RB realizes that well structured and significant employee T&D (training & development) programs correlate strongly with long term success.
The RB HR department recently organized a training session for its management trainees from Africa Middle East region in Dubai. It was a four day session and the training program was planned as following:

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• Time management session:
  We learnt about modern tools for managing time efficiently.
• Presentation skills training:
  We were taught how to improve our skills in structuring and preparing presentations that will meet our audience’s needs. Also we were taught how to improve our ability to deliver an effective presentation.
• Market research session:
  We were told about various formats and processes in RB for initiating or completing research. And we were exposed to most frequently used tools/methodologies in RB i.e. Qualitative focus groups, product test (formulation changes), BASES (new product development), Link testing (copy).
• Budget management session:
  Our finance capabilities were polished. This session enabled our ability to develop financially sound commercial/business propositions and implement plans which would maximise investments while managing funds effectively to meet or exceed targets.

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The best part of the training was the diversity of the group which opened new vistas to our thinking.
It was a truly multi cultural environment. People from 6 different countries gathered in Dubai for the training.

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The trainer, Michaela Murning, was Marketing Director – RB South Africa based in Johannesburg for 2.5 years and before that she was Global Category Marketing Manager based in Slough for 5 years.
She brought her 14 years of working experience with RB on the table which made every part of training relevant to us.
During the sessions we were given business cases to solve and I realized the value of diversity while solving cases. I realized that creativity increases when people with different ways of solving difficult problems work together towards a common solution.
This is a tremendous advantage of diversity. No doubt the training has imparted precious knowledge to all of us.

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Apart from the training we spent quality time with each other. Our colleagues in Dubai took us to dinner at Kaleidoscope (one of the great restaurants) in Palm Jumeirah. Like our group the food in restaurant was multi cultural, too. There was Chinese, Japanese, Lebanese, English, Pakistani, Italian and Thai food.

We enjoyed the food there and after that we had an informal gathering in which we talked about movies, fashion, cultures, hobbies and many more things. It was a great team building experience. International trainings not only polish our skills but expose us to diversity of views.

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It was a great initiative by RB HR and such training sessions should be conducted more often because in nearly every survey, training ranks in the top three benefits that employees want from their employers and they search for firms that will give them the tools to advance in their professions.
Fortune magazine noted that extensive and ongoing training and development is second only to stock options as a primary means of attracting and retaining talented workers.

It is clear that T&D is not merely a nice thing to provide – it is a strategic resource; one that firms must tap to energize their organizations in 21st century.

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Have I aroused your interest about the graduate programmes in our Africa Middle East region?
Programmes in the different countries have different timelines but most begin around June/July. Most of the graduates we take on are for programmes in sales and marketing, but there are also supply chain programmes in Pakistan and UAE.

Visit www.reckittbenckiser.jobs for regular updates on open positions. Good Luck!

Once upon a time a very strong woodcutter asks for a job in a timber merchant, and he got it.
The pay was really good and so were the work conditions. For that reason, the woodcutter was determined to do his best.
His boss gave him an axe and showed him the area where he was supposed to work.
The first day, the woodcutter brought 18 trees.
“Congratulations,” the boss said. “Go on that way!”
Very motivated for the boss? The woodcutter tried harder the next day, but he only brought 15 trees. The third day he tried even harder, but he only could bring 10 trees. Day after day he was bringing less and less trees.
“I must be losing my strength”, the woodcutter thought. He went to the boss and apologized, saying that he could not understand what was going on.
“When was the last time you sharpened your axe?” the boss asked.
“Sharpen? I had no time to sharpen my axe. I have been very busy trying to cut trees…”
Stephen Covey (Source: 7 Habits of Highly Effective People)

RB realizes that its employees need to sharpen their axes in order to live its core values  - (team spirit, entrepreneurship, ownership and achievement).
RB conducts training and development sessions to improve employee competency (sharpen their axe’s) and organizational performance. Such sessions have the potential to align RB employees with corporate strategies. Fortune magazine noted that extensive and ongoing training and development is second only to stock options as a primary means of attracting and retaining talented workers. That is why RB gives its employees training depending on business need.

Let me tell you about our recent training.  At the training session we gathered to sharpen our axes (i.e to remind ourselves the importance of these core values).
We had a full day training session; participants of the sessions were middle and higher management.
Indoor and outdoor activities were designed in which employees understood the importance of our core values. We were divided in to 5 teams and given different tasks to perform.
Let me give you an example of one activity in which we were given newspapers, magazine, scissor and tape.
All the teams were asked to be as creative as possible and make a dress with the material provided within 10 minutes.
Now this activity seems fun but also had an important lesson with it i.e how to perform as a team with scarce resources and limited time.
This activity reminded us of  core value team spirit. Similarly other activities reinforced our belief in our other core values.

The training activity was based on the notion of learning with fun: And there is no doubt this training session has sharpened my axe!

It has been almost a year with RB and I was wondering why I am so passionate about my work and satisfied with my job. After a careful analysis of my Job Characteristics I found the reason.

Let me explain this in more detail to you with the help of a model known as
Job Characteristics Model.

Two researchers Hackman & Oldham proposed the Job Characteristics Model, which is widely used as a framework to study how particular job characteristics impact on job outcomes, including job satisfaction. The model states that there are five core job characteristics (skill variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy, and feedback) which impact three critical psychological states (experienced meaningfulness, experienced responsibility for outcomes, and knowledge of the actual results), in turn influencing work outcomes (job satisfaction, absenteeism, work motivation, etc

Skill Variety

The degree to which a job requires a variety of different activities (how many different skills are used in a given day, week, month?). My job of  Area sales manager requires skill varaiety that includes management skills, sales and marketing skills, negotiation skills and many more to run a whole distribution chain.

Task Identity

The degree to which the job requires completion of a whole and identifiable piece of work (from beginning to end). As an area sales manager I am responsible for sales target of Karachi city.   I have to plan, organize, lead and control my team accordingly to have a task identity of my own.

Task Significance

The degree to which the job has a substantial impact on the lives or work of other people. I am leading a team of almost 50 people; alot of my time is spent planning for the sales target, deciding compensation for my sales men, putting right people in right place that is why my job has a high task significance.

Autonomy

The degree to which the job provides substantial freedom and discretion to the individual in scheduling the work and in determining the procedures to be used in carrying it out. As an area sales manager I am given a goal/target and its up to me how i reach to that goal. Autonomy is one of the blessings of this job, my ideas are not only heard but I am implementing them myself!

Feedback

The degree to which carrying out the work activities required by a job results in the individual obtaining direct and clear information about the effectiveness of his or her performance. I am given feedback from my line (manager who is Regional Sales Manager), Sales director and General Manager RB Pakistan. Because being in sales is like being a soccer player in the field who’s performance is being watched by millions of people around the world.

The Result

The model states that Jobs with skill variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy, and for which feedback of results is given, directly affect three psychological states of employees:

1. Knowledge of results

2. Meaningfulness of work

3. Personal feelings of responsibility for results

Increases in these psychological states result in increased motivation, performance, passion and job satisfaction. This is the reason why I am so passionate about my work and satisfied with my job!!

For real job satisfaction you need to know where and in which function you want to work. The RB career website might help you to make up your mind: www.reckittbenckiser.jobs

If you think about successfully building your career then visibility is one of the most important things. If one’s performance is visible to higher management levels then chances for the next step on your job ladder are high.

One of the best things about RB is that RB employees get ultimate visibility. When I was management trainee, the GM of RB Pakistan and directors of various functions knew not only my name but also they knew what projects I was working on.

The reason is that RB is a lean organization with an almost flat hierarchy. Employees are directly involved in the decision making process, rather than closely supervised by many layers of management. This eliminates bureaucracy in an organization and empowers people.

The top management is closer to the middle management which makes it easier for the upper management to communicate effectively to the lower level management. Flat hierarchy organizations like RB in comparison to tall structures are more effective in terms of innovation and empowerment. That is why RB won The Economist’s Innovation Award in the category of Corporate use of Innovation.

Our view is not limited to our country only, we get visibility on a global level. As management trainees we had training sessions with our regional HR director, SVP Global Corporate Communication & Affairs and our Regional Director. These kinds of sessions teach us to think global and act local; top management shares their views regarding RB global. We get to know the future plans, share best practise and have business updates with other regions.

With great empowerment and visibility comes great responsibility, everyone in RB knows every other person’s performance so one has to put his/her best forward. RB no doubt is a place for people who are achievers and performers.

Do you want to work in an environment where you have visibility to top management already in an early stage in your career? Do you want responsibility and are an achiever and high performer? Than RB might be the right place for you – find out more in the ‘Are we right for you?’ section on our website: www.reckittbenckiser.jobs

Being a Management Trainee at RB has been as exciting as a roller coaster ride!
I have worked on live projects in marketing, sales and trade marketing. And I have now completed my management trainee tenure and have been posted as Area Sales Manager of Karachi; one of the biggest cities in RB Pakistan.

For me it’s time for real action in a live role of Area Sales Manager. The stakes are high and so is my motivation level.
The management trainee program has equipped me to deal with all kinds of challenges that sales and marketing throw up. This is the beauty of the RB management trainee program – we get training in every function of the organisation which helps us to polish our marketing and sales skills.

It’s safe to say I am thoroughly enjoying my job.
It’s a managerial/ leadership position. And people management is one of the major components of my job. Apart from that I have to manage all operations at the distribution end.
Talk about empowerment and real action at RB. I am ready to rumble!

By the way:  until March 3 you can apply for the RB Graduate Program in Pakistan – job number KAR00E.

Good Luck!