With over 1000 employees, the companies of the engineering cluster pursue a policy of personal and professional development for all those who work with us.

STRATEGY AND INNOVATION
In a strategy based on innovation, training and exchange of knowledge, the working methodologies are consolidated by the use of platforms such as mySAP ERP 2005, an EMC2 Documentum content management solution and a radiofrequency system (wireless 802.11g) with the barcoding of materials and equipment essential for the management of stocks and equipment.

TRAINING
Personnel Management is an integrated process which begins with recruitment and selection (attracting) and is consolidated by training, performance management (developing) and social climate management (motivating & retaining).
A range of instruments make up part of this process above and beyond that which we intend as the culture of the company itself, in the sense of valuing the most important of company resources.
Cooperation protocols with universities in conjunction with internships constitute dynamic forms of exchange, development and recycling. Due to their diversity these take several different formats for example the Espehera Engineering Protocol with the Faculty of Business Science & Economy of the Universidade Católica de Lisboa which began in 1998 and by way of which 179 staff members from the Organisation have already attended Advanced Management Programmes.
In 2006, the Collaboration Agreement signed with the Institute of Employment & Vocational Training within the context of the New Opportunities Initiative, enabled employee qualification to be inserted into the sphere of Education & Training Systems, thus providing the conditions for effective participation in actions conducive to training and certification by way of Recognition, Validation and Skills' Certification (RVCC) processes which in the short-term allow for elevated levels of qualification.

INTERNAL CUSTOMER
Since 2000, a survey has been carried out of employees at Esphera Engenharia in order to ascertain their level of satisfaction and adjustment to the organisation, as well as their opinion on a number of Company aspects including, Work Posts, Recognition & Rewards, Cooperation & Communication, Leadership, Training & Development, Quality, Safety & The Environment, Organisational Context & Reflection Context.
Staff Get-togethers have been held every year since 1994 and currently involve around 150 employees, with the aim of developing team spirit and communication, generating a feeling of belonging to a group and improving the way in which people interact and work together.

PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT
Performance Management began at the Esphera Group by way of the SMILE (System for the Improvement of Strategic Survey Incentives) programme implemented in a department with 83 employees in 2004, with the primary aim of creating and incentives system in order to retain key employees.
This need was also reinforced by the pressure exercised by some technicians who wished closer contact with the objectives of and their relationship with their superiors.
This experience has enabled us to collect some information and reflect on the results obtained in order to improve our system.