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Development
The Group attaches great importance to selecting optimum forms of development. They contribute to both work productivity and employee engagement in the long-run. Training courses and workshops are frequently supplemented with activities which employees do on their own before a training course (form of preparation) and after its completion (mastering knowledge, exercising skills).
PZU banks on modern methods of development.
In 2019, it launched the “Click for development” program, promoting the use of such educational solutions such as digital courses, webinars, microlearning (e.g. through short clips), educational and language-learning platforms and Virtual Reality. This way, it takes care of lifelong learning, the highly valued employee competence. It tracks trends in adult education, continues to extend its offer, and through digital solutions makes this offer available to large groups of employees (100 to 300 regularly use webinars at a time, whereas educational conferences host more than 1,000 people).
PZU’s priority is to take care of effective knowledge management in the organization – maintain, share and utilize it across areas. That is why more and more frequently managers and specialists are engaged in internal development activities as authors of training programs, educational materials and as speakers or internal trainers.
Forms of development support available in PZU:
- “Click for development” (supporting lifelong learning using modern technologies and new Group Work Tools)
- #YouCreateTheFuture conference – inspirations on trends in science and technology, promotion of new working methods and effective personal and professional habits
- digital training sessions and competence courses in technology and personal efficiency (list of sessions, e.g., Excel course, effective data presentations, data storytelling, webinars, podcasts, films covering MS Office functionalities)
- #Well-Being well-being program (webinars and instructional videos)
- English language courses on an educational platform
- managerial and personal efficiency courses at IBA ICAN platform
- onboarding sessions
- managerial training sessions (New Manager)
- coaching programs for middle and senior management
- leader debates on key, valid topics (best practice sharing)
- pool of digital training sessions for managers
- development diagnostics, e.g. preference and functioning style tests, 360 feedback, Development Center sessions
- professional training (revalidation)
- development necessary to perform duties and support workstation efficiency
- individual activities implemented on the basis of development plans
- activities for teams – based on needs identified
- development programs, such as Purchase Academy for the Purchasing Department
- development diagnostics – preference and functioning style tests,
- reimbursement for postgraduate courses
- other
- knowledge exchange workshops (training sessions organized by internal specialists)
- cooperation development workshops, creative solution-finding
- team workshops based on results of studies on interunit cooperation and engagement surveys
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Training at PZU Group – training days and hours
Average number of training days per employee hired under an employment contract in the PZU Group was 3.4 in 2022 (0.2 days more than in 2021). In PZU and PZU Życie, the average number of training days increased in 2022 when compared to the previous year, amounting to 3.7 (3.5 in 2021).
| PZU i PZU Życie | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2022 | |||
| Women | Men | Women | Men | |
| Total training hours | 180,684 | 100,107 | 183,420 | 110,617 |
| Number of employees | 6,244 | 3,943 | 6,108 | 3,837 |
| Average training hours | 29.2 | 25.9 | 30.0 | 28.8 |
| Average training days | 3.7 | 3.2 | 3.8 | 3.6 |
| PZU i PZU Życie | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment structure | 2021 | 2022 | ||||
| Total employees | Total training hours | Total training hours | Total employees | Total training hours | Average training hours | |
| Management | 1,599 | 67,198 | 42.8 | 1,631 | 69,719 | 42.8 |
| Other employees | 8,588 | 213,593 | 25.2 | 8,314 | 224,317 | 27.0 |
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Training at PZU Group – management
A development program called New Manager has been prepared with people in mind who are taking up managerial positions in the PZU Group for the very first time. The goal of the program is inform the participants about the expectations placed on managers at PZU as regards their management style and competences. During workshops managers are trained on key managerial competences, inter alia, on providing constructive feedback, holding talks with reports, task management and planning a team’s work, as well as managing the team in terms of employee diversity. This way, the program supports the implementation of PZU’s strategy in diversity. This program is not only about training: it is a development process several months long. Additionally, since 2022, managers can participate in the workshop using virtual reality glasses. It is an effective way to support the implementation of new competences through repeated training in pre-arranged conditions.
The Laboratory of Managers, operating since 2020, is a platform where managers can exchange knowledge and best practices through regular leader debates on the most important management topics (such as Team Management in Hybrid Model, Innovation Support).
Types of digital educational efforts
PZU provides ready-made online courses as well as internally prepared ones whenever a specific need arises, for instance to promote specific tools handy in everyday work. These courses most often take the shape of short videos and tasks to be performed. The internal courses are on topics consistent with the needs reported by the employees, in particular the use of Microsoft 365, data visualization, or Scrum. Diverse materials is what makes those courses special, with around 100 various elements (videos, knowledge pills, checklists, exercises). Within internal online courses, we have registered 8,500 entries on the course website in the last year.
With a view to promoting various forms of development, PZU records its own podcasts. Unique experts are interviewed, bringing employees closer to the world of technologies that support online development. With the mobile version of the training platform at PZU, now, employees can listen to podcasts on their mobile phones.
Webinars and workshops supporting the use of new technologies in development and day-to-day work, especially Microsoft 365 tools, are organized.
In order to improve the linguistic competences of employees and show how effectively they may learn using online tools, PZU enables and promotes the learning of English on an educational platform. Employees are provided with support in using the platform’s functionalities, their learning progress is monitored, and participants’ opinions are also collected for development of the related solutions (another platform has already been put into operation). By the end of 2022, 1,750 individuals participated in the program, including 1,529 employees of PZU SA and PZU Życie and 204 employees of other companies. More than 220 participants are reported to have been participating in the program since its launch, which means they have been learning English continuously since June 2021.
Best practices of PZU and PZU Życie
#YouCreateTheFuture conference
The internal two-day-long #YouCreateTheFuture conference was held for the fourth time in November 2022. It was the first time the event was organized under a hybrid formula, where PZU employees could choose to participate in person, at PZU Park, or online.
This year, the event was held under the motto “Future On Our Side”, which emphasized the importance of following the trends and technological novelties, so as not to be surprised by the oncoming changes. The invitees highlighted how technology impacts our future and encouraged us to create and design it through our efforts with the competences of the future, among other things, in mind. This year, the question of technology was accompanied by the topic of well-being, i.e., taking good care of ourselves and our relations with others in line with the principle that it is the human being, and not a machine, that lies at the heart of operations, and technology is supposed to support, not inhibit it.
Additionally, synergies were achieved by combining the conference with the final Innovation Day, which allowed the event that supports innovative projects implemented by PZU with the help of the Innovation Lab to be promoted. By combining these two events, we strengthened our employees’ awareness of one of the four values of PZU: Innovation.
Employees appreciated the inspirational nature of the conference and would definitely recommend attending it, as the results showed surveys (rating 9.34 points out of 10) Over 1,000 employees took part in the online conference, and the stationary conference was watched by about 130 people.
Training – subsidiaries
- implementation of onboarding for new employees with the “Healthy Start” one-day training session. Training is held once a month at PZU Park; • implementation of individual and group training sessions in line with the training plan for 2022 (internal and external);
- implementation of the “Leader Academy” training program for Leaders at the Medical Service Management Center. Starting in December 2022;
- implementation of the “Healthy Labor Law” program dedicated to Senior Management; • launch of the first series of “Development Bomb” – a program promoting exchange of knowledge within the organization;
- ICAN development platform made available; the tool offers various interpersonal and managerial training sessions;
- reimbursement for postgraduate and MBA programs;
- corporate event organization.
Training and development efforts for PZU Zdrowie employees planned for 2023 (apart from the continuation of the above):
- implementation of a language platform;
- meetings with the Management Board;
- corporate event organization;
- training on First Pre-Medical Aid;
- training on mental resilience;
- implementation of the “Leader Academy” training program dedicated to headquarters employees.
Alior Bank cares about genuine development of its staff and management. Alior Bank’s training and development policy provides its employees with opportunities of specialization in selected fields, development of competences related to their duties and aspirations, and those related to team management. The management system and the development model adopted by the Bank enable the setting of effective paths of improvement for specialists and the development of their careers. Employees are provided with training programs conducted by both internal and external trainers. The offering includes product, sales and service quality courses and interpersonal and managerial skills training. In 2022, as part of employee development, the Bank made it possible for all interested persons to sign up for an English language course, and after the pandemic, returned to the cyclical events organized under the motto of “Development Zone”.
The Pekao Group create educational opportunities and provide access to various forms of training for their staff. The Bank’s educational programs include local training and general development webinars, international training courses and programs, mentoring sessions, internal and external coaching, and certification training (CFA/ACCA/CIA). The fundamental internal regulation defining this area is the “Policy on training and improvement of professional qualifications of employees” which also defines procedures governing processes related to employee participation in various forms of professional qualification improvement.
Bank Pekao has for years been investing in the development and education of its employees, allowing them to improve their competences and offering a wide range of educational programs. The key initiatives launched in 2022 include:
- Academy of the Future – comprehensive development project prepared by an experienced team of experts who have been specializing in the competences of the future for years. Each webinar and workshop incredibly boosted the knowledge related to key competences of the future.
- Bank Sales School – including such training as: SPIN® Selling – Understand the Client, PREMIUM Relationship Sales Model, Advance Business Negotiations and Business Advisor Academy. The project aims to support the implementation of tried and trusted sales behaviors and raise competences in upselling, reaching new Clients, holding meetings and coping with difficult situations. The knowledge and skills gained are improved on during practical workshops.
- Omnicash – the training aims to provide participants with skills in client cash service and cash handling using OmniCash, which allows service provision as regards cash transactions and other cash-handling activities.
- Moto Project – with the aim of incorporating motor insurance to the bank’s offer.
- Authenticating Currency – training for Sales and Customer Service Specialists. During the training, employees are able to learn, recall or delve deeper into the ways in which Polish and foreign currencies can be authenticated (PLN, EUR, GBP, USD and UAH). The employees learn about security features in Polish and foreign currencies and current legal regulations concerning trading in tenders.
- Robotization Academy – the year 2022 saw the continuation of an original training program developed by the practitioners employed at the Bank in cooperation with a partner who is the largest global automation vendor. The program helped employees to develop their digital competences and learn the basics of automation, among other things, how to build robots, for their own purposes.
- Agile Forge – a cycle of training sessions offering indepth knowledge on Agile and Lean methodologies with certification. The comprehensive program which involves training, practical knowledge exchange, and coaching, is dedicated to those who work in product teams but also to all employees and potential stakeholders in agile methodologies. The Agile Forge and Agile Path being a part thereof allows every employee to embrace the necessary agile competences at every level of knowledge required to orient the organization towards Agile: more transparency, performance measurements, and a friendlier working environment. The Lean Path provides comprehensive knowledge and skills to tap into the potential of employees and reach efficiency in exercising roles involving process improvement and optimization.
LINK4 has a cafeteria in place, established in response to the development needs of employees and as a support tool for the pursuit of strategic goals. It is a series of workshops responding to the needs reported by employees and/or managers and addressing various current challenges faced by the organization.
- The workshop schedule is announced twice a quarter and is addressed to all managers and independent staff members;
- The purpose of the workshops is to develop behavioral competences intended to improve the efficiency of work performed by managers and specialists;
- During the workshops, topics such as feedback, face-to-face talks, implementation of changes, assertive attitudes, the art of presentation, Excel, effective meetings, management by objectives, employee engagement, self-discipline, effective learning, stress management, simple language and labor law are covered;
- Participants sign up for any topic and preferred date of the training themselves;
- Training sessions are conducted in small groups, online via the MS Teams platform and with the use of interactive training methods, including online tools, such as Miro or Menti;
- For the most part, the workshops are conducted by internal experts;
The usefulness of training courses is verified by an online questionnaire in which participants share their feedback.