Integrated report 2020

The training rules are regulated internally, while results of an employee’s periodic evaluation are crucial. They are the starting point for setting individual development goals, based on which the Development and Training Department plans training activities.

activities. Developmental activities are carried out according to the 70:20:10 model, where 70% is a development through practical implementation of tasks, 20% is support from others (e.g. superior, coaching, mentoring, etc.), 10% is training.

While speaking about training activities, it must be noted that some trainers are the company’s employees (internal trainers). They are people who deal every day with the issues within the scope of which they conduct training. Thanks to this, the training offer corresponds not only to development needs, but above all it perfectly matches the specific nature of the company's operations, and additionally builds and promotes a culture of knowledge sharing in Budimex.

The most important development programmes include:

• “Young Engineer Academy”, which is addressed to newly employed engineer trainees and construction engineers. It is aimed at their smooth implementation into the organisation. The programme also standardises key competences required from engineers and allows them to operate more effectively in accordance with the rules applicable in Budimex. It is carried out in three thematic blocks: personal effectiveness, professional effectiveness and construction site safety.
• “Engineer Academy” is a series of training courses conducted by internal experts in a given field, implemented in the organisation for the staff employed under contract. Their participants can expand and update their technical knowledge and exchange good practices with other participants. Some topics are carried out in a classic form (work in common office space) but there are also subjects that are largely taught on the construction site. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, trainings at Engineer's Academy were conducted remotely in 2020.
• “Contract Manager Academy” supports newly appointed Contract Managers and people in preparation for promotion to this position in the acquisition of substantive competences and practical skills in connection with contract management. It enables them to consolidate and expand their knowledge. The programme is divided into three stages: internal workshops deepening substantive knowledge, external workshops focusing on development of soft competences, and individual support of participants as needed.

A significant aspect of the training activities are special programmes supporting the professional development of women, which are supported by the project: “Guaranteed Success”, whose aim is to increase the number of women-managers in construction, as well as to support them in the development of leadership and soft skills. Women who qualify for the programme participate in an annual cycle of workshops and meetings. Appropriate breaks are planned between all meetings so that each project participant can implement the knowledge gained during the training in their daily work.

Programmes aimed at developing leadership skills are also very important:

• “Super Leader” programme is aimed at developing leadership competencies among senior managers through strengthening the skills of strategy communication, development of subordinate teams and involvement of employees to achieve common goals. It consists of three modules, each of which presents a different leadership style (leadership styles selected after diagnosis). Within them, participants will improve their skills during workshops, take part in coaching sessions and perform a number of implementation tasks. Each participant also receives a set of materials to work on the development of the particular leadership style.
• “Managerial Stairs”, i.e. the path of developing managerial skills from the beginner manager to the top management, taking into account the level of position held, previous experience and competences necessary for effective management at particular career levels. The programme consists of four stages which gradually expand the knowledge already held by the participant.
• “Manager’s Toolbox” is a series of obligatory training sessions addressed to employees in the production area. Their participants develop their skills to evaluate tasks and provide feedback, learn about employee development planning, practise presentations before the camera and conduct effective business meetings, and deepen their knowledge in the field of labour law. The training programme depends on the scope and type of responsibilities of the participants and their place in the organisation.

The Budimex Group implements also programmes related to the development of interpersonal skills:

• “Communication Path” is divided into several main stages (effective communication, business presentations, persuasion and influencing, building authority, building relations within the organisation and with external clients, coping with conflict and claims), which take into account subsequent advancement levels of acquired skills and knowledge. Each stage contains several proposals for training topics, thus allowing for comprehensive development tailored to the individual needs.
• “Negotiation Path” is a programme for the development of negotiation competencies designed to systematically expand the knowledge acquired by the participants, to teach the use of increasingly advanced tools and to test newly acquired skills in safe conditions. The negotiation path consists of three stages: "Basics of Negotiations," "Negotiation Tools" and "Expert Negotiator" (at this stage the participant has the opportunity to face a sparring partner). The training focuses on the best business practices and the attitude to building long-term relations with external partners, as well as strengthening the image of Budimex as a reliable business partner.
• “Individual Extended DISC Analysis” is a test which enables getting to know one’s natural potential, predispositions and talents. This is a self-reflection tool – the employee self evaluates how they behave in a particular situation. The main areas of analysis include behaviours and communication styles manifested in the professional area. Following the test, the employee participates in the webinar to become familiar with the Extended DISC model, to communicate the characteristics of the four main styles and prepare to work on their own with individual reports. Then they may continue the development of social competencies included in the Communication Path training. Fourteen such webinars for nearly 300 people were carried out in 2020.
• “Feedback Culture” is a project aimed at strengthening openness and trust in cooperation by promoting the idea of feedback in the organisation. It involves various forms of expanding knowledge and skills, such as online workshops in the form of training and inspiring activities. The training is divided into three stages: two workshop sessions, 3.5 hours each, and one session lasting 2 hours – behavioural training with an actor. Additionally, the “knowledge pills” are used in the form of one-pagers, leaflets and short educational films posted on the Intranet, as well as webinars.
• “Stay Strong” is training of strength and psychological resistance in the form of webinars with the participation of experts. They are aimed at encouraging employees to take care of their mental well-being and equipping them with practical skills of building mental resilience for situations of increased stress (mainly related to the COVID-19 pandemic). During meetings with experts in the online formula, issues such as ways of increasing their vital energy and mental well-being, methods of regeneration in situations of overload and maintaining mental resilience are discussed, such as time management that allows for maintaining work-life balance, e.g. during remote work. More than 300 employees participated in the webinars in 2020.

Employees can participate in individual English courses co-funded by Budimex. The offer is addressed to those who actively use the English language in their everyday work. Employees have access to the eTutor English learning platform, which offers English lessons at levels from A1 to C2. The platform uses unique solutions and features such as: multimedia exercises, innovative system of revisions, artificial intelligence for pronunciation, an algorithm verifying the correctness of written tasks, language games and embedded DIKI dictionary. Each participant may additionally invite one relative to learn free of charge.

Specialist courses are also conducted as part of the training catalogue: The analysis of accidents and near misses that took place in Budimex projects led to the identification of areas that require urgent supplementation of knowledge. One of them was the rules of safe vertical transport. From October 2019 to March 2020 over 800 people were trained in that respect (blue-collar workers and technical supervision staff), with particular emphasis on separating the functions of rigger and signalman, as well as communication between the crane operators and the signalman. The training was divided into theoretical and practical parts.

The company also conducted specialist trainings, the specificity of which resulted from the characteristics of its activities. Examples include training addressed to employees of the Railway Construction Department entitled “Railway Traffic Control" or "Training for Employees Supervising Works on Railway Contracts," which include the discussion of rules and procedures for safe execution of works on railway contracts, including works on active railway tracks.

The performance of works on contracts is closely connected with waste management. Therefore, Budimex organised a series of training sessions in 2020 “Waste management in the construction industry”, in which 192 people participated. They became familiar with the current legal requirements for construction waste to be met by general contractors. The participants also received a script with answers to questions related to the interpretation of regulations, prepared on the basis of specific situations which the company was dealing with during the performed contracts.