Human Capital Development

Opportunities and challenges

KEX is a people-driven organisation. We do business to support the better life quality of people. Therefore, human resource strategy and investment are one of our priorities that is deeply intertwined with the organisation level and industry-level metrics. According to our studies of employee expectations by means of the sampling method, training and development opportunities are the key concerns for employees, especially the new generations considering not only reasonable compensation. Amid the rapid business transformation and growth where the competition in the express delivery market is becoming fiercer every day, the critical trait of the No.1 service provider is to be an agile organisation supported by a resilient team with high capabilities to adapt to potential challenges.

Management strategies and approaches

KEX is committed to employee development. We implement human resource management plans carried out by our People Development team and the people development programme called Kerry University. The people development plans consist of leadership development, core training, functional skill development, and management skill development for directors and senior management. The KPIs for success are measured by monetary and non-monetary metrics such as the percentage of vacant positions filled by internal candidates.

KEX's training model focuses on digital learning on the Kerry Guru system and on-site training for trainers (Train the Trainer) to reach employees in different regions across the country and support the remote working measures. Last year, we achieved a tremendous success in the model. The average number of training hours for employees is on an upward trend, with personnel of every group participating, unlike previous training sessions in on-site classrooms, which are an available option only to some personnel groups due to travel limitations. Moreover, the employed trainers, who formerly led these sessions, have been rotated to carry out more advanced tasks, as the training curriculum was already developed and integrated into the Kerry Guru system.

For the succession plan, we start from identifying key positions and senior management positions and integrating the career development plan in accordance with the line-up positions, including both direct or cross-functional career growth. KPIs for these initiatives are evaluated every six months. We consider qualified candidates within the Company as well as external experts.

Talent Attraction and Retention

Opportunities and challenges

Attracting and retaining talented personnel to drive the organisation forward is a tool that helps enhance long-term competitiveness, especially when the business and competitions in the market become more challenging. Building a good brand image and reinforcing a positive workplace to make employees feel proud to work and advocate for KEX is no longer an afterthought. These values are built on a strong corporate culture that opens up opportunities for every employee to be creative and take part in the organisation’s success, makes the employees feel valued and return the value to the organisation, provides growth in a career path, gives reasonable compensation, and builds a widely-accepted brand image.

Management strategies and approaches

Equal opportunities

Since the start of our operation, KEX has been welcoming millennials and new generations to join our team. This is demonstrated by the average employee age of 30 years and the implementation of the work performance evaluation in line with our fair compensation and benefits policy.

Building a strong corporate culture and promoting talent with ethics

In creating a good corporate culture, KEX has established corporate values called HI STEP, promoted via the HI STEP THE HERO campaign to honour employees who can reflect the corporate culture and put them into practice by publicly praising them and giving the HI STEP The Idol award to employees who are the role models in social contribution and adherence to the corporate values.

Additionally, the Most Valued People Awards (MVP Awards) are annually granted to employees who give value or show their commitment to building value for the organisation while reflecting its culture in each aspect. The supervisors of each department select qualified employees and nominate them to the top management for final consideration.

KEX also encourages all personnel to be aware of their personal rights, the rights of others, and equality in terms of gender, age, race, and origin. We also implement the human rights policies, including the non-discrimination policy, the anti-child labour and anti-forced labour policy, the gender equality policy, and other measures such as appropriate work assignment for pregnant employees, paternity leave, strict guidelines on the maximum parcel weight limits for female and male employees according to their physical limitations, and labour-saving tools, such as forklifts. We have consistently communicated with all employees about these policies and measures and integrated them into the orientation, the annual training, and the annual evaluation that both new and current employees must participate in.

In 2021, KEX expanded its practice to include the employees of its shipping company partners (sub-contractors) through the Supplier Code of Conduct, procurement regulations, and business contracts. Since then, the procurement department has prepared the plan to communicate with and spot-check our critical business partners yearly.

Outlining special development plans for the Talent group

KEX has developed a set of qualifications and positions for employees considered Talent by mapping out a special talent development plan, career plan, performance indicators (KPIs), and compensation structure. These are designed specifically for the Talents to attract and retain these employees within the organisation hence they are different from those of other employees.

Due to the implementation of the plans regarding personnel development, talent attraction and retention, and the fair compensation and benefits structure, the employee engagement score of the past year rose up to 69%, well above the target of 67% and above the average score of other companies in the same and similar industries in Thailand.

Fair Remuneration Structure