Conserving energy is becoming an irreversible trend of our times. This, coupled with the enormous demand for power, makes effective energy management increasingly essential. Enhancing the efficiency of energy management, Schneider Electric leads society-wide initiatives to promote sustainable development and green living.

Schneider Electric is a transnational corporation with a market value of ?25 billion. Its energy management and automation business spans over 100 countries. It has been operating in Hong Kong for more than 30 years. The company has been honored with the JobMarket Employer of Choice Award for three times. Maximize Employee Potential, Promote Diversity and Inclusion To attract talents in a highly competitive industry, Ms. Eva Iu, Human Resources Director at Schneider Electric (Hong Kong), points out, the company needs to continuously innovate and optimize its human resource management. The company has mapped out six strategic directions in the area of people. The first direction centers on 'Talent'. Schneider Electric does not revolve around a single global headquarter, but rather, it adopts the "Multihub" model, with Hong Kong being one of its three "Global Hubs", and many of its executive committee members are often based in Hong Kong. Such a model allows globally significant management personnel to be placed in strategic business locations and increases career opportunities for local employees. The company also recognizes the importance of employee development, and encourages both specializations in particular business areas as well as lateral movements across departments within the company for maximal talent development. An employee can apply for internal transfer after working in a position for two to three years.

The second direction centers on 'Leadership'. This year all employees of managerial level in Hong Kong team have received 'Leadership Skill Series' training to further hone their leadership and management skills. Through "Leadership Academy", selected employees also have the opportunity to complete a project outside of their specialty area in collaboration with their overseas colleagues, which integrates classroom learning, practical experience and real-world problem-solving.

The third direction centers on 'Diversity and Inclusion'. The 400 employees in Hong Kong represent more than 20 nationalities. "We celebrate holidays of different cultures. For example, we hold Diwali staff party, wearing Indian clothes and enjoying traditional Indian food; we also leverage the French wine festival to gather employees so they can get to know each other in a relaxed atmosphere." The company has set up private rooms for nursing mothers in its offices. On International Women's Day, it organized a training on managing hidden bias in order to promote an inclusive workplace culture. "We have formulated a global family leave policy. Hong Kong was among the first cities to implement the policy that allows employees to spend more time with their families on life's significant moments." The company has increased paid leaves for both male and female employees to bond with their new baby also paid bereavement leave, and newly introduced 1 week of paid leave for care of seriously ill or elderly immediate family members.

Encourage Continuous Learning, Foster a High-Performance Culture

The fourth direction emphasizes "High-Performance". The company has established awards to recognize outstanding employees and teams, and has also adopted the 'Global Recognition Program', whereby employees can express appreciation to colleagues with outstanding performances via specific website or mobile app. One year into the launch of the program, several hundred nominations have been received by the Hong Kong teams. Employees commended win accumulative bonus points which can be exchanged for gifts.

The fifth direction stresses 'Learning'. "We adopt the 4E method, that is, Education, Exposure, Experience and Environment. Since 70% of our employees have an engineering background, apart from technical training, this year our company has added business-related training, such as marketing skills, data analysis and financial knowledge." To promote a culture of learning, Schneider Electric launched 'Learning Week' and offered various types of online courses or on-site training delivered by expert trainers at the company, during which employees completed a total of 1,000 hours of learning.

The last direction centers on 'Well-being'. The company is committed to creating a 'Cool Site' where employees can work in a comfortable and pleasant environment. Members of the 'WeCare' recreation club organize various recreational and social activities, ranging from family sports day, leather-making class, trip to Macau, to massage day and lunchtime yoga. Healthy snacks, drinks and fruits are also provided every day in the company lounge. Furthermore, employees can apply for flexible working hours or working remotely fro a location outside the office when needed.

Promote Corporate Culture, Cultivate Younger Generation

Younger generation would not only consider remuneration, but also the essential meaning of joining a company. Schneider Electric has established a positive brand image with its distinctive corporate culture and values, making it attractive to both existing employees and potential job applicants. The company believes access to energy is a basic human right, and hopes that everyone in the world has access to safe, reliable, efficient, and sustainable energy. Schneider Electric strives to provide innovative energy solutions, that is, to strike a balance between fulfilling the human right to energy use and curbing carbon footprint on the planet. To nurture the younger generation's interest in energy management, Schneider Electric recruits interns from universities and IVE every year. Students from around the world are invited to submit proposals on energy management for the annual global 'Go Green in the City' business case contest convened by Schneider Electric, which raises awareness of energy issues among the younger generation and further promotes the company's brand image.

Ms. Iu adds that the efficiency of energy consumption must be improved to combat climate change. "Locally, there is a growing demand for energy efficiency and sustainable development. Increasingly the construction sector in Hong Kong is injecting green elements into their projects and calls for a large number of talents. Our technology aligns well with this ongoing trend." To the young people who are interested in entering the industry, she recommends that apart from a deep interest and passion, they should possess professional skills, self-learning ability, and team spirit, so that they can continuously empower and progress themselves.