Integrating our core values in Learning & Development
In 2009 we expanded our ‘Managing Personal Growth’ basic training with a ‘Building Personal Resilience’ module. This module links personal values and career aspirations to Bekaert’s core values and aspirations, and focuses on personal resilience. The ‘Managing Personal Growth’ basic training course is a program which all managers worldwide need to go through at a certain point in their career. The first 40 managers participated in the updated training in October and reported the new module to be helpful in their personal and career development. It supports their goal of aiming for a higher contribution within Bekaert, while experiencing increased personal satisfaction. We will continue this updated training in 2010.
Within our Global Introduction Program for new Bekaert managers worldwide, we have integrated a course on business ethics, control and legal guidelines, thus promoting a higher level of awareness and understanding.
Raising cultural awareness
Cultural diversity is inherent and implicit in global business. Bekaert clearly sees this diversity as an opportunity to increase the cultural awareness of its global managers. For several years now, Bekaert has been organizing training courses for employees who often collaborate with colleagues from a specific foreign country (e.g. China Conduct, India Conduct, Japan Conduct and Russia Conduct).
In 2009 we experienced the need for a broader, ‘multi-way’ training program, focusing on differences between various cultures. As a result, we introduced training on ‘Cultural Awareness’ for our employees working at our Technology Centers in Belgium and in China. In this program we map the differences between various cultures using specific examples. The purpose of this course is to explain the origins and typical characteristics of various cultures and, most importantly, to show our employees how they can deal with and benefit from these differences.
Professional opportunities that span the globe
Because Bekaert spans the globe we are able to offer our employees professional growth on a truly international level. In 2009 77 expatriations took place within the Bekaert Group. The following people, for example, are pursuing a career at Bekaert that has taken them thousands of miles from their cities of origin.
- A native of Brazil moved from Operations Manager Colombia to Plant Manager Indonesia.
- A native of the United Kingdom moved from Process Engineer CBSC, Jiangyin, China, to Technical Commercial Support Engineer in Rogers, U.S.
- A native of Chile moved from Production Manager Van Buren, U.S., to Plant Manager Bekaert Canada.
- A native of Belgium moved from Product Marketing Manager in Shanghai, China, to Innovation Manager in Marietta, U.S.
- A native from Turkey moved from Senior Process Engineer in Belgium, to Plant Manager in Lipetsk, Russian Federation.
- A native from Slovakia moved from Process Engineer in Slovakia, to Process Engineer in Spain.