Umicore Belgium Top Employer for the 14th time in a row
We are proud to announce that Umicore has been named one of the best employers in Belgium for the 14th time in a row. The worldwide Top Employer certificate is great proof of the way Umicore creates outstanding working conditions, fosters and develops talent at every level of the organisation and constantly strives to optimise working conditions.
To gain the exclusive title of Top Employer Belgium 2019, it is vital to follow a strict international procedure and meet the required HR standards. In other words: Umicore offers an outstanding working environment and scored well in many criteria such as career planning and succession, leadership development, talent strategy, staff planning, talent acquisition, onboarding, training & development, pay & benefits, performance management and corporate culture.
Geert Walschap, HR Director West & South Europe, explains:
“We received the Top Employer certificate for the fourteenth time in a row. A great result that could only be achieved thanks to the hard work of a highly committed HR team and other colleagues. We got the highest score for ‘career & succession planning’. Most progress was made in ‘leadership development’. This is a magnificent recognition for two topics that have been worked on very hard and that are really important to address the challenges we face in a highly competitive labour market.
It’s our ambition to further strengthen engagement amongst our employees. Last year, together with several BU leaders, we defined six anchor points: purpose, recognition, connectedness, authenticity, growth and trust. These inspiring words are a solid foundation and provide a compass for our leaders to achieve sustainable engagement with our people!”
Here are a few testimonials about the Top Employer experiences from Umicore staff:
Mohammed Sellami (Security Adviser Lead refinery - PMR Hoboken):
‘I was well received in a family atmosphere at Umicore from day one. Everyone is always ready to help you and that creates a warm feeling. I started here as an apprentice operator and I’m currently working as a security adviser. As you can see: I have seized the many training opportunities offered by Umicore with both hands to gain more responsibility. It’s definitely not a one-off, because Umicore is always offering me new courses, with a clear view to the future. I’m really looking forward to continuing to grow here.’
Jacqueline Marinus (Mobility Coordinator - PMR Hoboken):
‘Umicore is a very good employer. Not just in terms of training opportunities, career guidance and efforts to ensure that we work in an environment that is as safe and as healthy as possible. But also as regards the pay and fringe benefits. We have just about everything here: group insurance, meal vouchers, all sorts of bonuses and flexible working hours. If you have children, you are given the option of working 4/5. When they ask me where a good place to work is, I say Umicore.’
Anke Van Bergeijk (Legal Counsel - Legal Department Brussels):
‘Umicore has an open corporate culture where everyone strives to attain the same goal. There aren’t many companies where you can simply walk up to the senior management for a chat, certainly not at lunch time in the canteen. They also consciously think about the well-being of the employees. For instance, many activities are held to inspire people to adopt a healthier lifestyle, like doing sport at lunch time with Zenergize or having a consultant who tells you about nutrition and energy.’
Jessica Bollyn (Manager Analytical Lab - Group Research & Development Olen):
‘Umicore offers young managers a “Leadership Development Programme”. You spend a year examining various aspects of management and leadership in an active and interactive way to make sure you are given the right training and tools to grow in your position. You learn all sorts of skills, such as motivating people, giving feedback, dealing with change, and more. In short, sustainability is not only an integral part of the environmentally friendly applications that Umicore develops, but also of the personnel policy: the company really commits to finding and keeping new talent.’
Jolien Hannes (Chemist Functional Materials - Group Research & Development Olen):
‘Umicore focuses strongly on the well-being and health of its employees. For instance, we’re given a piece of fruit, free, every day and we have the possibility of taking part in sports events. In addition, staff who want to stop smoking can follow sessions to help them give up, free of charge. And to get to know our colleagues better and in a different environment, a budget of €30 per employee is provided to organise a team event of our choice. With these initiatives, Umicore really stands out from other companies.’
Timothy Vereecke (Maintenance Technician - Specialty Materials Bruges):
‘I’ve been part of the Umicore family for almost eight years now. When I applied for the job of maintenance technician, the position had just been filled. But I managed to convince the company of my skills and motivation and I was even given the opportunity to follow a bachelor’s course in electromechanics. By studying a digitalisation project at Umicore Specialty Materials Bruges for my final paper, I was able to put what I had learnt into practice in my own field of work straight away. I graduated with the highest distinction and I certainly owe that partly to my employer’s great flexibility, in terms of both working hours and the way in which I could carry out my daily tasks. I’m living proof that with the right effort and training, you can go a very long way at Umicore. I was given more and more autonomy, a bigger say and greater responsibility. At the moment I’m even involved in the construction of a new production hall, where I manage the IT projects and all sorts of new controls.’
To find out more about the Top Employers certificate, click on www.top-employers.com
Interested in a career at Umicore? Go to www.umicore.be/jobs