Síldarvinnslan hf: People Policy
Síldarvinnslan is a technologically advanced fishing and processing business. Such an organisation is highly dependent upon the knowledge, skills and performance of its employees. Hence, it is very important for Síldarvinnslan to employ a group of skilled and engaged people at all times. To facilitate this we intend to offer an engaging, safe and friendly work environment. We want our people to enjoy:
- a workplace where managers and employees work together to constantly improve safety, well-being and business results
- secure jobs and attractive compensation
- a work environment where people are encouraged to do their best and constantly improve their knowledge and skills
- flexibility and work-life balance, to the greatest extent possible
- good communication, consultation and respect
- equal opportunity for compensation and career development
We intend to work toward this by focusing on the following:
Continuous improvement, safety and health
- We believe all accidents and injuries to be unacceptable, unnecessary and preventable with the right methods. We intend to focus on preventing work at Síldarvinnslan from having any negative impact to the health of our employees
- We intend to utilize the knowledge of our employees to identify and seize opportunities for improving our operations, especially with regards to employee safety and the quality of our products
- We constantly analyse, minimize and eliminate risks in the work environment
- To ensure safety is prioritized, we have active safety committees in all of our workplaces. The safety committees should meet at least every quarter to discuss safety incidents, improvement work and prioritization. Appointed safety representatives and managers in each workplace are responsible for safety progress. Síldarvinnslan’s safety council and the safety manager have overall responsibility for safety and provide support and discipline
- A special emphasis will be put on ensuring the safety of new employees who should receive proper training in safe work practices before being allowed to operate independently
- We offer regular health check-ups to our employees and subsidise various costs related to improving health and fitness
- Intoxication at work is strictly forbidden and is considered a serious safety violation. Employees who suffer from addiction can receive support for rehabilitation. Employees who are addicted to tobacco can also receive support in their efforts to quit
Job security and compensation
- We strive to ensure the job security and competitive compensation of our employees to the greatest extent possible. The fishing industry, by nature, is always subject to uncertainty, but in light of its strong position, Síldarvinnslan has been able to offer its employees secure jobs and a good annual income
- We aim to compensate our employees well for fair amount of work and good performance
- All discrimination, for example on the grounds of gender, origin, sexual preferences or other personal differences, is forbidden. Decisions about hiring, compensation or promotions must be based on the competence requirements of the position, the skills and experience of the employee, or collective bargaining agreements when appropriate
- Síldarvinnslan strives for gender equality, both with regards to compensation and opportunities for advancement within the company. Síldarvinnslan will go through a regular external equal-pay audit to avoid any gender based discrepancies in compensation
Motivation, development and training
· Managers at Síldarvinnslan are expected to provide their employees with clear performance expectations. They should then monitor and evaluate performance and provide constructive feedback. This ensures improved performance and the maximum use of talents. Performance expectations evolve according to the talent, performance and interest of each employee
· The talents of employees should be utilized as well as possible and employees should as much as possible be given appropriate responsibilities. We aim at giving good employees opportunities for advancement within the company
· Employee needs for training and development will be analysed periodically and training plans are put in place to meet those needs
Flexibility and balance
· We try to keep working hours and down time as predictable as possible and communicate any changes as soon as possible
· If an employee’s abilities to perform in their current role for some reason, relocation within the organisation is considered and offered if possible
· Employees should be given leave when the wish, unless the operation can’t spare them. Special consideration shall be given when time off is needed because of an illness in the family or if other pressing personal reasons arise
· Retirement from Síldarvinnslan is flexible. At the age of 67, the employee should sit down with the personnel manager to discuss retirement. The timing of retirement should depend on the nature of the job, performance, interest and health of the employee. If there are no health concerns and there is mutual interest, employment can be extended to the age of 70
· A discussion of retirement should start at the age of 62. At that time the employee’s ability to continue performing the same role until retirement age is evaluated. It is well established that some jobs get more difficult with age, such as shift work and working at sea. If the employee wishes to decrease his work contribution or is unable to continue in the same position for health reasons, efforts will be made to offer a new role within the company
Communication and consultation
· Síldarvinnslan strives to share current information about the business with its employees as much as possible. The company website always communicates the latest news about the organisation
· An employee meeting is held every quarter in all Síldarvinnslan workplaces. The managers of each location are responsible for ensuring that the meetings take place. The meetings should include a discussion of safety and improvement projects, general outlook in fishing and processing and all relevant planned changes in the business. The meetings should include time for questions, answers and discussions
· When changes or decisions that will affect employees are being planned, employees should be informed as soon as possible. They should be given an opportunity to comment and ask questions
· Managers and employees should treat each other with respect and curtesy. No form of bullying or harassment will be tolerated
This policy is not exhaustive. Various other policies are in place regarding the execution of different parts of this policy as well as various rules and explanations of roles and responsibilities. Also, Síldarvinnslan complies with various collective bargaining agreements and laws, which it naturally strives to fully comply with. Further information can be found on our website
Motivation, development and training
· Managers at Síldarvinnslan are expected to provide their employees with clear performance expectations. They should then monitor and evaluate performance and provide constructive feedback. This ensures improved performance and the maximum use of talents. Performance expectations evolve according to the talent, performance and interest of each employee
· The talents of employees should be utilized as well as possible and employees should as much as possible be given appropriate responsibilities. We aim at giving good employees opportunities for advancement within the company
Employee needs for training and development will be analysed periodically and training plans are put in place to meet those needs
