Everyone has equal opportunity - „our relations are predicated on this principle. Employees have equal opportunity and chances in all the processes in the PZU Group, from recruitment to performance assessment, promotion, professional development to participation in training. Gender, age, degree of ability, nationality, faith, political convictions, trade union membership, ethnic background, sexual orientation and nature of employment are of no consequence.”
„We are one of the largest employers: we employ about 40 thousand people in Europe. It is for them that we create a modern organization where an employee is put first. It is our priority to attract the best specialists in the market to the PZU Group. With their contribution, we can build a strong and stable enterprise trusted by millions of clients.”
Marcin Eckert, Member of the PZU Management Board
[GRI 103-2]
PZU Group companies offer a friendly environment and work atmosphere and development opportunities. Employees’ work life balance is held in high regard. The company discharges on a timely basis not only its financial liabilities to employees but also applies clear principles in the operation of our organization. It ensures safe forms of employment and employees make a contribution to streamlining the operation of the company.
The PZU Group provides its employees with equal opportunities for development to enhance their skills, being promoted and compensation, while having regard for employees’ individual potential, their accomplishments and work performance.
Respecting the personal dignity of employees is an important aspect of organizational culture.
Principles supporting diversity and equal treatment span all career stages in PZU, starting from the recruitment process to the duration of the employment relationship (employment terms, access to training and development-minded activities, opportunities to be promoted) to the termination of employment.
BEST PRACTICE
PZU Group companies have in force rules and regulations pertaining to bonuses and bonuses & commissions. The high quality of the work done by people employed in the Group is therefore additionally rewarded.
The basis for determining an employee’s base salary is the evaluation of the job in question, the competences held by an employee and his or her performance appraisal.
In 2016, PZU and PZU Życie adopted „Compensation Policies” which are subjected to annual reviews and, if needed, updated accordingly. Above all, the purpose of these documents is to ensure that our employee compensation systems are in line with the company’s risk profile, that we achieve our intended business result and that we attain our business objectives within the framework of the risk limits prescribed by the Management Boards. It is also important to motivate employees to enhance their work efficiency constantly and ramp up their commitment while simultaneously linking their pay to the performance of the companies, organizational cells or units in which they are employed.
Pekao Group companies have pay-related policies adapted to their size and distinct business, the remuneration rules are laid down, among others, in the collective bargaining agreements. Each one of the companies in the Alior Bank Group has implemented a compensation policy. The same applies to the PZU Zdrowie Group. In Armatura Kraków, „Remuneration Rules and Regulations” have been implemented.
BEST PRACTICE
The latest version of the Saba HRM software, which supports the so-called soft HR process management in PZU, was deployed in 2020.
This version has an attractive interface enabling personalization and adjustment of the displayed information to user needs. Apart from changes of technological components, new features have been added in the following areas:
- PZU’s bonus system management;
- recruitment processes;
- delivery of classroom and e-learning training courses;
- support for professional training courses for agents.
The employees of PZU and PZU Życie may count on financial pay commensurate with the level of responsibility and a unique broad range of non-salary benefits tailored to their diverse needs. They include, among others:
- Employee Pension Scheme – every month the employer makes a contribution forming 7% of salary to the employee’s individual account provided that he or she has enrolled in the EPP, i.e. the maximum permitted by the law;
- special terms of maintaining Individual Retirement Security Accounts (IRSAs) – no fee on employee contributions;
- rich medical care package – long list of specialist physicians and medical centers;
- insurance for medicine – gives the right to purchase prescription medicines from an extensive list with an 80% discount;
- supplement to reach 100% of employee remuneration in the case of special sickness absences (e.g. due to cancer);
- benefits from the Company Social Benefit Fund that exceed the standard, including:
- loans for housing purposes,
- employee holiday subsidy,,
- Christmas subsidy,
- „cafeteria” system giving employees access to a recreational base in Poland and abroad and to a broad cultural offer (all the cinema networks and studio cinemas, theaters, philharmonic theaters, museums, concerts), recreation and sports offer (two sports subscription cards, individual tickets to sports facilities and clubs);
- discount on products offered by the PZU Group;
- relocation benefit in case of a change of the place of work within the PZU Group at the employer’s initiative;
- management package for senior management;
- support for extracurricular activities, including the option of practicing sports in specialist sections of the PZU Sport Team, option to use the employee gym in Warsaw and Szczecin and employee volunteerism, for the purpose of which employees can get two additional days off.
[GRI 102-41]
The company is in continuous dialogue with the trade unions. PZU and PZU Życie respect the right to unconstrained association and strike. They hold regular meetings with all social partners. On average, such meetings take place every other week. The schedule of such meetings along with the agenda is delivered to trade union representatives. Social dialogue is conducted by a section specially appointed for this purpose in the HR Management Department. Employees of the social dialogue team conduct talks and participate in dedicated meetings with trade unions and react to the needs of social partners on an ongoing basis. Social dialogue is inscribed into the company’s organizational culture and forms one of the tools for strategic management
The companies’ trade union organizations represent employees in collective relationships (concluding agreements on working, pay and social conditions and approving rules and regulations) and individual matters (e.g. consulting employment contract termination, appealing against the imposed disciplinary penalty).
There are 12 trade unions operating in PZU and 6 – in PZU Życie. Agreements with trade unions vary in terms of their subjective scope. The largest group of eligible persons can be found in Employee Pension Scheme agreements or social agreements (Company Social Benefit Fund), since they cover all employees.
Trade unions
| Trade unions |
Division in each category in PZU and PZU Życie |
| PZU |
PZU Życie |
| Number of unionized employees |
1,839 |
981 |
| % of unionized employees relative to the total number of the company’s employees |
19.4% |
14.6% |
There are five trade union organizations operating in Alior Bank. They represent the employee interests provided for in the labor law. In Bank Pekao, there were eight such organizations in 2020.
Most Group companies have internal rules and regulations of the Company Social Benefit Fund in place.
PZU and PZU Życie employees are covered by collective agreements, including the Company Pension Agreements. Employee Capital Schemes have been implemented in companies where there was previously no ECS to provide additional retirement security. The employees who will join these EPSs will receive their pension from additional source.
BEST PRACTICE
CASH
Cash is an innovative employee financial benefit platform created by PZU and Alior Bank. Employees of the companies collaborating with PZU Cash may quickly obtain a low-interest loan for any purpose via the online portal. The process of applying for a loan is fully remote – from the online completion of the application to the signing of the agreement and receipt of the funds. The employee receives the money on the business day immediately following the date of signing the agreement at the latest. The term of the loan is between 3 and 36 months and the maximum loan amount is PLN 50 thousand. Employees do not have to remember about the repayment date because the installments are deducted automatically from their remuneration, which is a convenient solution. The Cash portal combines the needs of both employees and employers while bringing mutual benefits. Employees can easily obtain extra cash from a safe source with no hidden costs or additional conditions. Employers, in turn, can offer additional financial benefits to employees.
The platform has been available to PZU Group employees since October 2019. In 2020, it was made available in other companies. At the end of 2020, several dozen thousand employees from nearly 30 work establishments were already able to use the Cash portal. It is a good example of synergy and leveraging the strengths of the two companies in the PZU Group, and implementation of an innovative business model responding to the market trends pertaining to financial well-being. The Cash Portal also follows the development of remote channels, making it possible to use financial products online, which is particularly important in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic.
BEST PRACTICE
Engagement building as a continuous activity based on a regular dialog with employees
2020 brought many challenges, including significant constraints on organizing workshops and meetings. The pandemic began at the time of communicating the results of the previous year’s engagement survey. Despite that in each organizational unit were held meetings to discuss the results of the survey – organized in an online or hybrid form in many areas.
At times of unexpected changes, it becomes more important to maintain regular communication with employees. Therefore, apart from the annual engagement survey, two additional, spring and autumn, pulse check surveys were introduced. Employee needs changed over the past year, which resulted, among others, from the fact that approx. 80% of employees shifted to remote work within a short time. During the COVID-19 threat, employees’ well-being and safety is particularly important, and the study has helped managers understand the ongoing needs as regards ensuring proper support and efficient work organization to employees better. Thanks to the survey, the designed development activities responded to the real crucial needs; they have been addressed to all employees (e.g. #DobryStan [#WellBeing], #Rozproszeni-Połączeni [#Distributed-Connected]) or to selected employee groups (e.g. #LaboratoriumMenedżerów [#ManagerLaboratory]).
In accordance with the schedule adopted for years, another engagement survey was conducted in December 2020. It reached a record-breaking engagement ratio in PZU’s history: 61%. The survey was carried out using a methodology developed by Kincentric. A Spencer Stuart Company. At the same time, a double-digit indicator growth (by 10 p.p.) was recorded for the second time in a row and the strategic objective set for 2020 was exceeded. The result, in accordance with the adopted methodology, ranks PZU among the top ones (the upper quartile).
BEST PRACTICE
The recipe for good cooperation: the My Colleague-Client program
In the engagement survey for 2019, a majority of PZU employees pointed to cooperation between divisions or offices as the area to be improved. Therefore, we have launched the “My Colleague-Client” program, which focuses on creating positive experiences among employees.
„The recipe for good cooperation” is a collection of attitudes and behaviors appreciated by PZU employees in cooperation. It is important that all PZU employees to become familiar with the rules, identify with them and act upon them. This is how we will be reinforced our employees’ positive and kind attitudes towards their colleagues, in particular from other offices and areas.
The quality of client experiences is influenced not only by those who directly serve them but also, for instance, by those responsible for constructing a product, maintaining the product system or recruiting the company’s employees. Relationships between employees also count. This is why our aspiration is to have them perceive each other as internal clients. In 2020, we managed to implement „The recipe for good cooperation” in the organization, of which employees were notified via various channels, such as the PZU newsletter, information on PZU24, email and posters in offices across Poland. As part of “The recipe for good cooperation”, one survey on cooperation was carried out providing us with 417 responses. First, we surveyed the HR Management Department, where we also managed to deliver workshops with the participation of individual team leaders.
We are planning to implement kudos, a special tool through which each PZU employee will be able to send special thanks to appreciate a colleague. Additionally, it will be crucial to build employee engagement and client-centric culture by promoting the Program and to increase the number of offices taking part in the survey and workshops.
BEST PRACTICE
LINK with us – the practice of building candidate experience
The LINK with us practice is a response to the need to turn LINK4 into an employer of choice, outstanding in terms of its approach to candidates. LINK4 was prompted to implement this practice by the desire to reduce voluntary employee turnover and the market situation which puts candidates in the center of employers’ attention.
The following activities were carried out as part of this activity:
- advertisements: job advertisements contain images of internal LINK4 ambassadors and their contents are prepared in accordance with the rules of simple language;
- recruitment meeting: the selection is made by the superior, then the selected persons are invited to meetings;
- satisfaction survey: a satisfaction survey is sent out within three to five days after announcing the decision. The candidate assesses the whole recruitment process, the recruiter and the company’s offer. The candidate also has the opportunity to share his/her own comments underneath open-ended questions. The results are analyzed and reported. Currently, the NPS on the recruitment process is 92.5% in 2021. Based on candidates’ comments, the recruitment process is modified on an ongoing basis to adapt it to the needs of the target group, e.g. change of the communication addressed to the candidate rejected after the recruitment meeting, possibility of receiving detailed feedback at each candidate’s request;
- „Welcome on board”: the onboarding process has been adapted to the remote mode of work; despite the new reality, the elements appreciated most by new employees have been preserved, e.g. the so-called Welcome Day, when new employees are welcomed by the President of the company and their superiors;
- a set of company gimmicks, the so-called welcome pack for new employees; an information brochure is being prepared to help employees enter LINK4’s organizational culture;
- satisfaction survey: conducted three months after the employment start date to verify the level of satisfaction with the employee onboarding process on an ongoing basis.
Key figures:
- employments resulting from employee referrals accounted for over 35% of all closed recruitment processes in 2020
- the level of satisfaction with the conduct of the recruitment process increased from less than 80% (in Q4 2017) to 92.5% (in January 2021).
BEST PRACTICE
Career paths of Bank Pekao’s employees are built on the basis of a multi-faceted assessment and analysis of their potential. This is how it is forecast in which direction and within what timeframe a given employee can change their position. The mission of the „Career Paths” program is to ensure the bank’s employees continuous professional development and self-fulfillment. To this end, their talents and professional preferences are used for their own and the bank’s benefit.
Bank Pekao makes efforts to ensure that the recruitment process is conducted according to the highest standards.
The bank has developed its internal „Code of Best Recruitment Practices”, which contains the key guidelines it follows when executing individual projects.
Key benefits of the “Career Paths” program:
- facilitation of seeking development directions by employees;
- defined, clear and transparent development opportunities;
- knowledge of the requirements ones needs to satisfy to be taken into consideration for promotions;
- control of one’s development, determination of short- and long-term development objectives;
- reduction of the uncertainty related to an employee’s professional development;
- expansion of the knowledge about the organization;
- transfer of knowledge and experiences between employees.
BEST PRACTICE
LINK4 notes the needs of its employees being parents and supports them in combining these two roles through a program of family-friendly actions. The support covers three aspects:
- legal regulations concerned with care for a child under 14, care allowance, holiday leaves and other situations which might be difficult from a parent’s point of view;
- strengthening of bonds, „open doors” for children, who are invited to the company, a family picnic, training and workshops in parenthood are organized to this end;
- celebration of special occasions– children get presents on the Children’s Day, and moms returning from maternal leaves are given a welcome pack to make their return to work pleasant.
The program is being developed thanks to new ideas, which are implemented on a continuous basis, to tailor it to parents’ needs.
For instance, a series of workshops at which parents could talk about their children’s independence, about their fears concerned with parenthood and learn about the relation between the parent’s happiness and the child’s happiness were organized under the program.
BEST PRACTICE
Inspiration Council
The Inspiration Council is an initiative established in the Claims and Benefits Handling and Remote Channels Division at the end of 2018. Employees who wish to have an influence on the environment and life of the organization have been invited to join the Council. The participants stand out for their knowledge, competences, creativity and engagement – they are experts, leaders and masters of the Claims Communication Platform. The Inspiration Council is a place where employees put forward solutions facilitating their daily work. The ideas are analyzed by and the best of them are implemented with the support of head office departments.
The Inspiration Council offers its participants an opportunity to become involved in the creation of solutions that will determine the future processes and make daily work more efficient. It also allows the employees to develop and learn more about their organization.
In 2020, the participants in the Inspiration Council took up many challenges:
- „Spring inspirations” – 281 individuals worked on 20 topics selected by the senior management, which resulted in sending 380 studies. More than 50 conference calls were organized giving rise to numerous initiatives, which have already been or soon will be implemented. One of the most significant ones is a regular talk a superior holds with their employee about providing a feedback. The whole initiative lasted three months;
- „Summer coffee with the Inspiration Council” – 6 online meetings held in a casual atmosphere to strengthen relationships as they were considerably limited during the COVID-19 pandemic;
- „PSK challenge” – meetings held remotely only, aimed to boost team spirit and creativity of teams as a result of moving to home offices. The teams created the so-called virtual business cards describing what they did, what their passions were, etc. The initiative was received with high enthusiasm: 90% of 155 teams took part in it, and its effect is increased employee knowledge about the organization.
The employees involved in the Inspiration Council’s activities reported that they appreciated the opportunity to grow and influence the changes and the engagement in the improvement of PZU.
Occupational safety and health issues
PZU Group’s policies [Accounting Act]
[GRI 103-2]
Formally, occupational safety and health (OSH) management is regulated by a number of internal documents and instructions. PZU, PZU Życie and other PZU Group companies discharge their legal duties related to occupational safety and health (among others, conducting an assessment of occupational risk on work stations, accident analysis, employee training).
The „Occupational safety and health policy” has been in force in PZU and PZU Życie since 2015. This policy obligates the PZU Group’s OSH team to do the following:
- prevent accidents and occupational diseases;
- strive to improve occupational safety and health constantly by conducting periodic inspections;
- deliver training on OSH, including on how to give first aid.
To streamline activities related to occupational safety and health, the PZU Group companies have teams that operate with the following tasks:
- conduct a review of working conditions;
- conduct a periodical assessment of the state of occupational safety and health;
- give an opinion on the means undertaken by the employer to prevent accidents at work and occupational diseases;
- articulate conclusions on improving working conditions and cooperating with the employer to discharge its duties relating to occupational safety and health.
The vast majority of the OSH regulations in the branches (medical centers) of PZU Zdrowie and its direct and indirect subsidiaries are of a local nature and are related to the distinctive nature of their operations and the market on which they function (e.g. the expectations of the local branch of the National Health Fund). Polmedic has rolled out the OSH Management System according to OHSAS 18001:2007.
Medical centers have adopted procedures for the conduct of medical workers in the case of needle stick injuries and protection against infections.
Internal rules and regulations concerning employee issues are convergent with the regulations in force in PZU and PZU Życie in the investments area, while observing the differences ensuing from the distinctive nature of each company’s business.
[GRI 403-2]
In total the PZU Group recorded 85 work accidents in 2020 (76 fewer than in 2019), including 41 in the Pekao Group, 16 in the Alior Bank Group, 11 in PZU and 4 in PZU Życie. There were no fatal accidents.
Number of work-related accidents, by gender
Accident incidence rate by gender1
Accident severity rate by gender2
Absenteeism rate3
Every newly-hired PZU employee goes through advanced training courses related to occupational safety. In 2020, 1,853 one-on-one onboarding training courses and 205 periodic training courses were delivered attended by 928 PZU and PZU Życie employees. The purpose of the workshops was to update knowledge and skills on how to work safely.
In addition, 3,020 individuals took part in 124 training courses on pre-medical first aid in 2019. Participants checked their knowledge on training manikins. The rules for using an AED defibrillator were also presented. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there was no first aid training in 2020.
As a result of the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, for the sake of PZU and PZU Życie employees’ health and safety, “Safety rules for PZU SA and PZU Życie SA employees during the COVID-19 epidemic” have been published.
Rules for the time of the COVID-19 epidemic:
- recommendations on working conditions in the regular workplace;
- protective equipment provided by PZU and PZU Życie;
- recommendations on the presence and movement in PZU buildings, including the use of selected room;
- rules for organization of meetings in PZU buildings;
- conditions of domestic travel on business, business trips, business meetings outside the office, training, workshops, conferences and other development events;
- recommendations on commuting;
- rules for collection of correspondence;
- recommendations on the physical infrastructure of PZU buildings;
- recommendations on the use of catering service providers;
- rules for reimbursement of the cost of a SARS-CoV-2 virus test.
PZU Finance has developed Procedures of temporary remote work applicable for the time of COVID-19 infection risk in the Republic of Poland.
BEST PRACTICE
Well-being: actions taken during the COVID-19 pandemic
The aim of the initiative was to counteract the effects of stress, low mood and decreasing engagement among employees associated with the pandemic and changed mode of work and to reinforce trust in the employer. A long-term objective of the program is to concentrate on increasing employees’ good energy, supporting healthy work style and helping maintain good well-being in crucial spheres of life: professional, personal and family.
The first response to the changed mode of work was the launch of the cycle entitled „We’ll make it”, i.e. one-page inspirations on how to deal with everyday difficulties, e.g.:
- How to deal with emotions in a situation of COVID-19 threat?
- How to make remote work efficient?
- How to manage a team working remotely?
- How to ensure immunity and physical fitness?
- How to support children (and parents) in times of virus?
- How to organize a remote conference? (an overview of available tools).
- How to effectively rest on days off?
The next step was the „Well-being” program, which was supposed to build a state of mind facilitating high efficiency as well as mental and physical immunity and ensure psychologists’ support. The program is available to everyone. The activities include organization of webinars with experts, publication of educational and prevention materials (a compendium of knowledge, articles, questionnaires). A hotline providing psychological support to employees has been launched.
Actions performed as part of the programs in 2020:
- 13 webinars:
- Motivation in times of uncertainty,
- Relaxation on demand: How to do it?
- Sources of real energy: How to release passion, selfmotivation and willpower?
- Mind power: How to work efficiently?
- Mental immunity: Power in any circumstances
- many videos with exercises to be done at home;
- an e-learning anti-stress program and the Wellify mobile application as education in emotion management – they provide exercises to reduce stress at the physiological, physical and emotional levels.
Currently, the „Well-being” initiative is a regular educational offer incorporated in PZU’s HR strategy for 2020/2021.
1 Ratio calculated per 1,000 employees using the equation: total number of persons injured in accidents / headcount * 1,000.
2 Rate calculated using the equation: number of days of inability to work because of an accident / number of accidents.
3 Absenteeism rate using the equation: total number of days off work because of sick leave or accidents at work/ number of days planned to be worked in a given year
