Nestle is the world’s leading Nutrition, Health and Wellness company. Their mission of “Good Food, Good Life” is to provide consumers with the best tasting, most nutritious choices in a wide range of food and beverage categories and eating occasions, from morning to night.
The Company was founded in 1866 by Henri Nestle in Vevey, Switzerland, where the headquarters are still located today. The company operates in 86 countries around the world and employs nearly 283,000 people.
Here are some interesting articles regarding its people management.
1800 Nestle UK employees (36% of its UK workforce) took part in the 2009 Global Corporate Challenge, Nestle UK’s largest ever corporate health initiative. Researchers studying a representative sample of 260 Nestle employees found that participants reported an increase in energy levels, better sleep, increased concentration, and productivity when asked a series of psychological indicators about their feelings in the workplace*. A health assessment study of the same 260 employees also reported significant health benefits including:
- 59% of employees lost weight of which the average weight loss was 2.2kg
- 37% reduced their cholesterol
- 51% had a reduced body fat percentage at the end of the programme versus the start
The GCC challenges teams of seven to each walk 10,000 steps a day**, recording their individual step counts, which are then tallied into a daily team total and plotted on the GCC website to complete a virtual walk around the world. The more active a team the further they walk around the world. The challenge lasts for 16 weeks and participants can virtually interact with each new location along their journey, to experience different cultures along the route.
The average Nestle employee increased the amount they walked to over 12,850 steps per day for the 125 days of the programme, which equates to 8.2km, more than four times the physical activity of the typical UK employee who walks on average 3,000 steps a day.
For more content, please read Nestle UK’s Largest Ever Corporate Health Initiative Produces Outstanding Benefits
Culture at Nestlé and Human Resources Policy
Nestle culture unifies people on all continents. The most important parts of Nestle’s business strategy and culture are the development of human capacity in each country where they operate. Learning is an integral part of Nestle’s culture. This is firmly stated in The Nestle Human Resources Policy, a totally new policy that encompasses the guidelines that constitute a sound basis for efficient and effective human resource management. People development is the driving force of the policy, which includes clear principles on non-discrimination, the right of collective bargaining as well as the strict prohibition of any form of harassment. The policy deals with recruitment, remuneration and training and development and emphasizes individual responsibility, strong leadership and a commitment to life-long learning as required characteristics for Nestle managers.
Training Programs at Nestle
The willingness to learn is therefore an essential condition to be employed by Nestlé. First and foremost, training is done on-the-job. Guiding and coaching is part of the responsibility of each manager and is crucial to make each one progress in his/her position. Formal training programs are generally purpose-oriented and designed to improve relevant skills and competencies. Therefore they are proposed in the framework of individual development programs and not as a reward.
For more content, please read Case Study of Nestle: Training and Development
There is also a lengthy but very detailed report regarding SHRM at Nestle, covered almost all the HR practices from recruitment to payment.
For more content, please read Study of SHRM at Nestle