Porto City Council: Humanizing people management

Porto City Council: Humanizing people management | Talent Portugal Blog
A closer relationship and more humanized People Management is Porto City Council's response to the challenge of attracting and retaining talent.

This article is part of the special “Employer Branding Best Practices” published in the January 2024 edition of Human Resources, within the Employer Branding Conference 2024, promoted by Talent Portugal.

We seek to create value for people through People Management focused on developing motivation and commitment, which responds to the needs of the organization and each employee.

In today's competitive corporate world, attract and retain talent is a constant challenge for companies and organizations. Aware of this competitiveness, the Porto City Council (CMP) monitors job market trends and fosters proximity with all potential candidates. For this institution, the focus is on People Management more and more way e next, based on capacity, development e workers' well-being, seeking to contribute to its satisfaction e loyalty.

Aware of the importance of the work it carries out daily, for the benefit of the citizens and people who live in the city of Porto, it is important for the Municipality that this commitment is also reflected externally. In this sense, the CMP and the Municipal Companies (EM) have been developing a People Management Strategy based on continuous development, and on leadership training, and on career progression prospects, and on promoting work-life balance, and in work with purpose. For the Porto City Council, «the strategy of Employer Branding is supported by the value we have to offer our employees and candidates. We seek create value for people through People Management focused on development of motivation e commitment, which responds to the needs of the organization and each worker».

To ensure its success, they are committed to “providing a positive experience for employees throughout their life cycle in the organization, starting at the application stage and culminating in retirement. We personalize contact with each candidate, welcome each new employee through an integration program, and subsequently invest in their training and skills development.”

Additionally, the strategy includes the promoting work-life balance and bet on physical and mental health of workers, reflected in several benefits, such as protocols with external entities, promotion of well-being (psychology consultations, curative medicine consultations, yoga classes, among others) and the flexible hours. «And because our closeness goes beyond the strict professional path, we have developed a retirement preparation program, which aims to continue active and participatory life paths”, they add.

Following the strategy of Employer Branding, the CMP assumes a strong employer brand, which uses an essential communication vehicle: the “Porto” brand, who lives by the slogan “The City Calls You!”. “We reinforce this brand, on a daily basis, by fostering proximity to young talents, with the presence of CMP at job fairs, vocational training schools, secondary schools and universities, and by participating in forums and conferences in the area”, adds the same source.

Pole of attraction and talent training

In addition to its strategic location, Porto has important infrastructures, One favorable cost-benefit ratio for investment and a undeniable quality of life, reasons that justify the fact that the city of Porto has an attractive talent pool for companies. In this context, two projects to support talent retention and attract investment emerged: TERA and Porto Leading Investors (PLI).

Created in 2023, the TERA (abbreviation of Talent, Evolve, Retain and Attract) assumes the attraction strategy, development e talent fixation, boosting the careers of those who live, study and work in the city of Porto. «The aim is for Porto to be national and international reference while employment promoter with reskilling and upskilling opportunities, creating and dynamizing a sustainable talent ecosystem», adds the same source. Through TERA, the Municipality of Porto promotes a set of initiatives with the aim of to make the job market known quality attract talent, at the same time as develops the talent ecosystem e boosts careers of those who choose Porto to live, study and work.

Already PLI project, developed by InvestPorto since 2022, has allowed a articulation with companies No. scope of your talent strategy. In CMP's view, this program strategic account management was created to contribute to the attraction of emblematic investments for the economic development of Porto. PLI are companies that represent the talent, competitiveness and city ​​innovation dynamics and which have contributed to the consolidation of Porto as a international technology hub by creating added value and generating employment. “The PLI programme has 43 companies from 12 different countries, with an average export share of over 80%, responsible for an investment in the city of over 620 million euros, with over 1000 billion euros of turnover in Portugal, as well as the creation of over 11 qualified jobs”, explains Porto City Council.

However, the Municipality points out several challenges across all areas in attracting and retaining talent in the city. To respond to these, the CMP is investing in thedevelopment of recruitment initiatives and networking we bring companies and job seekers closer together, increasing the opportunities to retain talent in Porto. Regarding the retention of young talent, the promoting the link between the academic world and the world of work, namely through projects such as Summer opPORTOnities program and Porto Summer Academy.

The growing migratory movements are also a challenge, leading the Municipality, in partnership with other entities, to create a pilot strategy for integrating migrants into the job market, through “Porto_4_All” project.

On the other hand, the professional integration of people with disabilities or incapacities (PCDI) is also a challenge for the organization. «To this end, the (D) Efficiency project, in partnership with other entities in the city, with the purpose of raise awareness among companies to importance of diversity, equity e inclusion, is for empowering PCDI for employability», highlights the Porto City Council.

For the future, plans point to creation of transversal talent management strategies, enhancing the continuous professional integration of the population, existing skills and facilitating access to reskilling and upskilling opportunities together with the different stakeholders in Porto, thus strengthening the talent ecosystem.

Do you want to know more about the Employer Branding Conference?

Subscribe to the Newsletter Talent Portugal and find out about the latest recruiting news in your area!

Other articles you may be interested in ________

Subscribe to the Newsletter today Talent Portugal and find out about the latest recruitment news from companies in your sector!

Other articles that may interest you