At all ConocoPhillips locations across the globe, we seek to attract and develop local talent, build capability and identify local and global leaders. To support this goal, talent management teams (TMTs) are in place to manage critical skill needs.  Additionally, managers and supervisors are responsible for managing individual employee performance and development through the performance management process.  A central talent management center of excellence provides the TMTs, managers and supervisors with expertise and guidance to support this important work.

As part of our future work force planning, we are actively working to increase student interest in key professions. Our efforts include college recruiting, a strong internship program, scholarship support and a heavy focus on early-career development.

In the United States, our SPIRIT Scholars Program provides educational and financial support to top students majoring in business administration, engineering, science and geosciences. The program helps us identify, develop and build relationships with the best students in vital disciplines. Nine U.S. universities participate in the program, which provides financial support and offers students mentoring partnerships with ConocoPhillips employees and summer internships involving participation in leadership, team-building and other self-development activities. Ultimately, successful participants have the opportunity of full-time employment with the company. Employee mentors meet with their student scholars several times a year, participate in academic activities and offer counsel, guidance and real-world experiences.

Historically, ConocoPhillips has hired a significant number of its entry-level full-time employees from its intern pool, making a ConocoPhillips internship mutually beneficial. Internships provide us the chance to get to know students better, while students can determine if the energy industry fulfills their career aspiration. We provide each intern with unique and challenging projects that will enrich their knowledge about their field of study, our company and the energy industry as a whole. Also, each intern has the opportunity to network with other interns, their team and ConocoPhillips management through events, such as “lunch-n-learn” sessions, social activities and field trips.

Whether our newly hired employees come to ConocoPhillips straight from college or as experienced professionals, we provide development programs to ensure they have the skills and expertise to optimize their performance in ConocoPhillips.

As part of our focus to help retain skilled employees, we conduct global exit surveys of those who voluntarily leave the company. The results help us understand why employees choose to leave, and identify ways to better retain them.  Many of the questions we ask in this survey mirror those in our employee opinion survey, which help determine if the changes we make in the company are supporting our retention goals.