and parents of permanent employees are eligible and must be referred by the Lend Lease employee.
VIP generates numerous benefits—it gives families of employees the opportunity to develop new skills, and Lend Lease benefits from the fresh and innovative thinking of enthusiastic students. Program participants also establish a professional network, laying a valuable foundation for future employment and development opportunities.
Employee Policies
Lend Lease is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, age, religion and sex amongst others. All Lend Lease employees receive a copy of the Code of Conduct with their employee contract and starter pack.
- Code of Conduct
- Breach of Code of Conduct procedure
- Employee Concerns and Advocacy
- Education Assistance Policy
- Equal Employment Opportunity Affirmative Action
- Diversity and Inclusion Policy
- Grievance procedure
- Leave
Workplace conduct policies:
- Equal Opportunity Management Policy
- Workplace Bullying and Harassment Policy
- Substance Misuse Policy
- Global Privacy Policy
- Inclusive Language Policy
- Sexual Harassment Policy
- Email and Internet Policy
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