The commitment and expertise of our people are key ingredients for the success of our business. That is why we work hard to bring out the best in all our employees and enable them to reach their full potential as part of a highly skilled workforce.
Our People Strategy has four pillars: employing the best people; ensuring we have the right leaders; providing an energising environment; and delivering excellent people management.
We invest in our employees through a range of training and development programmes. We spent US$16.4 million in this key area in 2016 (2015: US$24.3 million). The fall was primarily as a result of the ramp-down, sale and closure of two operations, combined with a review of costs during the year. The majority of the training spend was invested at our mining operations, particularly in safety training.
Employee performance is assessed against a defined set of key results areas through regular dialogue and feedback. In 2016, across the company, 100 per cent of employees within the non-unionised workforce were included in a performance management system where objectives are set, development discussed and feedback provided (2015: 100 per cent). Employees in the unionised workforce negotiate as a group and do not take part in these reviews.
Employee turnover, which includes resignations, redundancies, retirement, dismissals and completion of fixed contracts, rose in 2016 to 14.1 per cent (2015: 9.8 per cent). Redundancies increased in 2016 primarily as a result of placing Snap Lake on care and maintenance, the sale of Kimberley Mines, the divestment of Morupule mine, and a business efficiency review.
Turnover of female and male employees in 2016 was 16.1 and 13.4 per cent respectively (2015: 11.4 and 9.2 per cent).
Workforce composition, breakdown by grade 2016*
2016 | |
---|---|
Grade 9 UK/GBF2 | 1 |
F-Band/Grade 8/GBF3 | 11 |
EU-Band/Grade 7/GBF4 | 80 |
EL-Band/Grade 6/GBF5 | 339 |
DL & DU-Band/Grade 4&5/GBF6 | 1954 |
CU-Band/Grade 3/GBF7 | 2654 |
CL-Band/Grade 2/GBF8 - GBF10 | 9868 |
Total: | 14907 |
* Figures exclude no graders
Labour turnover, 2014-2016 (%)
2014 |
2015 |
2016 |
|
---|---|---|---|
Resigned, redundant, retired, contract completed |
7.8 |
9.1 |
13.5 |
Dismissed |
0.9 |
0.7 |
0.6 |
Labour turnover by region, 2016
Africa |
Resigned, redundant, retired, contracts completed |
1,266 |
Dismissed |
61 |
|
Asia Pacific |
Resigned, redundant, retired, contracts completed |
18 |
Dismissed |
2 |
|
Europe and Middle East |
Resigned, redundant, retired, contracts completed |
78 |
Dismissed |
8 |
|
Americas |
Resigned, redundant, retired, contracts completed |
646 |
Dismissed |
18 |
Diversity
An important part of our People Strategy is ensuring we represent the communities in which we operate, including factors such as citizenship, ethnicity, gender and disability.
This is not only a fundamental expectation of our partnerships. It is also one of the most important ways we can support the long-term development of the countries where we operate. It is particularly relevant in Africa where, in 2016, 82.9 per cent of our workforce is based (2015: 81.3 per cent):
% |
Historically disadvantaged South Africans |
Racially disadvantaged Namibians |
Botswana local citizens in workforce |
---|---|---|---|
Workforce |
83.9% |
88.7% |
96.8% |
Managers |
53.1% |
64.5% |
86.6% |
Senior managers |
25.0% |
50.0% |
60.7% |
(For more information on gender diversity in De Beers Group, see Gender)