Kaeppler's Blog

Like pieces of a puzzle

For our last contribution to our BLOGs, we were given a choice to either discuss with our coach the topic of "Human beings, being human" (interacting with others, team-spirit, etc) or "Challenge, Performance & Contribution". At first thought, I figured that my coach Joachim and I would discuss "Human beings, being human". After all, he's a manager in the Human Resources department. But surprisingly, when we began discussing, he indicated that the 2nd topic, specifically Contribution, would be the better choice.

At Alcan, there are 3 core company focuses in which contribution plays a vital role. They are:

1. EHS (Environment, Health & Safety)
2. Maximizing Value
3. Continuous Improvement

Throughout Alcan, the policies behind all 3 are the same, however, the challenges that arise from the implementation of these policies are different in different areas. It is how you manage these challenges that make you a successful HR manager.

Here are just some examples of the challenges my coach faces while implementing the policies behind the above listed company focuses.

• Which work shift model allows for maximum production while still ensuring the satisfaction of the workers?
• How do we keep the appropriate “head count” (number of employees) according to the current and future work load?
• How do we involve the Works Council in the decision-making process when a different or new work shift model or overtime is needed for production?
• How do we educate our employees to give them decision-making capabilities, responsibilities and to encourge them to be more like entrepreneurs to promote organizational development? It is very important to delegate responsibility to employees whenever possible to motivate them during production.
• Compensation & Benefits: How do we create the right link between performance and compensation. This also plays a huge roll in the motivation of employees.
• How do we appropriately recognize performance (good and bad)? When employees are awarded for above average performance (monetary and non-monetary) they can see the benefits from doing more than just what is expected from them.

Final thought: My coach and I also discussed briefly the issue of centralization vs. decentralization. Although it is sometime necessary for an international corporation to operate under a centralized decision-making structure, it is also advantageous to combine an element of decentralization. It is important for all employees to have some kind of decision-making ability that gives them responsibilities. Otherwise, one may ponder, "What is my purpose of working here"?

"Parting is such sweet sorrow"

Friday, May 13^th, marks the official end of the “WeAllCan” project with Alcan. After Friday, there will be on further contributions to my BLOG. However, this does not mean the end of my contact with Alcan. I will continue to keep in touch with my coach, the WeAllCan team, and hopefully some of the other participants as well! But now I would like to take the time to reflect back and relay to you, the reader, what this project has meant to me and the important things I will take from it.

Before doing so, I would like to give a big THANK YOU to all of those involved in the WeAllCan program.

Thank you Sandrine, Marie-José, Anne-Marie, Angélique, and many many others, for organizing this program and for being our support over the past 3 months.

Thank you Joachim, my coach, for your time and dedication to helping me learn many different aspects to Human Resources. Through our communications, I have had the opportunity to gain knowledge about your career in Human Resources with Alcan…an opportunity not given to just anyone. I am forever grateful!

Thank you to the entire Human Resources department in Singen, for your warm welcome during my Alcan Day. You made me feel like part of the Alcan team and helped introduce me to the Alcan family!

Thank you participants for such dedication and hard work on the contributions to all the BLOGs. I have enjoyed reading each and every one and getting to know you and your experiences through your BLOGs.

Thank you readers for your comments. Without you, we would not be able to make this project as successful!

To think back to the time when I submitted my essay to apply to be part of this wonderful opportunity, seems so long ago. Then came the exciting news….I would have a chance to meet a few members of the WeAllCan team during an interview. A few weeks after my interview, I received even more exciting news…that I was chosen to take part in this project for Alcan!

When we all met in Paris for our briefing, I was impressed by the many different participants that were chosen. We came from many different parts of the world, spoke many different languages, had experienced many different life-styles….but had one very important thing in common. For the next 3 months, we would have the opportunity to work one-to-one with an Alcan manager and discover first-hand what it means to be part of a truly international company.

Throughout the past few months, I have enjoyed watching, through the reading of our personal BLOGs, the grow of each participant as we interact with our coaches. It is evident to me, how much time and effort each participant and their coaches, have contributed to this project.

For me, this project has broadened my knowledge of the Human Resources function. Having studied Marketing and worked in Sales/Marketing, I had very little exposure to the HR department and the many challenges they face. Through my contact with my coach, Joachim, I have learned that  HR is not only responsible for “hiring and firing” employees, as many people think, but is much more complex. HR must balance work flow within the organization to assure that the right people are available, for the right job, at the right time. Therefore, forecasting is a well-needed skill to be successful. They must also be able to implement the many policies that come down from Headquarters and adapt to the specific circumstances that arise for each particular area, branch, plant, etc. Policies are the same throughout a company but the challenges that arise from them are different in different areas. It is how you manage these challenges that make you a successful HR manager.

Perhaps the key thing I will take with me from this experience is best illustrated by the famous French Asterix comic strip. My coach described to me that the story takes place in a little French village where the members of the community are fighting against the subpression of the Romans. In order to show power and superiortiy to the Romans, Majestix, the Boss of their village, is always being carried around by member of the village. The purpose is to show the Romans that like them, Majestix too, is "higher" than others in the village. But the ironic thing is, that without the members of the village to carry him around, he would not be able to be the Boss.

The moral of the story is this: Even for managers and those in a higher position, it is always important to realize and remember those that support you and help you get to the position you are in!

Innovation at Alcan

Innovation plays a central role in Alcan’s strategy as a global provider of innovative goods, and services, such as the award winning N’CRPT technology. “This proprietary technology assists pharmaceutical companies and other brand owners in their fight against counterfeiters. N'CRYPT incorporates a variety of sophisticated, high-security printing techniques as well as additional features found in bank notes, passports and other security documents. It is applied as an addition to the usual blister-foil designs and requires no change to the packaging process on the part of the customer”.

When talking about such innovative products, the departments or functions that immediately sprung to my mind were:

1. Process Engineering
2. R&D (Research and Development)
3. EHS (Environment, Health and Safety
4. Customer benefit/service

So what about Human Resources? Do they have anything to do with innovation at all? Well, let's see...

Human Resources role in the innovation process

To sum it up: the challenge for the HR manager is to ensure that the right personnel are at the right place at the right time. In other words, when to hire the correct personnel and when to train exiting resources in order to always attain the highest possible productivity. Therefore, the HR department has to actively take part in the innovation process and needs to obtain a position that enables open communication between the different departments.

Looking at it in theory

Exclusively looking at the product life cycle of one product (without considering other products to replace this product), a HR manager will quickly come to the conclusion that the required resources will shift throughout the life cycle from R&D to production and finally to sales and after market services.

Remember that this is a model view, but once the product has been developed/invented, no more resources would be necessary in the R&D department! In other words a HR manager needs to ensure that these resources are either trained to take on another job or they will need to be let go.

Communication among the various departments

Can you imagine what would happen if all departments within an organization, involved in the innovation process, would work for themselves without communicating? Just imagine the R&D department developing a new product without ever involving the sales team, just to later find out that the product is magnificently designed but is not marketable or can only be sold at a price that lies above the market’s expectations.

This calls for several options. Either the product needs to be redesigned in order to be marketable or the marketing department needs to create awareness for such a product. It is also possible that a greater number of even better trained sales people are needed to be hired. yAs ou can imagine, this is not only time consuming but also very costly.

The good thing is, in reality, all departments work together...or at least should work together. But still as you will probably know from your own experience, some of these things actually will happen! Nevertheless, certain new products will require organizational change that will be driven and managed by the Human Resources department. Innovative products will require new production methods, which in turn will require properly trained personnel. Moreover, the sales team needs to be trained and third parties, such as marketing agencies, will have to be signed on. This is all the responsibility of the HR department to shift resources to the right positions.

However, encouraging open communication has even more benefits. The innovation of products will not only be driven by the R&D department. Ideas from various other functions may as well be turned into the new flagship-product of the future. At Alcan, employees are compensated for ideas that improve processes, suggest product alterations and/or entirely new products. The sales and marketing departments are closest to customers and applications and have the opportunity to relay that input to the R&D department.

It is also very important that the responsible HR manager is constantly involved in the innovation process. He/she should attend all relevant meetings in a defined innovation process, and proactively hire, train, or lay off personnel.

So even though you may have not been thinking of HR and innovation as a unity, hopefully you will now see that certain measurements are inevitable in order to decrease a crucial factor: the time to market!

Alcan covers many distances...How far has Alcan taken you?

Hopefully by now you've visited the many interesting BLOGs of my fellow "We All Can" participants and have learned about the many products of Alcan. But this past weekend, I discovered first hand a product produced by Alcan that you and I see every day and take with us almost everywhere we go!

Okay, I'll give you a clue. First think about your car. No, I'm not referring to your car's body or engine, although automotive (now operated by Novelis) plays a huge roll in Alcan's production.

Okay, another hint...Now think about how each car is individually identified. Then think about a series of numbers that make up that identification. Think you've got it? Did you guess a car's VIN (Vehicle Identification Number)? Well, you were close. But what I am referring to is your car's license plate!

This weekend while I was cleaning out the attic of my apartment (in Hamburg) I came across some old German license plates. One license plate, with the letter "L" from the city of Leipzig, caught my eye. Leipzig is where my family was from before they immigrated to the USA.

Well, out of curiosity, I turned it over to see the other side and what to my surprise did I see? The Alcan logo! On the photo you have to look closely. There are two inverted Alcan logo stamps. One is just to the right of the "L" and the other is just to the left of the "7".

Anyway, I thought to myself, "How interesting!" and wanted to share this with my BLOG viewers.

So see, Alcan is all around us...we just need to take the time to notice.

Be sure to post a comment and let us know where you've seen or used Alcan and tell us "How far has Alcan taken you?"

"What's that? Alcan is made up of DNA too?!"

Even if you're not a scientist, chances are that you have heard of the term DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid). DNA is a chemical found primarily in the nucleus of cells. DNA carries the instructions for making all the structures and materials the body needs to function.

Well, believe it or not, Alcan is made up of a special DNA (Distinctive Nature of Alcan).

The Alcan "Human Resources strategies and processes are developed in parallel with and in direct support of the Company's business strategy. It is our people who make the difference, and we support and encourage career growth through our corporate values and programs. Apart from a company's size and financial health, there are other important issues for anyone seeking a career. Candidates are increasingly concerned with "human" issues such as the company's reputation, its desire to contribute to the advancement of society, its monetary compensation programs and the opportunities that it offers for personal growth, learning and accomplishment".

Your career awaits you with Alcan!

So, you're looking for an international company with a high focus on its employees....A company with an exciting work environment where managers promote company values, set important and challenging targets, promote and reward employees based on performance and capabilities?

Well, look no further. At Alcan, you will find just what you are looking for, in just about every country you are looking for it! Read more to find out what Alcan is looking for.

Even better, you can personally check the Alcan Recruitment System and find out what career and/or internship awaits you at Alcan.

Don't delay......Check it out today!

International- How does Alcan define it?

You read it in almost every job posting. You hear your fellow students and co-workers talk about it. Most of the products we use, stores we shop at and restaurants we dine in revolve around this aspect. International!

How many times have you heard people say, “I want to work in an international setting”? Well, not only I can, but “We all can” too! This is definitely a topic I can really relate to. Not only because I am currently living, working, and studying abroad, but because I have also experienced working in an international environment in the past.

However, this topic is not about me and my experiences, it is about the international aspects of my coach’s many different functions. His job title (or rather his titles) make him a true international player within the Alcan family. Because Joachim Storer is the Director of Human Resources (HR) Food Packaging for Central and Eastern Europe, as well as the Head of HR Alcan Packaging Singen GmbH., he knows first hand the importance of  recognizing and understanding cultural differences that are present in an international environment.

For Alcan, and for my coach specifically, international means worldwide. The worldwide operations at Alcan are driven with North American business philosophy and leadership. It is important for Alcan to set many international standards. One example, is the Worldwide Code of Employee and Business Conduct, which ensures that Alcan operates with the highest integrity in all businesss dealings. Other examples include:

• EHS first (Environment, Health, and Safety)

• Continuous Improvement (CI)

• Worldwide Compensation & Benefits

• Worldwide Employee Survey

• Individual Performance and Career Management

My coach plays a major role in setting and enforcing these and many more worldwide standards.

Joachim also works in what is called a "Cluster function". Within this function he has the opportunity to work in international teams as well as with international management teams.

As a member of the Integration Task Force (Pechiney-Alcan) for Shared Service Centers (SSC) in Europe he meets with many colleagues from other Alcan production plants as well as colleagues from Alcan headquarters, Montreal, Canada.

Recently, they proposed to headquarters, to create three SSC for administrative functions: one in France, one in Switzerland, and one in Germany. The target of this proposal is to share expertise in administrative functions, such as payroll. In my coach's Cluster functions specifically, he is working with nine different sites in Switzerland, Netherlands, Czech Republic, Istanbul, Poland and Germany. In the very next future they will also be working with a plant in Moskow.

My coach believes, "It is an excellent experience to work together with different nations, cultures, and people. Even if it is work, it is rewarding and I very much enjoy to work on an international basis. In Singen, Germany my suppliers and clients are located/based mostly in Central and Eastern Europe (Singen, Istanbul, Muehltal, Teningen, Rorschach, Skrivany, and Zutphen)."

Human Resources: Suppliers and Clients: Who are they?

As I mentioned in my “About my Coach” section, Herr Joachim Storer is not only the Director of Human Resources (HR) Food Packaging for Central and Eastern Europe, but also the Head of HR Alcan Packaging Singen GmbH. The work of an HR manager is typically not geared towards any kind of markets that are related to the essential production or service process of a company. Human Resources is an internal function that recruits, hires, educates, compensates, and outplaces personnel. Although you might find exceptions, my coach’s primary suppliers and clients are almost exclusively employees of Alcan. External suppliers and clients are consultants, employers association, union, authorities, trainers, and industrial court.

But what exactly are suppliers and clients?

Suppliers are providers of goods and/or services that will be refined, processed, or simply distributed by the recipient. The recipient, or client, will compensate the supplier for the goods or services. While both parties seem to be independent from each other, mutual respect and a due understanding will lead to prolific relationships and eventually to integrated partnerships. You should bare this concept in mind when looking at the different suppliers and clients of my coach as an HR manager.

Exactly who are my coach’s suppliers and clients?

Well, since he is working in such a wide array of operations, I will focus on few of his suppliers and clients, and describe why and how they are either a client, a customer, or even both!

Internal suppliers and clients: 

• HR team members
• Managing Director
• All internal departments
• Works council
• Corp. Functions
• Cluster Management Team
• Managing Directors, Plant Managers of Cluster companies

As HR function works in both directions we can say that every potential supplier is also a potential client. But in fact most of the mentioned functions are more clients than suppliers. Normally, HR helps to solve problems and act, in this case, as a supplier. But HR is more. They strive to be a strategic business partner. This means HR is deeply involved in the business processes and decisions as well as making proposals to be successful with the right way of doing business with and for people. There is / was a change from supplier of requested solutions, to provider of improved solutions. 

By definition, Joachim’s suppliers, are all those that supply him with information and help him in making decisions. Probably one of his closest and most important suppliers is Anneliese Domin, his assistant.  She keeps him in the loop regarding daily tasks and acts as his liaison to other members of the organization in the event of his absence. 

During my Alcan Day, my coach was involved with the analysis of the Alcan Inc. EPA / Incentive program, which directly relates to the performance of managers.

Alcan Packaging Singen GmbH also have an incentive for all employees (except above mentioned managers) which is called Bonus. During my day with my coach he explained me how this variable compensation works  He has also issued an article in the local employee magazine that enunciates how employees will benefit from a previously introduced bonus program. In this function, my coach has to take on a representative function, since he is the one that has to announce the upcoming bonus payment, and also has to be able to verify how they were derived at. Therefore Joachim has to rely on his suppliers, his suppliers provide him with the correct information, which guides him to a decision. 

The criteria that has to be taken into consideration for the bonus program are: 

• LTII rate- Lost Time Injury/Illness (provided by the EHS manager in cooperation with Corp.)
• EBIT- Earnings before interest and taxes (provided by the Finance and Accounting department)
• Customer complaints (provided by the Sales/Service department)

For 2005, Joachim negotiated one additional factor into the bonus scheme:

• Departmental / Team-Bonus

As you can see the information is supplied from various internal suppliers.

But who are my coach’s clients?

Simply put: all those that benefit from his services.

So basically all employees that work within Alcan Food Packaging in Central and Eastern Europe, as well as in Singen. Which makes this relationship tedious is the fact that this makes some of his suppliers also his clients! Such as his assistant.

Perhaps now it is easier to see that unlike clients (customers) in the consumer world, being a client (customer) in Human Resources does not automatically mean “the customer is always right”!

About my coach

Herr Joachim Storer, Director of HR Food Packaging for Central and Eastern Europe, Head of HR Alcan Packaging Singen GmbH.

Herr Storer is not only Head of the Human Resources department for Alcan Packaging Singen, but he is also the Director of HR Food Packaging for Central and Eastern Europe (which includes: Singen, Istanbul, Muehltal, Teningen, Rorschach, Skrivany, and Zutphen). So technically, my coach does the work of two people!

Here's my coach in Montréal, Quebec, the Corporate Head Office of Alcan in Canada. If you look real close to the right side of the horizon you can see the 1976 Olympic stadium, former home of baseball's Montréal Expos.

Before joining Alcan in 1994, Joachim studied Marketing and Human Resources at the University of Applied Economic Sciences in Munich, Germany. Upon completing his MBA and before starting career with Alcan Packaging Singen, Joachim enjoyed his time working in a pub....some may say a less formal and perhaps more interesesting form of Human Resources, if you know what I mean.

In 1994, Joachim began his career with Alcan where he was responsible for the Apprenticeship program and Personel controlling. In 2000, after Lawson Mardon became Alcan Packaging Singen, Joachim was promoted to the position of Head of HR for Alcan Food Packaging. Another 4 years later, Joachim was again promoted to the position of Head of HR, EHS (Environmental, Health & Safety), and  Quality Management for Alcan Singen Food Packaging and Food Services, Europe. Finally, just 7 months later, Joachim was promoted to his current position, Director of HR Food Packaging for Central and Eastern Europe, Head of HR Alcan Packaging Singen.

When my coach manages to find free time and it's not raining he enjoys traveling on two wheels (and perhaps sometimes on one wheel) on his motor bike...the ultimate Ducati Monster S4!! 

He carves the corners in the mountainous range of Singen but also takes road trips as far as Italy! Herr Storer just loves traveling....not only on two wheels.

During my "Alcan Day", I was able to experience first hand what a typical day is like in the shoes of Joachim Storer. Because I know how busy and time consuming his career is, I want to give a special thanks to my coach and his staff in Singen for taking their time to introduce me to the Human Resources department. I encourage you to visit my "Alcan Day" section and experience a day in the shoes of Joachim Storer...my coach!

My Alcan Day- March 21 & 22

My Arrival

Upon my arrival to Singen, I was picked up by Mrs. Anneliese Domin, the assistant to my coach, Mr. Joachim Storer. She showed me to my hotel, dropped off my luggage, and we were on our way to the Alcan plant and facilities where I would meet the entire Human Resources team.

Mrs. Domin was very helpful and made me feel extremely welcome to spend the next two days with the HR team at Alcan in Singen.

I soon met my coach and we didn’t waste anytime introducing me to HR. He ran through an extremely interesting presentation on Alcan Packaging Singen and Alcan Singen (Central and Eastern Europe division). It was interesting to learn all the various responsibilities of the HR department.

My coach illustrated to me the "Highlighted Strengths" within Alcan Food Packaging Europe:

• EHS First (Environmental, Health, and Safety)
• Maximizing Value
• Continuous Improvement
• Sustainability
• Integrated Business Management Systems
• Image
• Employee Committment
• Responsibility

We also discussed different programs developed and maintained by the HR department, such as:

• Employee of the Month program
• Corporate Leadership program (CLP)
• Business Development program (BDP)
• Corporate Management Development program (CMDP)

I also found it very interesting to learn about the many topics discussed and focused on during an Alcan Management Trainee program, which are offered to recent graduates. Here are some, just to name a few:

• Leadership basics & business ethics
• Team development
• Communication skills
• Effective presentations
• Directing business conferences efficiently
• Self management
• Finance of non-financials

It is clear to me that Alcan puts an extremely high interest in the development of its employees. To read more, check out the information on Alcan's Talent Management System directly from their website!

My Alcan Plant Tour

After my initial introduction meeting with my coach, I had the privilege to participate in a rare “behind-the-scenes” one hour tour of the Alcan packaging production plant, directed by Herr Juergen Dittrich, who is also in the HR department in Singen.

There, I saw how raw steel materials are rolled and pressed into finished products that you and I see and use everyday, like:

Aluminum foil

Packaged medicines

Candy bars

Packaged pet food

Alcan operates in 5 main areas. They are Primary Metal, Rolled Products, Engineered Products, Packaging, and with the recent aquirement of Pechiney in France, Bauxite and Alumina.

March 22, 2005- My Alcan Day 

My first meeting was at 8:30 am with Mrs. Elke Ziegler, Leader Personal Development. She explained to me the different HR development programs that Alcan offers its employees at all levels throughout the company; interns, apprentices, blue collar, while collar, executives, etc. A few examples of the different types of training Alcan offers are:

1. Professional Qualification Training

• Professional knowledge training
• Product & Process training
• Sales & Customer Orientation training

2.Key Qualification Training

• Language training
• Communication skills
• Project management skills
• Self management

3. EHS First training (Environment, Health & Safety)

• First Aid / Safety
• Crane license
• Handling of fire extinguishers

4.Corporate Training

• Code of Conduct
• Information Security Policy
• Continuous Improvement (CI)
• Value-based Management

Alcan also offers leadership training for foremen & supervisors in Alcan production. I could quickly tell that Alcan is a company that truly invests a lot of time and resources in its employees for long-term benefit for both Alcan and employees.

Alcan Trainee Program

Starting in 2002, Alcan developed a trainee program that was designed for recent graduates who display not only the educational skills but also the social skills to one day become a member of the Alcan management team. Candidates are chosen through an assessment center where their knowledge and social skills are put to the test. The Management Trainee Program is set up to last 1.5 years where the trainees willunder go intense Continuous Improvement (CI) training sessions and have the opportunity to work closely with top management in various departments within Alcan.

The trainees are also paid a higher salary than they would normally receive in an entry level position at a different company.

Management Development Program 

For its top managers, Alcan offers a management development program. The program consists of 10-12 managers who work together on different cases together discussing issues such as:

• Leadership feedback
• Communication skills
• Effective presentations
• Self management
• Team development
• Project management

The managers are able to help one another on areas where they see strengths and weaknesses.

My meeting with the Directors of Human Resources for different Alcan divisions

During my Alcan Day, I was able to experience one perfect example of how managers come together and help each other. I had the opportunity to sit in on a meeting with the Directors of different HR departments: Alcan Packaging, Alcan Composites, Alcan Extruded Products, Alcan Holdings Germany, and Alcan Automotives.

During this 2 hour meeting, the main topic of discussion was the Top Management Automobile allowances. The Directors of HR discussed the many different factors that come into play, such as:

• Different job grades
• Type of vehicle
• Kilometers per year allowed
• Duration of vehicle contract
• Comparing different costs between driving and flying (within Germany)
• Price of gasoline in Germany (diesel or unleaded vehicle?)
• Private usage of vehicle

Employee Shift Operations

My next meeting was with Herr Juergen Dittrich, in which he explained to me in detail, how the four different shifts operate for the Alcan Food Packaging Singen production operations. Basically, they are broken down in to 8 work hours per shift, with a shift change every week, with a total of 34 work hours per week. It is Herr Dittrich's responsibility to coordinate all of the different shifts and is accountable for the production employees' work hours.

At last, time to relax....

At the end of my extremely busy, but very informative Alcan day, I had the opportunity to enjoy a nice Portugese fish dinner with my coach at Casa Portugal. During dinner, I had the opportunity to get to know my coach on a more personal level.

What are his interests outside of his busy work schedule?
What career path did he take to get to where he is today?
What type of education did he receive and how did it influence his decision to work for Alcan?
What are his hobbies and interests outside of Human Resources?

Well, you can find all the answers to these questions and more by visiting my "About my Coach" section in my BLOG!

I hope you've enjoyed following in my steps as I experienced a once in a life time opportunity to get a behind-the-scenes look into the Human Resources department at Alcan Food Packaging Singen. This is an opportunity that only Alcan can provide!

Please continue to visit my BLOG as I update it with many different topics you will sure find interesting for your job search. See ya soon!