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Nineteen companies were presented with Good People Management Awards for 2004 for their outstanding achievements in good people management. They received a memento from the Financial Secretary, Mr Henry Tang, at a presentation ceremony organised by the Labour Department today (December 10).

The winning companies are the Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation, Dairy Farm Company Limited, MTR Corporation Limited, Circle K Convenience Stores (HK) Ltd, Well Born Real Estate Management Limited, Haven of Hope Christian Service, Sanfield Building Contractors Ltd, FedEx Express, Hospital Authority - Kwong Wah Hospital & Tung Wah Group of Hospitals Wong Tai Sin Hospital, Chi Lin Nunnery Elderly Services, Asia Airfreight Terminal Co Ltd, Hong Kong Red Cross, K Wah Construction Materials (Hong Kong) Ltd, Canossa Hospital (Caritas), Securities and Futures Commission, CCC Tam Lee Lai Fun Memorial Secondary School, BOCI-Prudential Asset Management Ltd, Wecon Limited and Wong Po Kee Limited.

This is the fourth time that the department has organised the awards since their launch in 1999. The aim is to encourage and commend employers for achieving good people management practices. It is also an important event for promoting harmonious labour relations.

"A record number of 374 companies joined the event this year, representing a hefty 86% increase over the last awards held in 2001. The increase in the total number of participants showed the importance attached to good people management by employers," the Permanent Secretary for Economic Development and Labour, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, said in his welcoming speech.

"Many employers told us that they joined the event not for the prizes, but to make use of the opportunity to review comprehensively their people management systems and to boost the sense of belonging and morale among staff, thereby enhancing the competitiveness of the company," he said.

All participants had to conduct a self-assessment of the good people management measures they have adopted in five aspects: recruitment, selection and offers of employment; staff training; safety and health at work; employer-employee communication and employment termination arrangements. Those short-listed after preliminary screening by the assessment team were requested to make a presentation of their submissions to the panel judges.

This year's panel of judges included Labour Advisory Board Members, Mr Ho Sai-chu, Mr Paul Yin Tek-shing and Mr Poon Siu-ping; Dr Ng Sek-hong of the University of Hong Kong; Professor Leung Kwok of the City University of Hong Kong; and two professionals in human resources management, Ms Virginia Choi and Mr Garek Hui.

In addition to receiving the mementoes, all the winners are entitled to display the Good People Management Award logo on their establishment's letterheads, envelopes and other promotional materials.

The department will also publicise the outstanding achievements of these winners to enable other companies to share their experiences in good people management practices.

Representatives of five major employers' associations also took part in the ceremony today to show their support in promoting the adoption of good people management practices. They were Mr Clement Chen from the Federation of Hong Kong Industries, Mr Paul Yin Tek-shing from the Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong, Dr Alice YT Cheng from the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce, Mr John C C Chan from the Employers' Federation of Hong Kong, and Mr Anthony Yeung from the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce.

Ends/Friday, December 10, 2004

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