Future Forum 2008 Survey Results

J. Creek & A. McLaughlin

Survey Questions

1. How old are you?

2. Are you male or female?

3. What company do you work for?

4. Where are you located?  How long have you been working in the

chemical industry?

5. Career progression - how many jobs/ work promotions have you

had? 

Has your perception of the chemical industry changed since you

first started work?

6. If yes, was your perception more or less favorable towards the

chemical industry?

Survey Questions Cont…

7. Before starting your employment in the chemical industry what were

the most important factors to you when looking for a company to work

for?

8. Have any of these factors changed now that you work in the chemical

industry

9. If yes, please rank the following according to what motivates or

influences your decision now in your career and when choosing a

company to work for.

10. Why did you choose to work in the chemical industry?

11. If you were given 3 wishes by your company what would you change

about your job or the chemical industry?

How old are you?

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36Age

No

. o

f P

arti

cip

ants

Male or Female?

0 5 10 15 20 25

Male

Female

No of Participants

What company do you work for?

Eastman Chemical Company

Croda Chemicals Europe Ltd

INEOS

Foster Wheeler Energy Limited

Dow Corning Ltd

GlaxoSmithKline

AMEC

Evonik Degussa

Chemistry Innovation

Rohm and Haas

Innospec Ltd

Urenco UK Ltd

Aesica Pharmaceuticals Ltd

BASF

Ciba UK Ltd

Where are you located?

Kirkby, Liverpool, UK Goole , East Yorkshire, UK

Grangemouth, Scotland, UK

Reading, Berkshire, UK

Barry, South Wales, UK

Bradford, West Yorkshire, UK

Dartford, Kent, UK

West Midlands, UK,

Rhineland-Palatina, Germany

Montrose, Scotland, UK

Northumberland, UK

Shanghai, China

Guangzhou, Guangdong, China

North West, UK

Cheshire, England

Darlington, UK West Yorkshire, UK

Ellesmere Port, North West, UK

How long have you been working in the industry?

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

< 1 Year

> 1 Year

> 2 Years

> 3 Years

> 4 Years

> 5 Years

> 6 Years

> 7 Years

> 10 Years

> 11 Years

> 12 Years

> 13 Years

> 14 Years

Ye

ars

in C

he

m.In

du

str

y

No. of Participants

How many jobs/promotions have you had?

0 2 4 6 8 10

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

> 7

No

of

Jo

bs

/pro

mo

tio

ns

No. of Participants

Has your perception of the industry changed since you first started work?

0 5 10 15 20 25 30

Yes

No

No. of Participants

Was your perception more or less favorable towards the chemical industry? - More

• 18 perceived the industry more favourable after working in it• Benefit of industry to society and economy not known. • Bad stories in the press.• Better at HSE than expected – going beyond legal requirements &

the products give greater energy efficiency to end users• More opportunities & diversity available than previously thought.• Stronger employment position than previously thought• Better pay/terms and conditions – remuneration package.

Was your perception more or less favorable towards the chemical industry? - Less

• Too sales driven• Too much regulation• Falling behind developing countries due to lack of investment• Highly affected by crude prices, costs cannot be passed to end

user.• Less money in the industry than previously thought.• Less opportunities for travel• Manufacturing dwindling• Less pay than expected compared to other sectors.

What were the most important factors to you when looking for a company to work for?

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Company Size (9.8)

Benefits/Penion (9.7)

Company Ethics (9.6)

Company Culture (9.0)

Travel (8.5)

Bonus Schemes (8.2)

Company Reputation (7.8)

Work/life balance (6.9)

Location (6.8)

Job Security (6.4)

Challenging Work (5.8)

Training/Development (5.5)

Progression (4.5)

Salary (3.7)

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

Have any of these factors changed now that you work in the chemical industry?

0 5 10 15 20 25

No

Yes

No. of Participants

If yes, rank the following according to what motivates or influences your decision

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Company Size (10.3)

Travel (9.8)

Pension/Benefits (9.4)

Company Ethics (9.3)

Bonus Schemes (8.5)

Company Culture (7.8)

Location (7.3)

Training/Development (7.1)

Company Reputation (7.0)

Work/Life Balance (6.4)

Job Security (6.3)

Challenging Work (5.9)

Salary (5.3)

Career Progression (4.6)

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

Comparison of priorities before and after working in Industry

Before working in industry Rank After working in industry

Salary (3.7) 1 Career Progression (4.6)

Career Progression (4.5) 2 Salary (5.3)

Training/Development (5.5) 3 Challenging Work (5.9)

Challenging Work (5.8) 4 Job Security (6.3)

Job Security (6.4) 5 Work/Life Balance (6.4)

Location (6.8) 6 Company Reputation (7.0)

Work/life balance (6.9) 7 Training/Development (7.1)

Company Reputation (7.8) 8 Location (7.3)

Bonus Schemes (8.2) 9 Company Culture (7.8)

Travel (8.5) 10 Bonus Schemes (8.5)

Company Culture (9.0) 11 Company Ethics (9.3)

Company Ethics (9.6) 12 Benefits/Pensions (9.4)

Benefits/Pension (9.7) 13 Travel (9.8)

Company Size (9.8) 14 Company Size (10.3)

Why did you choose to work in the chemical industry?

• School work experience – 5% (2)

• Family Member influence – 8% (3)

• Teacher – 5% (2)

• Placement – 24% (9)

• Job available – 13% (5)

• Keen interest in field – 13% (5)

• Career opportunities – 13% (5)

Three Wishes…!

• Dedicated time and opportunities for involvement with young people & community

• Industry to become more transparent- sell itself, resources to improve the image of the industry through best practice

• More resources put into graduate recruitment, bringing young people into the company,

• Easier to change job roles to get wider experience, more opportunities to travel

• More training and emphasis on personal development• More interest shown in Work/life balance• Improve moral by awarding benefits – etc Make staff partners,

not just employees, Bupa, holidays, bonuses – to feel valued• More women in higher positions, Better attitude towards

women• More responsibility• Flexi time/ working from home

Three Wishes Cont…!

• Improve links between sites, plants and businesses• More innovation / cleaner technology• Companies to be less adverse to risk• Less regulation • Less depency on energy prices• Less waste in the office• Fewer levels of organisation, More communication between

senior management and employees.• Government schemes to encourage businesses to locate to the

UK• Better job security• Better pay• Bigger projects / more challenging work