We are very pleased to announce that we have clinched three successive awards for our outstanding strategies and initiatives in human resources management. The honors are the “Best Companies to Work for in Asia 2018” title presented by the authoritative human resources magazine HR Asia; the Silver Award in the internationally renowned Astrid Awards 2018; and, for the third consecutive season, the title of Manpower Developer in the ERB Manpower Developer Award Scheme, presented by the Employees Retraining Board. These three accolades underscore our exceptional achievements in formulating appropriate strategies in human resources planning, staff engagement measures, as well as learning and development programs. The effective implementation of these initiatives has been the key to building a strong talent pool for us and reinforcing Hang Lung’s corporate branding as an “Employer of Choice”.

We currently hire more than 4,500 staff in Hong Kong and across eight Mainland cities. A comprehensive talent management strategy has been adopted to provide an excellent workplace with effective staff engagement measures to cater for the development needs of all staff.

For the second straight year, we have won the “Best Companies to Work for in Asia” title by HR Asia. Last year, the publication presented Center 66 in Wuxi and Riverside 66 in Tianjin with the title of “Best Companies to Work for in Asia 2017” on the Mainland.

To keep up with the market trends, we have employed creative programs and activities to build all aspects of an excellent workplace. By investing in training and development to nurture talents, we encourage continuous learning. Last year, Academy 66, our learning and development arm, launched the Academy 66+ campaign to share a variety of working tips with staff. Attractive cards setting out skillsets such as negotiation techniques, points to note in presentations, means of mediation and time management and so on were distributed to all staff. The Academy 66+ campaign won the Silver Award in the category of “Employee Publications: Magazines – Employees, Internal Only” in the Astrid Awards 2018 held by MerComm Inc. of the United States.

Suitable training and development programs are provided to staff in different roles and positions. We also subsidize staff members who enroll in related courses offered by external organizations and who participate in professional qualification examinations. In 2016, the online training platform was launched to provide courses in a variety of disciplines such as crisis management, cybersecurity, integrity, and more. All staff are able to learn at their own pace and at times they choose. In 2017, more than 86,000 hours of training were provided to all staff.

We firmly believe that recognition and praise are effective in enhancing work efficiency and boosting staff morale. We present Long-service Awards every year in recognition of loyal staff members who have served the Company for 10 years or more. In the past two years, some of the staff members have been honored for their 35 years of service, underlining the effectiveness of Hang Lung’s initiatives in retaining talents; We have launched the Emerald Award since 2014 with the goal of recognizing frontline staff members who have demonstrated extraordinary excellence in customer service. This is seen as essential in fostering our corporate culture of pursuing service excellence and also in strengthening staff’s sense of belonging to the Company; the Hang Lung Leading Edge Marketing Awards has been launched since 2015 in recognizing the marketing teams’ commitments in creativity, strategic planning, quality execution and tenant partnership as the Company places more emphasis on strategic marketing initiatives.

We are dedicated to providing an excellent and well-rounded experience for every staff member. On top of the competitive remuneration package, a variety of staff caring programs have also been set up to create a workplace that fosters work-life balance. Last year, we launched the Cheer for You campaign, with top management visiting properties and presenting small gifts to frontline staff. Colleagues were also encouraged to write thank-you cards to show their respect and appreciation to their peers. Since its launch in 2011, the Hang Lung Social Club has so far established a number of sports teams including the Dragon Boat, Football and Runners teams. In addition, a diverse program of activities has been arranged not only for staff members but also for their family members and friends to enjoy. To take care of the physical and mental health and wellbeing of staff, we have launched the Employee Wellness Program since 2014. The services offered include body checks, health talks, professional consultations with registered Chinese medicine practitioners, physiotherapists, yoga workshops and a counseling hotline. We also commit to a sustainable community by encouraging staff to serve those in need. Hang Lung As One Volunteer Teams have been set up to conduct in-depth and long-term voluntary services in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Shenyang, Jinan, Wuxi, Tianjin, Dalian, Kunming and Wuhan.