Bridgestone Costa Rica’s employees are the foundation and driving force behind the company’s sustainability. Their skills, motivation, safety and comprehensive development are the foundations for the pro tability of the business and the satisfaction and trust that the stakeholders place in the company.
Employees
In 2016, Bridgestone Costa Rica had 1,042 employees (6.43% female and 93.57% male) (67 women and 975 men). There were a total of 217 new hires in 2016. Of this total, 120 employees were hired to form part of the fourth Production crew due to the increase in demand for plant operations.
Employee turnover was 0.88%. Turnover among men was 0.79% among men and 0.11% among women.
Training
Bridgestone Costa Rica believes that developing the talent of its employees is fundamentally important in helping drive the knowledge and skills of everyone who works at the company. This can be seen every single day in the positive contributions of each employee: ideas, projects, quality and innovative creativity. This investment also has a positive impact on the growth of the organization.
In 2016, a total of 1,028 employees received training, including directors, managers, middle managers, assistants and operators. This means that 98.66% of Bridgestone Costa Rica’s employees received some form of training during the year.
The total number of training hours was 61,923, an average of 60 hours per employee. A total of US $184,416 was invested in training by Bridgestone Costa Rica.
98.66% of employees
recieved trainig.
62 training hours
of women.
Inversión en capacitación de
$184.466 dólares.
Of the 1,028 employees who took part in training sessions, the average number of training hours for women was 62, while for men the average number of training hours was 60.
Performance Evaluation
Continuous employee feedback is of key importance for Bridgestone Costa Rica, allowing the company to detect areas of opportunity and improvement.
All of the organization’s employees have regular performance evaluation periods. These performance evaluation periods are scheduled for the middle and end of each year.
Bridgestone Costa Rica uses a Performance Management Appraisal (PMA) process to evaluate its employee performance. In 2016, 100% of employees underwent this evaluation process, with 80% of employees rated as having a ‘solid’ performance and 16% exceeding performance expectations
Talent Attraction, Retention and Development
Bridgestone Costa Rica constantly searches for the best talent on the market to offers its customers the very best service and quality. To achieve this goal, the company implements a range of activities to attract, retain and develop talent. Some of these programs are outlined below:
Bridgestone Professional Experience
The goal of the Bridgestone Professional Experience program is to attract young college talent. This program helps evaluate and retain college talent looking for an internship opportunity, offering them the possibility of a full-time position after the program has nished. In 2016, 43 interns took part in this program, 18 more than in 2015. 9% of these interns were offered a full-time position at Bridgestone Costa Rica.
9% of interns were hired.
Diploma for Leaders
As part of its talent development initiatives, a group of employees was selected to take part in a leadership and business skills development diploma, entitled: “Dan Totsu Leadership and Business Program”. Offered at a Latin America North (BS-LAN) level, the program focuses on the development of knowledge and skills encompassing leadership, coaching, strategy, customer management, processes, projects, innovation, results and negotiation. Twenty-one associates from Bridgestone Costa Rica took part in this program.
Balance between Personal and Professional Life
Employee satisfaction depends on a balance between their personal and professional lives, helping them to perform better every single day. Bridgestone Costa Rica wants to promote the comprehensive well-being of its employees, which is why it extends its employee bene ts and programs to cover family members as well.
The company offers a range of services, including psychological, nutrition, physiotherapy, medical and social work, both to its employees and their families. During 2016, psychological support was offered to 599 employees and 220 direct family members.
To ensure the physical well-being of its employees, the company offers them access to a gym, which is managed by the Employee Association.
Bridgestone Costa Rica was presented with the Great Place to Work award for the third year in a row. Being a company that is ranked as an excellent place to work is the result of the commitment and trust embodied by the company and its employees. The results of the survey show strengths that the company can strive to preserve, such as pride in the company and the brand, hard work and sense of camaraderie and family.
Benefits
Bridgestone Costa Rica offers its employees stability and trust when they need most. This means its employees feel they are truly a part of the company, creating a peaceful and family-oriented working environment.
The benefits the company offers its employees include contributions encompassing IVM (Disability, Old Age and Death), illness and maternity, INA (National Institute of Learning), IMAS (Joint Institute of Social Assistance), family allowances, labor capitalization fund, compulsory pension contributions and Banco Popular. Furthermore, the workforce has an Employee Association they can join as soon as they have been hired by the company.
As an additional benefit, and in order to retain talent, after having worked at the company for five years, employees receive an extra week of vacation. For those employees who have been at the company for 10 years, they are given an extra two weeks of vacation.
Retirement Preparation Program
Bridgestone Costa Rica has continued with its Retirement Preparation Program. During 2016, workshops were organized, focusing on self-esteem, myths about retirement and financial planning. This year, two follow-up sessions were organized with the first generation of graduates from the program, and a new group of 7 participants is currently enrolled. Furthermore, six visits, coordinated by IMAS-Bridgestone, were made to homes of people who have retired from the company.
Talent Awards
Bridgestone believes that recognizing the talent and hard work of its employees is a key management tool in strengthening its relationship with them. It also believes that this can motivate them to develop new ideas and drive desirable behavior within the organization. Some of the activities and programs that were organized to recognize the work being done by the company’s employees are outlined below:
45 award-winning employees through recognition initiatives.
President´s Award
This is an award presented to employees for their performance or for their significant contributions to the business. This award is accompanied by a prize of US $300. In 2016, 22 employees were presented with the President’s Award.
Perfect Attendance
The number of employees presented with the Perfect Attendance award, was 432, an increase of 75 employees compared to 2015. Each one of them was recognized for their commitment and punctuality
Length of Service
Bridgestone Costa Rica rewards the loyalty and trust of its employees through bonuses based on years of service. These awards are presented at a ceremony attended by about 100 people, including the families of those being honored. The award comes with a financial incentive of US $200 for 20 years of service, increasing by US $50 every 5 years. In 2016, 23 employees were presented with this award.
