Swire Properties places great importance to attracting and retaining talent by offering fulfilling long-term careers with the Company. We have numerous programmes in place to train our employees to high standards, encourage their continuous learning and development, create pathways for promotion and succession, and gather their feedback.
All employees taking job-related training courses – from training courses to long-term studies for diplomas, certificates, undergraduate or post-graduate degree courses offered by local or overseas tertiary education institutions, industry organisations and professional associations – are eligible for a reimbursement of their course fees, regardless of their job role.
Swire Properties also has a robust annual talent review process that seeks to assess and develop our talent pipeline. The objective is to have an overview of our organisational capabilities, identify high potentials, develop robust succession plans and provide targeted development for our talent.
2023 People's Engagement Survey
In early 2023, Swire Properties conducted an in-depth People's Engagement Survey to measure employee engagement. Employees were asked to rate the Company’s efforts and effectiveness in fostering creative transformation, originality, workplace inclusivity, role empowerment, safe spaces for open dialogue and the work environment. The survey also included factors related to people management, employee recognition, reward initiatives and programmes promoting mental health awareness.
We invited our colleagues from our Hong Kong, Chinese Mainland and Miami, U.S.A. portfolios and Hotels to take part in the survey and achieved a 97% response with an engagement index of 85%. The results enabled us to develop targeted strategies to continue to create a positive and fulfilling workplace for our people and to enable the success of employees and the Company.
Some of the findings of the 2023 People's Engagement Survey from our Hong Kong and Chinese Mainland portfolios were:
- The Employee Engagement Index improved to 89% from 88% in 2020, putting us on track to meet our SD 2030 target of 90%.
- We excelled in all 18 categories of the Employee Engagement Index. These were benchmarked against 2023 Global Real Estate & Asset Management Industry standards.
- There was a significant improvement in our Employee Net Promoter Score (“eNPS”) from 14% in 2020 to 27%. The eNPS measures the likelihood of colleagues recommending the Company to others.
Top achievements:
- 97% of our people feel empowered and have a clear idea of their job responsibilities.
- 95% agreed that we are a socially responsible company.
- 95% enjoy working at Swire Properties because employees collaborate and get along well.
- 94% think we are a truly customer-centric company.
- 92% say that the quality of work done in their department is excellent.
Growth opportunities:
- Employee recognition and rewards – non-monetary recognition to boost morale, create motivation, drive better performance and foster a culture of innovation.
- Change – colleagues want to be part of the change process and learn more about how the Company is evolving.
The survey participation rate was encouraging, and the insights gathered will help shape the direction of the Company for years to come.
In 2023, we conducted an 100% response rate engagement survey for all of our Miami, U.S.A. employees, with engagement index reaching 71%. Our Hotels also conducted a 94% response rate people engagement pulse survey for all Hong Kong, Chinese Mainland and Miami Hotels with engagement index reaching 77%.
Learning and Development Programmes
In 2023, we continued empowering our employees, providing engagement, learning and motivational opportunities through online and offline training programmes. Several of these were new or revamped versions of long-running initiatives, such as the Achieving Excellence Programme and our structured leadership programmes. The New Joiner Programmes are day-long experiential induction sessions that bring new joiners from different departments together for a day of fun, learning and experience-building.
Total Training Hours and Spending
HKEX KPI B3.2
~157,900 hours
23 hours
HKD9.9 million
HKD1,440
Average Hours of Training, by Gender
21.2
Male
25.5
Female
Average Hours of Training, by Management Level
21.3
Management
level
level
23.6
Non-management
level
level
New Induction Programmes
New Joiner Induction Programme
Swire Properties wants all our new joiners to have a comprehensive, productive and inclusive onboarding experience. This year, the programme underwent a revamp, introducing full-day induction sessions and bringing all office new joiners from different departments across our properties together for a day of experiential learning, sharing, and experience-building.
During the sessions, they hear first-hand from our directors about their journey to success at the Company, learn about our SD 2030 initiatives, tour the Swire Archives, listen to speakers from different departments as they share their experiences, and tour our mixed-use development.
Frontline New Joiners
In October 2023, we expanded the New Joiner Induction Programme to include frontline staff. Recognising their distinct needs and expectations, we customised the programme for them, with a goal of cultivating stronger engagement and fostering enhanced interactions. The initial programmes received positive feedback from participating staff.
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“Safety First, to Last” Health and Safety Campaign
In 2020, we launched the “Safety First, to Last” campaign, a cooperative three-year project between the Learning and Talent Management team and the Health and Safety Department. The aims of this strategic health and safety training programme were to achieve strong leadership and a positive mindset towards health and safety, along with widespread occupational safety skills and knowledge, and the actualisation of our Zero Harm Commitment.
The campaign began with e-learning courses in 2020, then grew to include a learning hub on the Company intranet, followed by virtual reality (“VR”) training, “train-the-trainer” workshops, and a year-long series of learning events, which took place at different management offices each month.
Participation rates in the campaign were high, with a 100% completion rate for both the e-learning programme and the VR training. Other events, including seminars, roadshow video training sessions and games, had a participation rate of 82%. In terms of health and safety performance, the campaign was a success, with the number of injuries dropping by 49% and a 61% decrease in injury costs recorded compared to 2018.
The campaign also won three special awards at the Hong Kong Management Association’s Excellence in Training and Development 2023 Awards, namely “Excellence in Programme Design”, “Excellence in Performance Improvement” and “Excellence in Stakeholder Engagement”.
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Partnerships with Educational Institutions
Swire Properties offers employees training programmes that have been developed in collaboration with educational institutions in Hong Kong. One notable programme is the “Executive Course in Real Estate Development”, developed with the Department of Real Estate and Construction at the University of Hong Kong. This has been offered exclusively to our employees since 2014.
The 10-day course gives participants a comprehensive understanding of fundamental concepts in real estate and construction project management, equipping them with the knowledge and skills necessary to progress in their roles. They are exposed to a wide range of topics crucial to their professional development, including planning and development procedures, the regulatory landscape in Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland, real estate investment and finance, sustainability, practical case studies, and emerging trends in the industry.
In partnership with Oxford Brooks University, our company enrolls colleagues in relevant disciplines to participate in the Oxford Adapt Programme. This program is designed for property specialists who are seeking professional qualifications as chartered surveyors. The programme covers various aspects, including investment, valuations, development, and management, as well as RICS ethics, policy, and standards. Through this pathway, we have had more than 10 colleagues who have obtained their RICS qualifications. The programme lasts for four months and includes a combination of self-paced online learning and face-to-face teaching sessions. The feedback from participants has been overwhelmingly positive, with participants applying their newly acquired knowledge in their professional practice and experiencing personal and career development benefits.
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