The people at Rabobank Group
Smarter working
The combination of a people-oriented culture resulting from cooperative roots,
the strong professionalisation since 2000 and the modernisation, in 2002, of the
organisational structure to include improved checks and balances have made
Rabobank Group into a better-balanced whole. The effects have been great,
both internally and externally. The people at Rabobank Group have grown in
their professional roles. Their focus on results and their entrepreneurship are
flourishing. Within Rabobank Group, everyone has the proud feeling that the
right strategy has been chosen. Rabobank Group is gaining market share in the
Netherlands, its international expansion is succeeding and its focus on
sustainability has struck the right chord in society. Nevertheless, ongoing
changes in Rabobank Group's environment call for even further
professionalisation on all fronts. This target is reflected in Rabobank's HRM
vision, 'People make the bank - even better'.
People make the bank - even better
Rabo Unplugged
www.rabobank.com - Rabobank Group staff numbers up 7% to 60,342
- Staff satisfaction remained high: 85%, compared with a benchmark of 73%
- Intermediair magazine: Rabobank preferred employer to the highly educated
- Management Team and FEM/Elsevier: Rabobank best employer in the financial sector
- Absenteeism 3.8%, slightly up from 2006
Markets and clients are constantly changing as a result of social trends such as digitisation,
ageing of the population and blurring of country borders, and Rabobank Group's approach
much change with them. It is only with talented, vigorous and constantly motivated people
that Rabobank Group can achieve its ambitions of market leadership in the Netherlands,
improved synergy between Group entities and growth in food agri and international retail
banking. Rabobank's HRM vision, 'People make the bank - even better', was refocused in 2007
and describes the development of the organisation's HRM management by reference to
three themes: Smarter working, Career and Diversity. Based on these umbrella themes,
Rabobank's HRM policy was defined further in 2007 and this will continue in a similar fashion
in the coming years.
In our 24-hour economy, international networks are gaining importance and individuals
increasingly desire independent roles. ICT offers many opportunities for new ways of
collaboration and fast information transfer. Employees tend to act more of their own accord
and to choose for themselves where and when they do their work. The line between the
working environment and the personal environment becomes blurred. This requires trust
and flexibility. Rabobank Nederland's new and flexible accommodation and labour concepts
are a response to this, as are its policies for performance management and terms of
employment.
Part of Smarter working is the Rabo Unplugged project, which is a new style of working for
Rabobank Nederland that coincides with the construction of its new corporate centre in
86
Rabobank Group Annual Report 2007