Talent Management

To ensure the sustainability of its workforce and to drive a high-performing culture, Baxter focuses on the following areas:

Talent Requirements and Leadership Expectations

The Baxter Leadership Expectations (below), which provide the foundation for the company’s culture, clarify what Baxter expects of all employees. This framework includes the following:

These expectations are integrated into the human resources processes for recruiting, hiring, on-boarding, performance management, development assessment and training. They provide clarity about leadership at Baxter, which is expected of all employees, regardless of role or level in the organization.

See a graphic illustrating the Baxter Leadership Expectations.

Individual and Corporate Goal Alignment

At Baxter, employees and teams align individual and organizational objectives to ensure that everyone is working to achieve company goals. Individuals and teams across the company establish work plans and set specific, measurable targets to help Baxter achieve its goals.

Baxter's global goals focus on six categories: Customer, Financial, Innovation, Operational Excellence, People/Team and Quality/Regulatory/Compliance.

Human Capital Planning

To ensure organizational effectiveness, the needed workforce capabilities, and a robust pipeline of leadership talent, Baxter seeks to continually understand its current talent needs and plan for those in the future through the company’s annual human capital planning process. This process helps Baxter identify the organizational implications of business strategies and plans, and also guides the company's succession management process.

Talent Assessment and Development

Effective management and leadership skills improve business performance. Helping employees develop such skills makes Baxter a rewarding place to work and develop. Baxter’s training and development programs provide employees with the skills and technical competence required to succeed in a competitive and highly regulated global healthcare marketplace.

To guide employees in pursuing their career aspirations at Baxter and focus on their development needs, in 2008 Baxter developed a practical guide called “Your Career Development at Baxter.” Based on the Baxter Leadership Expectations and the company’s development philosophy, the guide is available in 15 languages in both online and hard-copy versions. Managers are trained on how to use this guide for career planning conversations with their employees.

Baxter’s Learning Management System provides employees with comprehensive information about performance expectations, development, training and jobs at Baxter.

Online learning is available to all employees and courses are offered in eight languages. More than 650 eLearning programs are available to employees, covering topics such as company products, leadership and career development, PC skills, environment, health and safety, pharmacovigilance, project management and many more. As part of their professional development and to meet regulatory requirements, 18,350 employees completed e-learning courses in 2008.

Baxter’s Management Essentials leadership-training curriculum provides front-line supervisors with tools and techniques to be effective leaders. The curriculum helps develop and refine skills related to accountability, career and development planning, change management, coaching and feedback, communication, critical thinking and problem solving, facilitation, interviewing, and managing conflict and performance. As of year-end 2008. a total of 5,216 manager- and supervisor-level employees with direct reports have taken at least one Management Essentials course since its launch in 2007.

Also see Ethics and Compliance for information on legal and regulatory compliance training.

Baxter continually enhances its employee performance assessment process. Managers review employee performance annually against their established goals as well as the Baxter Leadership Expectations. Mid-year reviews are also encouraged. Individual performance contributes to differentiated awards (see Compensation and Benefits). In addition to these formal reviews, the company encourages managers to provide employees with ongoing coaching and feedback. For example, as part of the annual performance review process, both employee and manager identify two or three strengths and development areas associated with the Baxter Leadership Expectations. Throughout the year, ongoing discussions are encouraged.