We try to create an environment where everyone can learn and grow within a high performance culture

In our highly competitive market, we need a well-trained and knowledgeable workforce. Our training and development programmes support our business objectives and aim to raise the capability of our leaders and managers.

We spent £6.8 million on training and development in 20071, providing 67,500 hours of training for our workforce.2

Response to our 2007 Reflect O2 survey showed:

• 69 per cent of O2 people feel they receive sufficient training to do their job.
• 64 per cent feel they are aware of the career and development opportunities available to them.

Our performance management system allows us to track performance and development needs. The system aims to ensure that all employees go through the process.  

Our Executive Development Programme (EDP) helps us to have well-trained leaders in place. Senior leaders also attend the Leading for Total Engagement Programme. From autumn 2007 senior and high potential managers were also invited to attend the new ‘Telefónica University’ in Barcelona.

We know that development opportunities help to engage and motivate employees. Everyone has the opportunity to develop a personal plan with their line manager to ensure continuous learning and improved business performance.

Training and development opportunities include:

• Induction training for new employees.
• Role-specific training such as customer service, engineering, sales, marketing and human resources.
• Leadership and management development training.
• Mandatory training on issues such as health and safety, the environment and business ethics.

We also create new programmes in response to changing conditions and market challenges. We offered training for our retail employees on the issues of child protection and content standards during the year and run selective training schemes across the business to help support our customer offer. For example:

• Special ‘Protect our Children’ sessions enabled employees to offer advice to parents on mobile safety.
• Specific training was provided to all employees involved in our new broadband services and the sale and support of the Apple iPhone.

1 Each training area provides estimates to the Learning and Development team. This data represents those areas of the business where volume training is undertaken and is most closely tracked and reported. It is therefore a slightly conservative representation of training hours (classroom and online) undertaken during 2007 for the whole business. Where training has been recorded internally as in 'day' units it has been translated into hours for this report assuming an 8 hour training day. 
2 Figure includes training costs included as overheads. It does not capture any training-related costs that may have been purchased by an employee and claimed back as an expense (e.g. conference registrations or training travel costs).