The number is 35% higher than in 2019 at Santa Helena Alimentos, which has just won another title as one of the most incredible places to work
Companies of all sizes find in employees the driving force to continue growing and, especially in these times of pandemic, investing in the safety and professional development of teams is a strategic action. This is what the Santa Helena Alimentos industry did, making the period, even if challenging, a support to leverage careers. So much so that the balance of internal movements in the company is already 35% higher than that computed in 2019.
According to Elaine Ribeiro, corporate manager of human resources at Santa Helena, career paths tend to be successful with the commitment of both parties: employer and employee. While the first is structured to define clear guidelines for internal promotion, the second continues to reinvent itself through new skills, behavioral skills and alignment with the company’s culture and objectives. These processes are so closely linked to Santa Helena that, for five consecutive years, it has held several titles that classify it as one of the best companies to work for.
In 2020, another achievement was added to the list involving renowned awards: the company secured the recognition of Fundação Instituto de Administração (FIA) as one of the “Incredible Places to Work” and received the highlight in the “Most Incredible in Career” category, which Elaine credits to the new methods of developing the professional. “In a year of pandemic, we are in the opposite direction of the market. We have had a large number of promotions and internal opportunities, through initiatives such as the Grow Together program, and we are implementing a new meritocracy model, in which positive internal evaluations of managers lead to salary adjustments.”
Elaine explains that Grow Together was implemented in 2016 in the operational area and, since then, it has helped employees better plan their careers and take advantage of the opportunities offered for career advancement. “Year after year it shows good results. In 2020, for example, 30% of production assistants were promoted to cross-functional operators, “says the HR manager.
For those in the labor market and looking for ways to continue the trajectory of corporate growth, Elaine gives tips on what to do, according to factors that count for the approximately 1,300 professionals who make up the company’s staff. “Engagement with the company’s principles and objectives and with its purpose; protagonism and collaborative spirit; in addition to other points, such as participation in important projects for the company and dedication on a daily basis.”
On the managerial side, to have a successful career program, it is essential to see with the eyes of employees. Climate surveys are good tools for this, Elaine says. In fact, they help to understand how the company’s values motivate professionals. “At Santa Helena, for example, we know that it carries a lot of weight that we deliver to customers what is promised, with high quality, and that people of any age, race and sexual orientation are treated with the same fairness and respect. The two premises appear with the highest scores of the company in the research of the last award won.” With the company in rapid growth, more and more opportunities are offered, and the care for each member of the team remains an essential point. “Our goal is to keep employees constantly evolving. Self-Managed Teams (TAGs), which encourage protagonism among professionals, are proof of how this works on a daily basis. One example is that operators have become more autonomous and, at the same time, are encouraged to participate more effectively in decision-making, ”Elaine points out. Also according to her, “knowing that we are a reference in the segments of activity, holders of an innovative culture and one of the most incredible places to work moves HR to create several projects and actions to stimulate the maintenance of a great work environment”.