Attraction, retention and engagement
OZ Minerals continues to focus on attracting skilled employees who are committed to working in a high performance culture. A range of engagement strategies have been developed to enhance workforce satisfaction, including remuneration, performance related bonuses, flexible roster patterns and family site visits.
Following on from an extended continuous period of high commodity prices and a very competitive mining related employment market, 2009 was a difficult year for the industry, with significant challenges and many companies pursuing workforce reductions.
OZ Minerals’ recruitment needs continued at a high level throughout this period. The attraction and retention of highly skilled people continues to be very important and we continued to pursue initiatives to achieve these objectives.
The majority of our employees work at our Prominent Hill mine, and this is a relatively new operation, with 2009 being the first year of full production. Given the significant business changes in 2009, we are not able to report a turnover rate for the period that would be meaningful.
We continued to progress our performance management system in 2009, with all of our employees receiving a performance review. Our performance review process aims to ensure that all employees receive at least one performance review a year. The performance management framework directly links employees key performance indicators back to the business strategy. A key platform of this framework is the development of employees by providing adequate support, coaching, training and feedback from managers.
OZ Minerals has a workforce plan that is completed on an annual basis. As a part of this succession plans are completed twice yearly. In 2009, Succession and Talent Management Plans were finalised for the top three levels of the organisation.
The approach to remuneration is through a combination of fixed and at-risk remuneration. The fixed remuneration takes into account position responsibilities, industry and employment legislation requirements. Due to the global financial crisis, the at-risk programs were suspended for the first half of 2009. The at risk programs were effective in the second half of 2009 and sought to recognise reward for the achievement of both employee and company goals.
As Prominent Hill is a new purpose built site, we are able to offer a high standard of facilities. The Prominent Hill village includes ensuite accommodation. Recreational facilities include a 25 metre swimming pool, two gyms and a number of sports courts, including two tennis courts, which can convert into a basketball court, an indoor cricket pitch, lawn bowls and a court for indoor soccer.
To assist families better understand the work environment at Prominent Hill the site has regular family days, and in December 2009 the Group office also held a family day in the Melbourne office.
Case study
Family days
In 2009 over 98 family members from Prominent Hill’s workforce travelled to site for Prominent Hill’s family days to experience life on a mining site. Alliance air charters flew family members from Adelaide and Port Augusta and a number drove from nearby communities.
Prominent Hill family days are organised so families can gain a better understanding of site life, conditions and the environment in which their family members work every day. Visitors have been families of employees of OZ Minerals, Thiess, Sodexo and other contractors based at Prominent Hill, with the youngest visitor to site being only six months old.
Activities on the day include a tour of the processing plant and pit, as well as the opportunity to use some of the recreational facilities at the Prominent Hill village. Entertainment was also flown in for the visiting children. In 2009, Prominent Hill hosted two family days and has plans for further programs in 2010. Christmas time was also a time when OZ Minerals focused on family, with 70 family members sharing Christmas with employees onsite.
