Cyrela believes that people are the mainspring of the Company, and as such each employee is a representative of the Company’s culture and values. Each one of the 17 thousand direct and indirect employees is prompted and trained to support the mission of Cyrela.
With the aim of securing its perennial business, in 2010 the Company translated in a simple and direct way the Cyrela Culture. This is based on five axles: Clients, Work, People, Perennial Business & Shareholder/Founder. 16 elements were described as the ones composing the behavior expected from the teams (for more information, refer to the “Strategy” chapter).
The Company continually invests in professional training by means of Cyrela Academy, which has the mission of training and retaining employees, and most of all, securing and perpetuating the Company’s culture. Along the last two years, its evolution may be measured in the capacity of delivering results in a consistent way. Since 2008, financial investments in trainings have been in a growing curve. Last year, R$ 2 million were invested in programs for several internal publics with the aim of developing technical, business and behavioral competencies.
Investing in leadership is a priority at Cyrela Academy. In 2010, the Company started the Program for Training of Leaders (I and II) through seminars and training programs aimed at developing leadership skills regarding people management and development of the Company’s future.
The spread of knowledge is a value cultivated by Cyrela employees. Thus, internal training programs are an important part of the people management policy. The organization believes that the best learning involves teaching, sharing, and practicing. This is why REC (Real Estate Cyrela) was created. It is a program sharing the practical and conceptual knowledge of the core business in an integrated and systemic way by means of internal multipliers. 57 managers trained over 400 employees since 2008.
The development of professionals is a constant concern. In this sense, the Program for Interns is a highlight. It has been joined by around 360 professionals in training who take part in lectures, courses, and managerial support that supplement the technical education through practical experience. Likewise, the Company has a Program for Trainees which provides young professionals with an accelerated development from the integrated view of the Company, from job rotation and supplementary courses.
In 2007, the Company developed the Apprentice Program with the aim of providing new work and income opportunities to students between 16 and 24 years of age in search of their first job. The youths take classes on managerial activities, participate in courses, lectures, cultural walks and social activities. The results of the inclusion of young people and career development in the organization are always growing. In 2010, for example, 18 youths were hired in São Paulo.
The education incentive is a policy prompting employees to improve their academic knowledge. The company sponsors up to 50% of amounts invested in Graduation, Post-Graduation, MBA, and technical courses. In 2010, R$ 400 thousand were invested in these incentives.
Health, Safety and Quality of Life are essential in people management. Employees are advised about the importance of instruments they use and the standards applied, in addition to initiatives related to the reduction of environmental impacts, personal hygiene, food, and equipment maintenance. Construcition sites are daily inspected and weekly evaluated. These evaluations and inspections are carried out by occupational safety technicians.
There is also Balanced You program, which involves issues such as working climate, culture, sports, health, and family. Quick Massage is a technique working on body relaxation. It relieves tension, reduces depression and stress symptoms, revitalizes the body, stimulates the mind, and works on muscular tensions and pains in general. To provide employees with culture, leisure, and entertainment, the Program forms partnerships with publishing houses and parks. In 2010, the partnership with Editora Abril gave employees and families discounts, special prices and advantages for magazine subscriptions.
Cyrela also stimulates the practice of sports. For such, it keeps agreements with gyms. The subside is of R$ 70.00 to employees who have applied and show statements of their registration in any gym. Employees may practice different activities that fit their needs, and they have flexible schedules. The Company provides its employees with advice in their pursuit and maintenance of a healthy body through walking and running activities, always followed by specialized professionals. Employees also count on the sponsorship of the company to join the Civil Construction Society Cup.
Cyrela promotes several campaigns on themes related to health care. In 2010, it carried out “Keeping an eye on your health” aimed at construction sites employees. In a partnership with the Social Service of Civil Construction (Seconci), the action is aimed at promoting basic health examinations, focusing on prevention (cholesterol, blood glucose, blood pressure, and visual acuity). Employees who need to use corrective lens are offered a subside. Educative lectures were also given about STD, family planning, licit drugs, and cancer.
In addition to all these projects, the Program promotes actions for commemorative dates, in addition to activities that complement projects involving the employees aimed at comfort and people integration. There are also activities focused on dates such as Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and Children’s Day.
For achieving goals and preserving the Company’s culture, Internal Communication is essential to get regional units closer and more integrated, spreading the best practices and the Cyrela Culture among employees. Communication channels such as Informa Bulletin, Cobertura journal, the Letter from the Chairman, the Corporate TV and Cyliga (intranet) stand for this function. For two years now, the Construction Communication Committee is an open space for discussions and alignment about subjects related to the Company’s daily operations.
The compensation and benefits policy also represents an important tool to value professionals and retain new and old talents. Cyrela strives to keep salaries at market levels in order to secure a fair compensation. An incentive is the participation of all direct employees in the Profit Sharing Program (PPL). Professionals can also join the Stock Option Plan, which is in its sixth version, where employees have up to five years to exert the options.
These actions help us to have a sound team which is always prepared to help the continuance of operations and Cyrela’s business success.
