Working at Mars
Engagement and Recognition
We are not a company of closed doors and rigid hierarchies. We value visible and approachable leadership at all levels. Associates have the freedom to discuss their work or concerns with any colleague at any time, while decision-making is collaborative and consensus more important than authority.
Associate Engagement
Since 2003, we have measured Associate engagement using an external survey, the Gallup Q12. The survey's 12 core questions assess whether Associates feel equipped with the knowledge, materials and opportunities to do a good job; whether they feel listened to, encouraged, supported and rewarded; and whether they have opportunities to learn and grow. Last year, 92 percent of Associates participated in the survey.
We hold regular team meetings and town halls with our CEO and segment presidents. The dotMars intranet helps to facilitate dialogue and encourage collaboration, while LCD screens throughout our offices and factories keep Associates informed about and engaged with the company.
We are proud that, in 2010, we won a Gallup Great Workplace award by ranking in the 70th percentile based on their survey, a significant improvement from 2009, when we ranked in the 58th percentile. We can continue to improve, and our goal is to reach the 80th percentile — both in terms of actual engagement and for our efforts to implement the actions identified in the survey.
We created Winning with Associates (WWA) as one approach to help achieve this goal. Designed to get Associates talking and foster an approachable working culture, WWA is a two-day workshop where teams can clarify their visions and identify ways to make their sites a better place to work.
Team members of all levels join in the workshop to discuss their strengths and weaknesses, focusing on the differences between behaviors that promote mutuality and those which do not. This collaborative approach gives all Associates the chance to make a difference in their personal work environment.
We encourage Associates to take ownership of this process and have trained more than 50 Associates as WWA facilitators. More than 25 sites have run the program since 2008, and we continue to implement the program across sites that can benefit best from this approach.
In addition, we have piloted the Engagement@Mars: Partners for Performance program, designed to strengthen management teams across the business. Through this program, Human Resources Managers are trained to strengthen their coaching skills in order to help General Managers be more effective and thoughtful leaders. The program was piloted in Latin America and Asia and will be rolled out globally in 2011.
The Mars Ombudsman Program
While we encourage an open culture, sometimes Associates prefer to express concerns confidentially. Our Ombudsman program provides a confidential, independent, neutral and alternative channel of communication. It is available to every Associate around the world. In 2010, 955 Associates contacted the Ombudsman, and 79 percent of issues were fully resolved, with a further 16 percent achieving partial resolution and the remaining 5 percent still to be resolved.
It's Official: Mars Is a Great Place to Work™!
In 2010, Mars ranked in the top 10 employers in seven countries in the annual Great Place to Work™ competition held by the Great Place to Work Institute™. The results are based on a survey of Associates and an audit covering various aspects of employment, such as Associate well-being and diversity.
Making the Difference
Every other year, we celebrate Associates who put our principles into action and bring innovative thinking, fresh perspectives and personal commitment to improve our communities, our environment, our workplace and our business. We recognize their contributions through our Make the Difference program.
First launched in Europe in 1997, the Make the Difference awards program went global in 2001 with 1,500 nominations for Associate-driven initiatives. In 2009, approximately 6,800 projects were nominated, involving 18,000 Associates.
Associates are nominated either individually or in teams in the following categories:
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People Awards— for Associates who have made positive impacts through outstanding line management or team leadership, role modeling of the Five Principles and delivery of great results through people
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Planet Awards— for outstanding contribution to Mars' activities that positively impact the environment
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Innovation Awards— for outstanding contribution to the business by generating and acting on ideas
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Lifetime Achievement Awards- for Associates who have made an enormous difference throughout their careers at Mars
Every other year, we celebrate Associates who put our principles into action and bring innovative thinking, fresh perspectives and personal commitment to improve our communities, our environment, our workplace and our business. We recognize their contributions through our Make the Difference program.
Case Study
Make the Difference Nominees
Click here to read the full case study
Making a Difference in the Workplace
Wrigley's Associate-driven Go Green program encourages Associates to bring sustainability practices to life at work. Initially started as a pilot at four sites it has since expanded globally to 97 sites. The program focuses on increasing awareness of sustainability practices and encouraging Associates to incorporate sustainable actions into their daily routines and business decisions.
At each of these locations, Associates are developing their own plans to help lessen the impacts of everyday business operations. In many of the factories, such as in St. Petersburg, Russia, the Go Green teams are championing our Sustainable in a Generation goals by exploring ways to reduce waste, energy and water use. The team in Toronto, Canada, set up a waste program that has reduced the site's cafeteria waste by 76 percent. Other sites are redefining daily habits to promote more environmentally sound living.
