Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Bat
Bat
COMPANY BACKGROUND
1.1. BATC at A Glance:
British American Tobacco P.L.C. is the worlds most international tobacco
group. Based in London, UK it is a market leader in more than 50
countries selling over 300 brands in some 180 markets world-wide with
the strength of almost 90,000 employees. British American Tobacco
Bangladesh, a market leader in the country, is a subsidiary of British
American Tobacco p.l.c. Operating in Bangladesh since pre-independence,
the company headquarters and cigarette factory are based in Dhaka, with a
tobacco leaf processing operation in Kushtia. The company employs more
than 1300 people and provides indirect employment to a further 24,500
farmers, distributors, and suppliers.
The company began its in the subcontinent in 1910 as Imperial Tobacco
Company Ltd. with its head office in Calcutta where cigarettes were in
Carreras Ltd. Calcutta. Imperial and Carreras merged in to a single
company in 1943. After the partition Pakistan Tobacco Company (PTC)
came into existence with its head office in Karachi in 1949. The then
PTC's East Pakistan office was situated n Armanitola and ultimately
moved to Alico Building, Motijheel, Dhaka. In 1954 PTC established its
first cigarette factory in Chittagong although high-grade cigarettes still
came from West Pakistan. The Dhaka factory of PTC went into production
in 1965. After independence, Bangladesh Tobacco Company Pvt. Limited
(BTC) was formed in 1972 with British American Tobacco holding 65%
shares Bangladesh Tobacco Company. In March 1998 Bangladesh
Tobacco Company changed its name and identity to British American
Tobacco
Bangladesh
pronouncing
its
common
identity.
people, products, systems and processes and tools. They are the first
company in Bangladesh to be awarded Class A status as part of the
international and prestigious total business excellence program, MRPII,
audited by internationally renowned consultants Oliver Wight. They have
a total company commitment to excellence and drive for continuous
improvement, aspiring to be among the very best in the world. Their world
class people work as a team to meet challenges in an ever-changing
business environment. They have an open and transparent culture with
customer service that exceeds expectations. They continuously seek to
improve their manufacturing efficiency without compromising on quality.
As a result their company is recognized as benchmark for quality in the
region when they were the first company to be given the license to
manufacture Benson & Hedges in-house, within this region of BAT Group
which stretches from Pakistan to Australia. Their utilization of information
technology is at the core of their business strategy and is a benchmark
among other fast moving consumer goods companies in the country.
Strength from
Diversity:
Open Minded:
Freedom through
Responsibility:
Enterprising Spirit:
Figure 1
2. ORGANIZATIONS VALUES
2.1. BATCs Core Values:
BATC are committed to building value for their shareholders, and they
believe there is real value embedded not only in how they run their
business but in how a company is put together; in its ability to see the
world as it really is; in it's ability to pick and retain talent; to build
relationships of trust with consumers, suppliers, distributors and partners,
and to manage high quality brands. Perhaps above all in todays economy,
there is particular strength in the ability to root local businesses in a vast
range of different cultures around the globe. Their guiding principles
describe key characteristics of their organization, which they aim to
nurture.
3. ORGANIZATIONAL POLICIES
Based on their values and principles they developed an Equal
Opportunity Policy and various employment policies to assure diversity
within the company. The policies are documented and can be accessed via
the intranet. In support of women's advancement they also have in place a
maternity policy. Their disciplinary policy and sexual harassment policy,
for example, applies to all employees regardless of gender.
2. OPEN-MINDED
Being an active listener, genuinely considering others viewpoints and not
pre-judging
2.1 Openness and Responsiveness
Internal Communications: Employees sense of belonging to, and
trust in, BAT is enhanced by their focus on internal
communications, a sense of pride in their brands and being part of
a socially respected group of companies. They aim to be open and
transparent and to provide regular, reliable and relevant business
and industry- related information, through a wide range of internal
communication channels to allow access for all employees.
Disclosure/communication policies
and
practices,
and
company
procedures.
They
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Against Exploitation:
Child labor: BAT does not condone or employ child labor.
They seek to ensure that: The welfare, health and safety of children are paramount
at all times.
Practices undertaken by children for the development of
vocational skills (e.g. in agricultural employment) do not
conflict with or impede their educational development,
including school attendance.
The development of children, their communities and
countries is best served through education.
Forced labor: Bonded or involuntary labor is completely
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information
security
including
physical
records,
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4. ENTERPRISING SPIRIT
The confidence to seek out opportunities for success, to strive for
innovation and to accept the considered risk taking that comes with it.
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3.3.
Commitment
to
Good
Employment
Practices:
BATCs Employment Principles build on their commitment to good
employment practices and workplace related human rights. They set out a
common standard for their companies in developing policies and
procedures, while recognizing that each company must take account of
local labor law and practice and its local political, economic and culture
context.
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of
association
and
freedom
of
non-association.
They
acknowledge the right of employees to be represented by local companyrecognized Trades Unions, or other bona fide representatives, and for
these, where appropriate, to consult with the relevant company within
the framework of applicable law, regulations, the prevailing labor relations
and practices, and company procedures. They acknowledge the activities
of recognized worker representative bodies such as Trades Unions (where
such activities are practiced in accordance with national law) and they
ensure that they (workers) are able to carry out their representative
activities within agreed procedures.
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4. RECRUITMENT AT BATB
They see recruitment as part of their business strategy, ensuring that their
company is equipped with managers of the highest caliber who can build
their future. It is a long-term strategic exercise to continually improve the
quality of management, with a consistent focus on future requirements.
Year after year they select, train and develop some of the brightest and
most talented graduates. Their unique management development programThe Challenge Initiative-has been designed to train the very best people to
a global standard of excellence. Graduates are therefore not recruited to
fill a vacant slot but as management trainees, and are recruited over and
above the company's current manpower requirements. They will have
recently completed 4-year graduate level education and will be seeking a
first professional post. The company also invites talents to submit their
applications for positions other than management trainee or entry level.
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It has always been standard practice at Globe House, London, to check the
gender distribution of the annual pay award and to monitor gender
variance in terms of proximity to salary range mid-points. This is a
practice which is also encouraged globally. In 2002, they went a stage
further with a full equal pay review looking back over five years and
examining issues such as part-time pay and length of service. In 2002, the
first five management grades
(the last two most senior grades represent numbers too small for
meaningful analysis) showed pay differentials of between 1%-4%. These
differentials are in favor of male employees for the first four grades, but at
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the fifth grade the average salary is 3% higher for women than men. The
pay picture for part-time female employees is even more encouraging with
average salaries of women part-time workers being higher than male fulltime workers in the same grade. Pay determination processes are
structured to ensure maximum objectivity and equality. Annual pay
reviews are influenced by performance ratings against agreed annual
objectives, and the annual bonus is based on 50% Company performance
and 50% team performance with the bonus paid in full for women on
maternity leave.
In 2003 they continued examining the issue of equal pay between male
and female UK Headquarters employees. The overall picture indicates
once again that pay at headquarters has been managed equitably resulting
in minimal evidence of any gender-based discrepancies. In 2003 one of the
two most senior management grades were added into the study so that
altogether six management grades were analyzed. The review showed
differentials of 1%-8% between men and women pay. Apart from one
grade where the result was equal, these differences favored male
employees in three instances and females in two. This is an improvement
for female employees compared to pay review in 2002 (in 2002, female
employees were only favored in one grade). Besides there was a 10%
decrease in the pay difference favoring male managers over female
managers in one of the most senior grade. The analysis also showed that in
contrast to the marker trend, their part-time female employees do not
suffer from a pay disadvantage compared to full-time males.
On the improvement side, the analysis confirmed that female managers in
senior grades are significantly outnumbered by male managers. This issue
is potentially linked to the availability of part time working which was
also identified as an area of concern. The company took this review into
consideration and introduced formal flexible working policy.
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Globe House was awarded the title of Best National Office Fit-Out by
the British Council of Offices in 1999. Staffs have access to all-day free
drinks vending and a free three-course lunch. Takeaway or eat-in
sandwiches and soup are available as an alternative to a hot lunch and
there is a Starbucks coffee franchise at reduced prices. A full breakfast
service is available each morning at low cost. A weekly treat of cakes is
also delivered to each floor on Thursday afternoons. There is a large staff
coffee lounge which is used as a meeting space during the day, a coffee
lounge at lunchtimes, and a subsidized licensed bar on Thursday and
Friday evenings. If staff doesnt have the time to visit the shops at nearby
Covent Garden, there are bank cash and stamp points on site and a small
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full medicals (depending on age and grade), eye tests and subsidized
spectacles for computer use, medicals and inoculations for business
travelers, a variety of medical reference books available on loan, and
occasional alternative therapies such as reflexology and massage. Private
medical insurance is provided for all staff. For managers immediate family
is also covered, and for business support staff family cover can be
arranged at a reduced rate.
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For general peace of mind for employees and their families, BAT also
gives generous life assurance and personal accident insurance cover to
staff at all levels. The pension scheme is final salary, non-contributory,
offers excellent family pension benefits and was rated as among the most
generous in the UK by the 2003 Union Pension Services survey. Published
every three years, Pension Scheme Profiles 2003 covers the pension
benefits offered by 250 leading UK employers according to criteria
including death-in-service
benefits, the spouses pension and the rate of annual increase. Private
medical insurance is provided for all staff. For managers immediate family
is also covered, and for business support staff family cover can be
arranged at a reduced rate. Parental and compassionate leave provisions
are also available.
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While they are looking for ways to push the diversity issue up the
organizational agenda, the existing picture of female performance at BAT
is very positive. On a global scale, there is a higher proportion of women
than men with high-potential ratings and the data also tells them that
women are spending less time than men in each position which implies
that the female population are tracking more quickly through the
organization. They recognize and embrace the importance of having a
diverse workforce and the increased competitive advantage that diversity
can create. Therefore, consideration of diversity metrics and the messages
received from the global Viewpoint employee opinion survey are two
standard items on all CDM agendas. Organizational Development Heads
at Globe House are also looking at ways of stimulating further discussion
and action within the CDM framework; in the search for a more
progressive way forward there is an exercise currently taking place to
examine the data on under-represented senior management groups. From
2003, there will be specific attention paid within the CDM to the
development of women and minorities at the highest level.
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The relevant policies are accessible by all staff via Interact and this is
explained to staff as part of their induction. BATC has a team of
professional HR staff trained to give guidance to managers and staff in the
implementation and application of the policies.
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Corporate
Social
Responsibility,
Nominations
and
Remuneration
Committees.
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9. PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL AT
BATC
British American Tobacco Bangladesh is a company of great strengths especially in people. Significant investment in people development
through local and international training and embedding their corporate
values has fostered a culture that encourages global interaction of talent.
They expect their employees to make a meaningful and confident
contribution to the success of BAT and their own place within it. As such,
employees will be held accountable for their performance. They therefore
provide employees with clarity on their expectations of them and feedback
on their performance. The mechanisms for this will be determined as
appropriate at the local level. Where poor performance continues, despite
the prior provision of opportunities for improvement, BAT companies will
terminate the employment, applying the framework of applicable law and
company labor relations procedures.
high, while others mark low. When evaluators are positively lenient in
their appraisal, an individuals performance becomes overstated. In doing
so performance is rated higher than it actually should be. Similarly a
negative leniency error understates performance, giving the individual a
lower appraisal. Subjective assessment defeats the very purpose of
performance appraisal. Ratings are lenient for the following reasons:
Anyone under the rater jurisdiction who is rated unfavorably
reflects poorly on his or her own worthiness.
Anyone who has been rated unfavorably has been discharged from
the organization.
A derogatory rating is reveal to the rate to determine the relations
between rater and rate.
Rater rate leniently in order to win promotions for the subordinates
and, therefore, indirectly increase his or her hold over them.
Rater is projecting.
In order to gain approval for him and her (rater), he or she always
approves others.
Because there exists, in the culture, a response set to approve
rather than disapprove.
The Central Tendency Errors: This occurs because employees are
incorrectly rated near the average or middle of the scale. The attitude of
the rater is to play safe. This safe playing attitudes stems from certain
doubts and anxieties which the rater have while assessing the rate. Such
doubts and anxieties arise, becauseNot sufficiently knowing the man,
Relations with rate and his performance in the future,
Effects on the relationship among the rater and other subordinates,
Effects on the relations within the group or subordinates,
Pressures from peers, superiors and trade union,
Accuse of being partial,
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characteristics
at
BATC
is
initiative,
leadership,
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10. FINDINGS
After meeting with HR manager we intend some findings from the
analysis
From the analysis most of the employees are coming to BATC by
External and Internal source, so thus it can be said that BATC
prefers both factors in case of their recruitment. Internal and
external source includes people from the country and outside the
country.
The reason of internal recruiting is to increase productivity and
profit of the organization. As the employees are taken from the
organization so thus after completion of some training and other
development activities they are recruited to the organization.
Also the organization looks for the external recruitment, as the
company believes that most of the talents are situated outside, so
thus the organization goes for the external recruitment for their
daily needs of the employee. And the reason of external
recruitment is to gain expected productivity from the labor force,
also to compete with the competitor most competitively.
Training can develop any person, when a new employee comes to
the organization he might not know many aspect of the
organization as it is not expected to the organization that every
employee will know every thing, so as well other organizations
BATC also tries to focus on quality from the employees and to
improve them BATC has conducted in house training for its
employees. Hence the entire new pool of employees have to under
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of labor force from the country, so thus they will not face any
downsizing with in some year.
BATC likes take its employees from its external source and also
from its internal source but it can face its supply and demand by
taking action of sacking and hiring people form the organization.
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11. CONCLUSION
BATC is the world's most international tobacco group, with brands sold in
180 markets around the world. They make high quality tobacco products
for the diverse preferences of millions of consumers, span the business
from seed to smoke and are committed to embedding the principles of
corporate social responsibility Group-wide. British American Tobacco
Bangladesh (BATB) offers excellent compensation package and benefits
as per the company policy. A world class company demands nothing less
than a world class approach from its people. BATC management,
including their senior level, is committed to support their employees. They
provide advice in career developing matters, training issues and general
queries regarding their business. Women are advanced to enrich their
corporate culture and their reputation as Employer of Choice for Women.
They hold Career Development Meeting (CDM) and performance reviews
where employees goals and achievements are listed. Individuals who have
CDMs are critically evaluated against external benchmarks. They conduct
these as they strive to match the needs of the organization and individual
aspirations and encourage personal fulfillment, regardless of gender.
Based on their values and principles they developed an Equal
Opportunity Policy and various employment policies to assure diversity
within their company. The policies are documented and can be accessed
via the intranet. In support of women's advancement they also have in
place a maternity policy. Their disciplinary policy and sexual harassment
policy, for example, applies to all employees regardless of gender.
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Reference
1. Official website of BAT.
www.bat.com
2. www.researchandmarket.com
3. Articles from The Daily Star.
4. Articles from The Independent.
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