Human resources

STIB staff on the front line

Once again this year, STIB staff were on the front line to provide public transport in the capital. STIB launched a major campaign in early 2021 to thank its staff for their loyalty. This was the opportunity to highlight individuals who work every day to provide a quality service to passengers, regardless of the circumstances.

In 2021, STIB passed the symbolic milestone of 10,000 employees. But it's not stopping there. Given the many challenges ahead, the company must continue to hire new employees to replace retiring workers, but also to develop the mobility offer in Brussels.

More staff serving passengers

In 2021, STIB exceeded 10,000 employees. At 31 December 2021, the company had 10,221 employees (or 10,013 full-time equivalents). The growth in the workforce was +3.8% compared to 2020.

In the past year, 858 new employees joined the Brussels public transport company. Among these new recruits, most are drivers, but there are also many engineers and technical profiles.

These appointments are intended to replace retiring colleagues. They also enable STIB to expand and improve the public transport service in Brussels and implement network development projects.

STIB is still one of the largest employers in the Brussels-Capital Region, but is also and above all, a quality employer, as evidenced by its new Top Employer label.

STIB continues to employ more women

11.17% of women

STIB aims to increase its diversity by continuing to recruit as many women as possible, specifically among its field staff. In late 2021, the percentage of female employees was 11.17% compared to 9.8% five years earlier.

In 2021, for the first time in STIB's history, a woman became Deputy CEO. Tamara De Bruecker joined STIB in 2018 as Senior Vice President of Sales, Marketing & Network. She was appointed STIB number 2 and is now responsible for the general management of the company, alongside Brieuc de Meeûs, CEO.

Top Employer 2021

STIB was awarded the Top Employer 2021 label for the 7th year in a row. This recognition acknowledges companies that are committed to providing the best possible working environment for their employees through innovative human resources practices.

STIB underwent a rigorous independent study to secure this accreditation. The evaluation covered the human resources strategy and processes, as well as elements such as internal communication, values and how these are conveyed and experienced throughout the business. The mechanisms implemented to encourage discussions between employees were also included in the criteria examined.

Recruitment

760 vacancies in 2022

STIB continues to recruit in 2022. A total of 760 positions need to be filled, and these are only initial recruitment estimates based on new openings and expected departures in 2022. The construction of Metro line 3, the extension of the Erasme depot and the development of tram line 10 in Neder-Over-Heembeek, but also the increase in frequency, the introduction of new vehicles and digitalisation require new employees to meet the new challenges ahead and contribute to the mobility of the future through unique and ambitious projects.

Of the 760 positions to be filled, the vast majority are in driving: 480 bus drivers, 33 tram drivers and 46 metro drivers, plus 26 positions directly related to driving (dispatchers, planners, etc.), which is a total of 585 vacancies. STIB is also looking for more than 100 technical profiles, in particular engineers and technical graduates, in the fields of construction, electromechanics, IT & telecoms, among others. Some 60 positions are available in network security, signage and various support functions, particularly in the Human Resources and Finance divisions.

STIB is also recruiting 13 new Young Starters in 2022. Through this eponymous programme launched in 2016, young engineers have the opportunity to complete three 8-month assignments within STIB before choosing a specific department or field. A unique opportunity to discover the company and its different facets, but also various jobs before embarking on the longer term.

A first job at STIB

Multimodal staff member: a springboard for employment

STIB works with Actiris. By hiring job seekers as multimodal staff members, every year, it gives around 100 young people the chance to discover the world of work through a first professional experience. Their role is to support and help customers during their journey on the STIB network. In addition to the social nature of the process, this task provides added value for the passengers. At the end of their assignment, these young people are invited to take part in a career guidance interview, which gives them the opportunity to apply for a permanent job within STIB.

The Young Starter programme to recruit technical profiles

STIB hires 13 Young Starters

Launched in 2016, this programme allows young engineers or technical graduates to complete three 8-month internships within STIB: a golden opportunity to discover the company and its various professions, but also the world of work before moving into a specific role. This original formula allows STIB to attract highly sought-after technical profiles to carry out its numerous development projects planned for the coming years.

In 2022, STIB is recruiting 13 new Young Starters, giving them the opportunity to contribute to large-scale mobility projects in Brussels including Metro line 3, the new depot at Erasme, tram line 10 at Neder-Over-Heembeek or the acquisition of new vehicles.

Training

Cultivating talent in all circumstances

550,041 hours of training

Soft or hard skills, remote or classroom based learning, driving, technical or management, STIB offers a wide range of training to its employees. In 2021, it provided 550,041 hours of training. This is an impressive figure and testament to the department's resilience and creativity in the context of a health crisis.

While it is important to note the speed with which a range of quality distance learning courses have been offered, the majority of STIB staff work in the field. This is why state-of-the-art training in person in the very specific areas of driving, maintenance, electricity and safety has also been provided in-house.

Driving alone accounts for the majority of training hours, provided in-house by two centres: CEFOR (which trains bus and tram drivers) and the Metro Training Centre (MTC, which trains metro drivers). Despite the health crisis, the trainers did everything they could to maintain and adapt the training courses to the new standards imposed by the health crisis. The STIB Academy oversees the organisation of other training courses: handling equipment, software, languages, interpersonal skills, project management, etc.

Languages are an important part of the training programme in Brussels, which is why STIB has launched its TaalPLANgue. As the name implies, this is a comprehensive language training plan, aimed at providing the tools for learning the 2nd national language throughout the company. In 2021, it trained 940 people. All employees also have access to an online platform for customised language learning.

600 people trained to drive in 2021

• Bus: 400
• Tram: 140
• Metro: 60

The training centres have done a remarkable job in meeting the objectives set and, despite the health measures, have organised hundreds of thousands hours of training. It is important to understand that, from start to finish, learning to drive a bus, tram or metro is taught in-house, from theory to practice, including the simulator, breakdown services and customer contact. In total, the Metro Training Centre (MTC) and the Training Centre (Cefor) trained approximately 400 bus drivers and 140 tram drivers, as well as 60 metro drivers in 2021. The MTC also provides training to Field Support staff, who are responsible for securing the network, monitoring the infrastructure and supporting customers in the field.

In 2021, the training centres designed new driver training courses that include the specificities of the new TNG tram and M7 metro trains. They have also adapted the basic Bus training courses to make them more dynamic, deployed new digital tools and finalised the skills standardisation process for the Security teams.

The training centres are essential for training the hundreds of employees hired each year, but also for the ongoing training of STIB staff. Once again this year, they have gone above and beyond the call of duty to provide a quality service to customers.

Training and recruiting, a winning formula

STIB is constantly looking for new technical profiles. To this end, it works with the Cardinal Mercier Institute to set up in-house training sessions. Of the 12 students who completed the training, 9 graduated and 4 of them secured a contract at STIB. In September 2021, STIB selected 12 new candidates who will graduate in 2022.

In 2021, STIB also trained 179 technicians from the bus department in the fundamentals of electric propulsion, with a view to increasing their skills in the context of the conversion to an electric fleet.

Tailored e-learning

As a result of the health crisis, the STIB Academy has had to reinvent itself. Some training courses have been switched from classroom to remote learning and employees have had to be taught new skills. The success of the distance learning courses and the growing demands of STIB's different departments have encouraged the STIB Academy to acquire a digital content creation application.

STIB's various departments can now access tailored e-learning courses with the support and advice of the STIB Academy's Learning Partners.

A new leadership model

In 2020, STIB defined a new leadership model common to the entire company. In 2021, leadership training based on this new model, called DRIVIN'STIB, was provided to managers across many of the company's departments. The DRIVIN'STIB model is now used at most of STIB's management levels and 1,045 supervisors were trained in 2021.

Leadership training also resulted in 515 activities, such as kick-off meetings, training courses, meetings and even coaching in the Operations Movement and Technical, Sales, Marketing & Network, Rolling Stock and Infrastructure departments.

Five structural routes have been specially designed for operational managers, an initial experiment that will be extended to other target audiences.

The leadership development will continue in 2022.

A new training centre

In November 2021, the STIB Academy moved to its new premises. More modern, user-friendly and comfortable, they provide Stibians with a real learning experience. New features include two computer rooms, a brainstorming room, a quiet room and smart interactive whiteboards.

Diversity

Diversity at the core of our values

“Stereotypes hold us all back, [...] which is why I would like to ask everyone to #ChooseToChallenge”

Diversity is central to STIB's values. It is the result of a well-established corporate culture which the company is keen to maintain at all costs, as it constitutes its wealth, the key to success, harmony and well-being at work.

The first strategic diversity plan was completed at the end of 2021. It defined practical actions to accompany and support diversity in all its forms (in terms of culture, language, gender, age, appearance, sexual orientation...). In line with this strategy, a new action plan for the next two years is currently being validated.

STIB is proud to have been one of the first Belgian companies to initiate an open dialogue about sexism through a major awareness campaign for its staff. The workplace does not escape the stereotypes deeply rooted in our societies. Raising awareness is a first step in identifying, recognising and combating these prejudices and enabling everyone to feel respected in their professional and private lives.

STIB has also embarked on a process of revising its neutrality policy in order to allow, in the long term, the wearing of certain symbols of religious or philosophical beliefs in the company, while ensuring that the service provided to the citizen remains neutral and that everyone's freedom of opinion is guaranteed in the workplace. In order to carry out the various aspects of this mission successfully and encourage support for change within the company, STIB is supported by external expertise. A call for tenders for a framework agreement for services was issued in July 2021.

Difference, added value for the company

In 2021, STIB continued to work with the non-profit organisation DiversiCom, whose mission is to promote diversity in the workplace and the employment of people with disabilities. This partnership has resulted in several internship offers. It was against this backdrop that a visually impaired person, trained in computer coding, joined the team responsible for developing STIB's digital tools. This partnership has allowed STIB to make better provisions for the specific needs of people with disabilities. STIB also participated in the "speed dating" project which aimed to evaluate matches between the profiles of candidates with disabilities and open positions at STIB.

On 1 January 2021, the first employee hired under a CAP (professional adaptation contract) was given a permanent contract at STIB. Since then, he has held the position of Network Signage Inspector. The COCOF's PHARE service (Disabled Person Autonomy Sought) and the DiversiCom non-profit organisation, which help companies to employ people with disabilities, continue to monitor his successful integration within STIB. Based on this positive pilot experience, STIB intends to repeat this enriching experience for the company.

Employee well-being

Prevention and support

The health crisis, which continued into 2021, was a source of stress for many employees: new ways of protecting themselves, new rules to be observed by customers on the network, new working methods.

STIB is keen to support its staff in their daily work and respond to their concerns, which is why the social advisors have responded both in the field and remotely.

In addition to the measures implemented for its field staff, STIB adapted very quickly to the need for increased remote working by updating its procedures, developing appropriate software and defining a new regulatory framework. In the field, the measures put in place in 2020 to ensure the safety of staff and passengers have continued, with the intensive cleaning of vehicles and the distribution of masks and hand sanitiser.

Social advisors present on all fronts

The role of social advisors is to support staff with both their professional and personal issues. They can also help with conflict management. They are specially trained in mediation techniques and assist teams and management in complex situations.

In the field, staff have been given new tasks and responsibilities related to the health measures. Every day, STIB staff makes sure that these rules are observed with confidence and professionalism. To support them through these changes, social advisors have remained available in the field in order to be as close as possible to the employees in driving, Field Support and sales outlets and those from any other department in the field.

Administrative staff have had to get used to working remotely, which has been more or less easy depending on personalities and personal situations. The social advisors were also on hand to support employees who were experiencing difficulties in adapting and, in particular, balancing their private and professional lives. A workshop on stress and the specific needs of people during lockdown and remote working periods was developed. One of the goals was to help recognise the signs of stress resulting from isolation and suggest ways to deal with it.

A new policy for remote working

Remote working, sometimes recommended, sometimes mandatory, has been one of the government's flagship measures in combating the spread of Covid-19. Like many companies, STIB has made every effort to make remote working possible for all roles that allow it, under the best conditions and by providing suitable tools. At the same time, it has developed a structural remote working policy, so as to perpetuate the experiment when the health situation allows.

A new remuneration policy

In 2021, STIB introduced a new remuneration policy that is more transparent and promotes internal mobility. The new system concerns the company's 6,500 workers, whose job classification has been simplified and standardised.

This was a long-term project for the HR teams, who spent eight years working on it in close consultation with social partners. In addition, the new job classification for workers greatly simplifies the management systems and promotes the digitalisation of processes, as well as strengthens managerial proximity and stimulates the use of languages.

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