Our employees
VKG aims to offer our people stability and a sense of security for the future, but given the volatility of the oil market and fickle government policies, achieving this is a major challenge.
Focal points of our personnel policy
- We value
- We recognise
- We support the team spirit
- We foster and develop young future employees
- We create a safe working environment
Viru Keemia Grupp’s success is based on competent and motivated employees who are dedicated and loyal in their work duties and jointly create value.
As at the end of December 2023, the Group employed 1,502 employees, including 1,184 men and 353 women. The number of male employees is significantly higher due to the larger proportion of physical work and positions in which it is not possible for women to work. The average age of employees is 46 years, with nearly 874 employees n the 35 to 54 age group. In 2023, 177 new employees joined, most in the age group of 25 to 44 years. The employment relationship ended with 208 employees. The labour turnover rate was 13% in 2023, of which voluntary turnover was 7%.
The average length of service of the Group’s employees is 10 years. We have 129 employees whose length of service is more than 25 years and 21 of them have been working in the Group for more than 40 years.
Several structural changes took place in the Group in 2023, the most important of which was the restructuring of Viru RMT, with employees being transferred from Viru RMT to Viru Keemia Grupp, VKG Oil and VKG Logistika.
The total number of the Group’s employees, changes in it and distribution across companies:
Effective and motivated work is directly reflected in a company’s financial results. We base our pay on the labour market conditions in the region, the salary market conditions applicable in the sector, the level of responsibility and qualification of the employees. The salaries paid in the Group are higher than the average salaries paid in Ida-Viru County and we successfully compete in the labour market. The Group applies a transparent performance pay system with clearly defined principles.
A satisfaction survey conducted among all the employees shows the dedication and loyalty of the Group’s employees. The 67-point dedication of VKG’s employees is higher than the average in Estonia. The level of dedication shows the great loyalty of the employees, their belief in the future and pride in working at VKG. A high willingness to recommend is also very important.
Expectations to the rules and principles of conduct of the employees are presented in a single document titled ‘Code of Ethics and Operating Principles’, the implementation of and compliance with which is under constant attention is everyday working life. Our employees’ national, gender, age and language diversity places high demands on us with regard to equal treatment, inclusion and notification. The uniform rules of conduct described in the personnel policy, the corporate values and the ethical code of conduct ensure honest and fair employment relationships and the loyalty of the employees.
The 2023 priorities in the development of employees included a mid-level manager development programme which was completed by 249 employees, and an internal instructor, mentor and tutor programme aimed at ensuring a systemic internal conveyance of professional competences. In 2023, 561 employees took part in internal training.
The Group focuses on ensuring a continuous inflow of new workforce and offering development opportunities to employees. We are also a place of practice for many students. VKG Oil’s new technological equipment operator project continued in 2023. Fourteen of VKG Oil’s technological equipment operators study and work under the workplace-based study programme of the Ida-Viru Vocational Education Centre, obtaining a vocational education. A workplace-based study group was also opened for industrial automation specialists. Those who complete the workplace-based study groups are an important addition to our qualified workforce in 2023 and 2024. In 2023, 42 students were granted internships, with the largest number of interns coming from the Ida-Viru Vocational Education Centre.
We continued paying scholarships in 2023 via the TalTech Development Fund to students of applied higher education, bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Scholarships were awarded to seven students who are acquiring an education in the areas of electrical power engineering and mechatronics, Earth’s crust resources, environmental, energy or chemical technology or thermal energy at the TalTech School of Engineering. The motivation of scholarship holders via the Development Fund continues also in 2024. In order to recognise and motivate the Group’s employees, a scholarship was founded in 2023 for the employees of the VKG Group companies who are studying in the areas of chemical technology and sustainable chemical technologies at the TalTech Virumaa College. The Group also continues to award a specific gold scholarship to the first-year students of the TalTech Virumaa College who have finished the upper-secondary school with a gold medal.