Batelco recently unveiled its newly refurbished Hamala Headquarters, and Telephone House and Telegraph House located in Salmaniya.

The three buildings have undergone extensive modernisation, designed in line with leading world standards, said a top Batelco official.

“At Batelco, we believe that our employees are the company’s most important asset,” said Batelco Group Human Resources general manager Shaikh Ahmed Al Khalifa.

“Consequently, we review on an ongoing basis the working conditions and benefits we offer to them,” he noted.

“At the beginning of 2007, we set out on a specific journey focussed on improving the way we do things for the team, with the overriding aim to improve our operating culture through enhancing the work environment and, with it, employee satisfaction,” he added.

Shaikh Ahmed said that to develop truly world-class working conditions, Batelco engaged an interior designer and incorporated the most modern designs and furnishings, meeting the highest quality standards.

“The brief to the design team was to use an open-plan environment, with an air of spaciousness. They have achieved this and more, incorporating modern work stations, that while providing sufficient, individual privacy, also encourages interaction between staff, leading to improved working relationships and ultimately productivity,” he said.

Besides ensuring the best possible work environment for its employees, Shaikh Ahmed said that Batelco offers salary packages and additional benefits which are among the most competitive and attractive in the region.
   
“Each Batelco employee receives an annual performance-based bonus payment and additionally an annual salary increase. From this year the annual increase will be from 1 to 8 per cent of base salary, based on their performance rating. Such performance-based payments will be up to 6 months pay or up to 50 per cent of base salary for the best performing employees across any job grade.
 
“Our employees also receive other benefits that can add up to as much as 40 per cent of their individual salary, such as: a savings scheme where Batelco contributes up to 8 per cent of an employee’s base salary; a housing loan scheme where Batelco funds 75 per cent of interest paid, for loans up to BD120,000; in addition to PC loans, low-cost broadband, mobile and telephony services and other benefits.”

“Batelco also invests heavily in training and developing its employees and spent BD1.4 million in 2007 to deliver 755 training activities for 1,299 staff representing 90% of the Bahrain based workforce,” said Shaikh Ahmed.

As one of the Kingdom’s leading employers of Bahrainis, with 93 per cent of staff being nationals, in 2007 Batelco was recognised by the Labour Ministry for its Bahrainisation programme and for excellence in Training & Development.-TradeArabia News Service