We strive to recognize the contributions our people make to our success and, in turn, work to help employees develop to their full potential. That’s how we are making Syncrude a workplace leader, as well as a great place to work.
Syncrude Workforce Plan 
Syncrude takes a long-term view to workforce planning and is an industry leader in creating and supporting strategic education and training programs at the secondary and postsecondary levels. These efforts ensure that skilled workers are available to support future growth at Syncrude and elsewhere in the oil sands industry. This work also is providing significant career opportunity to local area residents, who comprise a large majority of our new hires. Our workforce development initiatives include:
- Career Prep, which provides work experience internships for students in grade 11 and 12, as well as educators;
- the Co-op Apprenticeship Program, which has since been adopted by the Alberta Department of Education;
- the Registered Apprenticeship Program, which also has been adopted by Alberta Education and implemented across the province;
- new programs offered through community colleges. These include a mechanical and construction trades program for Aboriginal students at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology; and several programs at Keyano College in Fort McMurray; and
- summer work experience programs for college and university students, which typically involve more than 400 students per year.
Employee Compensation and Rewards
Syncrude annually reviews its employee compensation and benefits plan to ensure ongoing competitiveness. Salaries and benefits paid to our non-union workforce consistently affirm Syncrude as one of the top employers among our industry peers. Eligible employees also participate in a variable compensation program which financially rewards them for meeting key performance objectives.
Diversity Leadership Award
In February, Syncrude received the Diversity Leadership Award from the Alberta Chambers of Commerce at the annual Alberta Business Awards of Distinction. The award recognizes Syncrude’s success in welcoming people from all kinds of backgrounds into our workplace through policies and programs aimed at preventing discrimination and promoting respectful treatment of all employees.
Also see Human Resources Scorecard.
Treatment of Employees
Syncrude stewards to a Treatment of Employees policy that requires that all employees be treated with care, honesty and respect, and that the dignity and worth of every individual is upheld. Acts of discrimination or harassment are clearly defined and employees are required to address and/or report any such incidents they may observe or become aware of. We investigate all concerns that come forward and have been successful in reducing the number of formal investigations by training leaders to recognize situations that negatively impact the work environment and encouraging them to take proactive steps to resolve them. Leaders also may access professional mediation and other resources as part of their intervention. Leaders are accountable for creating and maintaining a work environment that supports our Vision, Values and Guiding Principles.
Taking Action on Employee Feedback
A survey of Syncrude employees conducted in early 2004 shows that nearly three-quarters of employees have a high level of satisfaction with Syncrude, an improvement of 22 per cent over a similar survey conducted in 2001. Employees viewed work processes and efficiency, pay and benefits, safety, and overall employee commitment as among Syncrude’s key strengths. Syncrude employees responded far more positively than employees of other organizations in all of these areas.1
Action is now being taken on concern areas such as performance management and hiring, selection and promotion practices. Issues raised at the 2004 Employee Forums also are being addressed. Progress reports posted on Syncrude’s internal web site are keeping employees up-to-date on issue resolution. Issues specific to individual departments are being addressed at that level. Departments are stewarding to their actions by integrating them into their annual goals and objectives.
Ethics Reporting Procedures Enhanced
As part of our ongoing efforts to ensure the highest standards of ethical conduct and ethics reporting integrity, Syncrude has added new ways for employees to report ethics concerns. Employees can now access a toll-free ethics telephone hotline and can send anonymous messages via mail and electronic mail in addition to other established processes. Syncrude’s Corporate Ethics and Conflict of Interest policies and application guidelines have been amended to reflect the new procedures. As well, department managers are now making ethics declarations on behalf of their entire areas of responsibility; employees are obliged to declare any concerns regarding potential or actual breach of corporate conduct policies to their manager. All Syncrude employees receive direction on Syncrude’s corporate ethics policy every three years. During 2004, more than 80 employees proactively sought advice regarding ethics matters.
Actions taken by Syncrude in response to stakeholder concerns raised during our stakeholder engagement processes are noted throughout this report; these actions are indicated by the symbol.