Employee Engagement
3M expects leaders to foster a work environment that builds trust with employees through open
communication. This work environment promotes both employee engagement
and innovation that makes 3M a great place to work, a claim consistently
supported by the Standard Opinion Survey process. Emphasis on innovation,
reputation,
competitive compensation
and a friendly culture are some of the reasons employees are proud
to work for 3M.
Employee Opinion
Since 1951, 3M has been soliciting employee insights on a range of topics through the use of organizational surveys. Currently, 3M measures and analyzes employee input using the following tools:
Standard Opinion Survey (Global Business Unit Survey)
It is corporate policy that every business unit worldwide surveys their entire organization once every two years using the Standard Opinion Survey. The survey allows employees to candidly express their views about 3M, their business unit and their jobs in complete confidentiality.
Leadership Survey (Global Corporate Survey)
The Leadership Survey is administered to leaders worldwide. The purpose of the survey is to establish benchmarks for the future, evaluate current key corporate initiatives and to help target areas for action.
An Emphasis on Innovation
The key to innovation is coupling 3M's highly diversified and differentiated technology to high growth market space opportunities to create new-to-the-world product platforms.
"Giving people room" to innovate is a 3M tradition, exemplified by the "15% culture" which encourages technical employees to spend 15 percent of their time on projects of their own choosing and initiative.
New Product Forums are regularly held, where divisions can share their latest products and developers can solicit support for a new product, idea or technology.
Researchers can apply for Genesis Grants. The grants provide significant funding to individuals or teams to pursue embryonic new product ideas or concepts.
Why Employees Stay
In the industry, 3M has an enviable track record of employee retention. Why do employees stay? In addition to competitive compensation, employees enjoy the culture and opportunity at 3M. Here are a few of 3M's attributes that contribute to employee pride:
Reputation
3M has a worldwide reputation for innovative, high quality products. We are a company that values science and innovation, a combination that attracts the best and the brightest in the fields of technology and science. We are a responsible, ethical company, underscored in our core corporate value of "respecting our social and physical environment."
Nature of Work
3M employees like working for a company that produces useful, innovative
products. Autonomy is an important part of the culture and is reflected in a
wide variety of mechanisms including the dual ladder structure that allows
technical and professional people to choose to develop their careers
either by maintaining their focus on research and other professional interests,
or by developing their management skills by supervising employees.
Great People
Our focus on innovation attracts highly talented, motivated people who are focused on working together to create great results for the company.
Opportunity
3M fosters a "promote from within" culture, where individuals can achieve career development and advancement consistent with their initiative and work contributions. Movement within the company is encouraged and expected.
Communication with Employees
Corporate business goals and objectives are communicated regularly in
real-time worldwide to engage employees in our common mission, including:
A Dedicated Intranet
An extensive company-sponsored intranet provides global access to valuable work-related information, including business policies, work force directory and other business tools.
Employee Publications
Company publications such as the Stemwinder (3M St. Paul, Minnesota), 3M Mascotch (3M Brazil), Enlace (3M Mexico) and numerous others help to educate, connect and motivate employees at 3M locations around the world.
Leadership Communications
Leaders communicate regularly with employees in a variety of forums. Management at 3M abides by an open-door policy.
Ongoing Measurement of Employee Opinions
3M regularly measures employee opinions with a biennial Leadership Survey, business unit organizational survey (administered to all sites worldwide) and other survey mechanisms. Employee input weighs heavily in management actions.
Employee Groups
3M encourages employees with shared interests to pursue those interests in a supportive environment.
Employee resource groups such as PLUS (a Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender group), African American Society, China Club, Disability Advisory Committee, Latino Resource Group, Native American Council, South Asia Society, Team Austin and the Women's Leadership Network are sponsored by 3M under the direction of the Human Resources Advisory Committee on Diversity.
Support groups have been organized to help 3M employees and their family members to cope with issues that accompany life's challenges.
Across 3M, numerous special interest groups are sponsored by business and functional areas in support of personal and professional development.
Every country in which 3M does business has a 3M employee club that sponsors special events, activity clubs and sports programs and offers special discounts and privileges, in support of exercise, friendships and fun. The largest employee club is in St. Paul, Minnesota and has approximately 8,500 members.
