First 100 days: Cola firm's winning formula

MANILA, Philippines - Talent is the vital force of any organization—the key ingredient to organizational success. That is why companies pour in resources to support recruitment practices to acquire top talent. But recruitment doesn’t end here. You have to seek the right fit for a person’s talent. This is where Asiawide Refreshments Corporation (ARC), the Philippine licensed bottler of RC Cola, has struck a winning formula.

“It’s all about paying attention to assimilating the talent we select,” remarks Raul D. Villapaña, Assistant Vice President for Human Resources and Corporate Communications. Assimilation is achieved by developing the new hire’s talent through progressively meaningful assignments.

Taking a cue from late US president Franklin D. Roosevelt’s “First 100 Days,” ARC has redefined a new hire’s assimilation into ARC. “The First 100 Days Performance Plan” was crafted to support new employees while on probation through a first 100 days training plan prepared by the immediate superior of the probationary employee.

The immediate superior specifies the steps that new employees need to undergo to be able to carry out their work functions. On the part of ARC, it is really all about defining the desired outcome through the training plan and letting the individual utilize their talents to achieve them.

The next immediate superior tracks the progress of the training plan while the HR ensures that the plan is implemented by the superiors. “The First 100 Days policy is still a six-month performance appraisal system. Instead of waiting for six months, we can easily guide the new employee in his or her third month,” Villapaña affirms.

ARC credits its growth, organizational strength and competitiveness in this hands-on approach of leading and managing their people. Since the company’s inception in 2003, ARC has devoted its energies not only in building its recruitment practices to acquire top talent, but importantly supporting the talent development and retention practices that engage employees’ hearts and minds. “After all,” Villapaña adds, “how employees are made to feel about their work makes all the difference.”

ARC harnesses their employees’ unique strengths by investing heavily on learning opportunities such as workshops and training programs, as well as appropriating the needed budget to help further their talents. Building on their capabilities, ARC sponsors qualified employees to participate in both internal and external seminars. This move allows them to grow professionally as promotion from the ranks is prioritized within the company.

The guidance and training gained during the First 100 days ensures that new employees understand the importance of their work as this relates to the company’s strategic goals. Villapaña affirms, “That is why the First 100 days plan is even more important because it is a way of engaging employees, upon which ARC’s success is increasingly reliant.”

Numerous studies have shown that taking a sincere interest in employee’s welfare associate with a low turnover rate. Villapaña concludes that ARC is a growing company where people-centered practices often take precedence over stern business methods. With this winning formula, a fruitful and refreshing life is thus ensured for employees at ARC.