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Wilson Lau

Hewlett-Packard HK SAR (HP) wanted to encourage its employees to come up with innovative product ideas, so it introduced competitions.  
The company also has a staff club where employees come together to generate ideas.  
HP launched its 'Innovation at Work' initiative this year to engage employees of all levels in its drive to introduce  innovative services and products, said Cally Chan, general manager of technology services, technology solutions group at HP HK.  
'The core concept of the initiative is to provide a platform for all employees to contribute innovative ideas. We began by helping all employees to fully understand the goals of the corporation and what they could contribute to help the company reach these targets.'
The second phase of the initiative saw the launch of the 'Innovation at Work Team Competition'. 
'Teams were formed and team ambassadors were elected. They were responsible for collecting creative ideas related to the objectives, facilitating teamwork and working with other teams,' Ms Chan said. 
HP organised its quarterly 'Inno Break Session' to update all employees of the progress of the initiative and contest results. 
'The programme has been well-received by our staff. This clear communication of goals and how all staff can contribute helps to motivate and engage them effectively,' Ms Chan said.
The formation  of a staff club called H People Club in 2006 represented a major step  which the workforce of HP  took towards embracing the company's corporate culture and the continuous development of employees on professional and personal levels. 
'We believe in our staff and let them take  ownership of the operation of the H People Club. The company supports it by providing the necessary resources,' Ms Chan said. All employees of HP  are members of the H People Club. To illustrate their understanding of HP's company core values: winning attitude, passion for customers and innovation, they developed cartoon characters.
The club's core concept, 'Power to Change', encouraged staff to take part in community projects for the underprivileged. 
The club's corporate social responsibility programme puts environmental protection high on the agenda. 
'Our staff are committed to the research and development of products with reduced energy consumption. 
'In the in-service design area, they have developed a thermo assessment system for the data centres of enterprises and introduced a 'Green Data Centre'. In collaboration with the Hongkong Post,  HP recycles used printer cartridges. 
'We also help our corporate customers recycle discarded personal computers.'
H People Club was closely linked to the employee development programme designed by HP,  Ms Chan said. 
'The club is one of the platforms provided by the development programme aiming to make staff feel that HP HK is an ideal environment for personal growth and career advancement.'
Under the employee development scheme, HP organises the 'Sky Programme', which includes a series of skill refreshing workshops designed for managers. 
The 'Rainbow Programme' was designed as a management preparatory course for employees with high potential. 
About 20 employees are selected to participate in the course each year. 
Department heads are responsible for nominating employees who are required to sit through several interviews.
As rapid change is a trait of the information technology sector, HP has developed a programme called 'Solar' for new recruits who are fresh university graduates. 
'We aim to diversify the demographic mix in our workforce as part of our succession planning strategy,' Ms Chan said.
Despite the challenging economic conditions, HP  believes that an organisation sustains its growth by preserving its core values.
'Customer satisfaction cannot be sacrificed,' Ms Chan said.
By implementing the programmes to encourage and engage staff in innovation and development initiatives, HP continuously reminds staff to respond to the latest market changes. 
'HP has the advantage of being a global corporation offering standardised methodologies and consistent quality for service delivery on an international scale. 
'We rely on the local offices to tailor the innovative services to meet the needs of local customers because they have developed the most in-depth understanding of their clients' requirements,' she said.



Employees encouraged to generate new ideas