Personnel development system, available across LUKOIL Group's companies, was introduced to decrease employment risks, improve labor performance, safety and quality.
Implementation of advanced personnel training and performance appraisal techniques, development of corporate and target training plans, distant learning and cooperation with higher education institutions are the key areas that LUKOIL's personnel training system addresses.
Over 50% of LUKOIL Group's personnel upgrade their skills annually, undergoing different trainings and participating in various workshops and seminars.
The Company's personnel training policy serves largely as a tool to develop and use available corporate resources that can be used to teach technologies and skills, wanted today, or that will be wanted in future.
An integral part of human capital management policy, personnel training system, available across LUKOIL Group companies, undergoes continuous improvements, as required by the Company's development strategy and in response to the changing labor market and legislations of countries where LUKOIL operates.
Job descriptions, employee performance evaluations, and individual training plans determine the need for professional development. A supervisor may recommend or assign an employee to complete a specific training program depending on the need for skills that have to be improved to fulfill the tasks at hand. Employees are encouraged to be proactive and submit a training request to their supervisor. After approval under established procedures, the request is incorporated into the Personnel Training Plan. The effectiveness of every completed training is evaluated during the year-end employee performance assessment.
Orientation is a way to introduce the Company's corporate culture to newcomers, acquaint them with corporate standards and rules, behavior norms, professional requirements, skills and techniques of their efficient application on their positions.
Orientation is a continuous process that facilitates corporate adaptation, social, psychological and professional adaptation.
One of key elements of adaptation, mentoring means individual training by more experienced and competent colleagues. Mentoring helps develop real professional competences, required for further personal development and career growth. Mentoring is also used to raise personal or project team performance and to communicate un-formalized knowledge within the Company.
All newcomers, including recent graduates, participate in LUKOIL Group's mentoring program.
Spanning a period of three months to one year, mentoring implies a series of activities, whose duration and amount is defined by a LUKOIL Group company at its discretion. Mentoring is regulated by Orientation and Mentoring Provisions as well as corporate rules of LUKOIL Group companies.
To be suited for the mentor position, an employee shall:
- have competences of expert level that implies a systemic vision of responsibilities and the scope of work a unit performs;
- demonstrate excellent communications skills, be capable of getting along with colleagues and build vertical and horizontal ties;
- demonstrate good administration skills;
- be loyal to the Company and share its corporate values.
Following the adoption of Federal Law No. 238-FZ On Independent Competence Appraisal, dated July 3, 2016, the President of LUKOIL resolved to establish the Competence Appraisal Center, same year. The Center was certified for independent appraisal by the Oil and Gas Professional Competences Council in 2017.
Independent appraisal of skills is delivered for key professions and positions. Professional exams are administered by qualified experts who verify the professional level of employees or identify gaps in their knowledge, skills, and capabilities, including HSE awareness.
The results of these exams are used to develop individual recommendations that form the basis of target training modules.
Special training grounds, deployed in regions, allow a practice-oriented approach to the training of personnel. Employees of producing, refining and marketing units (field operators, process unit operators, commercial oil operators, oil and gas chemical treatment workers, refinery maintenance and repair workers, field geologists) have to through an independent appraisal process.
As the Basic Approaches to Implementation of Proficiency Standards across LUKOIL and LUKOIL Group Companies were defined and approved by the Professional Competences Development Corporate Working Group in 2019, the Competence Appraisal Center started to market its expert review, technological consulting services and standard implementation techniques to LUKOIL Group's companies in Russia.
In Russia, personnel training sessions are held at least once every three years for all target groups and personnel categories considering their specialization, work experience, and role in the Company's development. Types of training include mandatory and corporate training, trades, programs for project teams, and involving internal trainers and mentors.
To improve competences of common laborers, the Company, supported by state authorities, has commissioned multipurpose training centers to upgrade proficiency of oil and gas production workers in the cities of Kogalym, Ukhta, Usinsk and Chernushka, since 2013.
LUKOIL Group has developed a strong personnel training platform of distant learning that provides access to over fifty companies of LUKOIL Group and has around ninety thousand registered users, who have access to over 250 training courses.
The Center's comprehensive facilities provide excellent opportunities for HSE and fire protection response training, pre-certification and certification of managers and experts.
Employees, free to choose convenient schedule of distant learning, may use personal computers and mobile devices to take training courses.
The Company has accumulated a profound experience in secondments to major global energy companies that provided unique opportunities to LUKOIL's experts to adopt best practice and improve skills, crucial for the industry, as well to use them in day-to-day operations. The Company has also made corporate secondments a common practice. This enables employees involved in similar operations in different locations to apply best available techniques and tools at their jobs.
With advanced IT technologies at hand, the Company actively uses and develops its Corporate Knowledge Management System, designed to facilitate the exchange of professional experience both by employees and LUKOIL Group's companies. LUKOIL's Corporate Knowledge Management System spans geological exploration, production, refining and petrochemistry, power generation, petroleum products supplies, personnel management, organizational development, economics and planning, taxation, accounting and finances. The Company's achievements were recognized with a prestigious global МАКЕ (European Most Admired Knowledge Enterprises) award.
The Company has created and constantly updates its management reserve, which consists of the most experienced and promising employees. All employees have equal opportunities to be included in the management reserve, provided that they systematically perform their professional duties at the appropriate level. Individual development plans are approved for each employee included in the personnel reserve, aimed at developing the required competencies.
To form the management reserve, the Company performs succession planning of the managerial level, which includes the following:
identification of the qualities, characteristics and competencies of future leaders based on the strategic needs of the business;
search for employees with high leadership potential, and their comprehensive assessment;
development of individual programs for them, including structured training, internships, rotations, assignments to special projects, and assignment of a mentor from among senior executives (top managers).
LUKOIL's Corporate Training Center in the city of Astrakhan is the first Russian education institution to foster personnel for oil and gas production companies, qualified for onshore and offshore projects. The center trains personnel for LUKOIL Group companies and third parties. The center offers training modules, developed up to the latest Russian and global standards. New skills are practiced at innovative training simulators that are unequalled in Russia.
