Bombardier Mobilizes the Skills of the Future

The Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) congratulates Bombardier as it celebrates its 20th anniversary in Ontario.

Investing in and developing skilled talent is a critical success factor at Bombardier, and a key focus of the OCC as it works to achieve its Emerging Stronger vision.

In order to cultivate this key driver of progress, Bombardier recently rolled out a Performance Management Process and online global talent management tool. This framework empowers employees to take ownership of their careers through mastering the core competencies needed to succeed.

The Performance Management Process is a business–driven process that promotes the achievement of annual development objectives through an ongoing dialogue between employees and managers.

In identifying the core competencies required for its employees to succeed, Bombardier clarifies its expectations and fosters personal growth, which contributes to the tool’s success. Via its online global talent management tool, the company offers employees short, flexible and modular training via video tutorial to provide the appropriate, just‐in‐time, training structure to support its Performance Management yearly milestones (i.e. objective setting, mid‐year and year‐end reviews).

These innovative tools help explain why Bombardier continues to carry on Ontario’s strong tradition of manufacturing excellence. In only two short decades, the company has become a critical part of the province’s economic infrastructure. With over 6,200 highly‐skilled employees and close to 350 suppliers, its economic contribution is valued at over $2.7 billion.

Bombardier’s presence in Ontario is marked by the regional aircraft flown by Porter Airlines and Air Canada Express; ultra long‐range business jets that serve the corporate aviation sector; the GoTrain and Rocket subway trains used by GTA commuters; and the iconic yellow firefighting waterbombers that are produced in North Bay.

If you would like to contact Bombardier to obtain further information about its talent development program, or if you have a similar story that you would like to tell, please contact Kelly Pritchard, Corporate Engagement Manager, at kellypritchard@occ.on.ca.

Stephen Chase says:

July 18, 2012 at 2:21 pm

Bombardier’s new performance management process is very interesting. Does the program address any cultural competencies? For example does it help employees to understand the impact of culture-based differences in the workplace?

Bombardier says:

July 18, 2012 at 4:29 pm

With products in over 100 countries and employees in 40, Bombardier is focused on growing local roots and this includes a better understanding of cultural competencies. Understanding the impact of culture-based differences in the workplace is of course key in a multinational corporation. One could argue that all competencies in our dictionary are of import in dealing with varied cultural environments (e.g. Developing Oneself, Building Partnerships, Developing Others – to name a few) – it is an underlying theme in order to develop employees who will succeed in a multinational and multicultural organization.

Understanding of cultural-based differences has specifically been identified as a driving component in mastering certain competencies, such as Organizational Insight, where employees need to understand others’ roles and perspectives as well as the dynamics at play within the organization and in other organizations. To demonstrate true Organizational Insight, employees manage the environmental context in which they operate (e.g. customers, suppliers, geographical location, culture), identify the real decision–makers as well as the individuals who influence them, and predict how new events or situations will affect individuals and groups within the organization. Similarly, a competency such as Communication cannot be mastered without embracing diversity, and understanding the unspoken needs of others, whereas Leading Change helps foster positive, inspiring change across the organization, aligning and integrating organizational priorities, values and strategies.

Although not every role requires strong Organizational Insight, Communication or Leading Change, other competencies core to Bombardier, such as Flexibility and Teamwork, are routinely evaluated and developed in all our employees: we believe these are essential to perform in diverse environments.

The Ontario Chamber of Commerce

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