Hong Kong¡¦s trams, dubbed as the ¡§Ding Ding¡¨ by locals, have been traversing the bustling streets on Hong Kong Island since 1904, carrying Hongkongers and the city¡¦s collective memory for the second century by now. With retaining the tram¡¦s heritage at its heart, Hong Kong Tramways strives for excellence through nurturing talent, building trust with employees, and fulfilling its commitment to serving Hong Kong with enthusiasm.

Hong Kong Tramways is a member of France¡¦s RATP Dev Group, which operates public transport networks in over twenty countries across 5 continents. With the Group¡¦s strong support, the Company has been optimising its HR strategies in recent years, and has clinched ¡§The Employer of Choice Award¡¨, along with ¡§Employee Experience Award¡¨ and ¡§Workplace Culture Change Award¡¨ this year. ¡§We¡¦re thrilled that our team¡¦s contribution has been recognized by the awards and we hope to coomunicate Hong Kong Tramways¡¦ story so that jobseekers know more about us,¡¨ said Kay Yeung, Head of Human Resources, Administration and Sustainability at Hong Kong Tramways.

Perpetuating Tram Craftsmanship by Attracting New Talent

Being one of the oldest public transport systems in Asia, trams in Hong Kong has always been an iconic symbol of the city¡¦s rich history. Since its founding in 1904, Hong Kong Tramways has always valued its people and their contribution, and has made continuous efforts in building a pleasant workplace where staff can feel the affability of ¡§Ding Ding¡¨, and ultimately improve employee engagement and service quality.

Hong Kong Tramways¡¦ participation in job fairs and media coverage in recent years has achieved impressive results in talent attraction, as Yeung revealed, ¡§we¡¦re receiving more inquiries from young people. With the businesses our team involves in, there¡¦re different positions for talent to develop and grow.¡¨ Yeung added that the Company was traditionally male-dominated, but in the past couple of years, more female and younger employees are joining the fleet. Last year, the proportion of female captains increased by 5.3%. At present, female frontline staff makes up 13% of the total workforce, which is considerably higher than the average in the sector.

¡§From designing, manufacturing to assemblying the trams, ¡¥Ding Dings¡¦ are 100% made in Hong Kong. As we strive to modernise tram structure and increase capacity, our demand for frontline technicians will rise over time,¡¨ she continued. With the mission of retaining the Hong Kong spirit and tram craftsmanship, the Company has launched apprenticeship and graduate trainee programmes that aim to develop young talent into heirs of its heritage and craftsmanship.

Refreshing the Century-old Brand through Innovation

While its extensive history inevitably gives ¡§Ding Ding¡¨ an old-fashioned vibe, Hong Kong Tramways has been constantly innovating and adapting to the ever-changing market. A smart tram management system was introduced in recent years to support tram location tracking and traffic accident black spot reminders to motormen to improve safety.

For HR practices, the Company embraces has launched ¡§Digital Recruiter¡¨ to digitalise the recruitment process, while an internal app named ¡§Tram Tram App¡¨ is adopted to promote effective communication. ¡§We value two-way communication¡Vwe stay connected with our staff via the app to improve communication, service control, fleet management, and operational efficiency,¡¨ Yeung said.

Creating Pleasant Employee Experience with a People-first Approach
At Hong Kong Tramways, ¡§people first¡¨ is not just a slogan. A ¡§people-first¡¨ HR strategy is implemented through five core pillars: remuneration and benefits, working environment, workplace culture, family-friendly policy, and employee wellness.

¡§We conduct regular review to ensure employees¡¦ renumberation packages are in-line with market levels. But more importantly, we also make sure that our staff work in a safe and comfortable workplace by constantly reviewing our infrastructure, and cultivating an enjoyable workplace through a slew of activities and employee-friendly policies, which boost cohesion and engagement,¡¨ she explained.

A series of family-friendly policies have been introduced to promote work-life balance. ¡§We offer paid child care and family care leave, so that our colleagues won¡¦t miss precious moments in their families. This year, we¡¦ve introduced full-pay maternity and paternity leave to cater the needs of young families. We also organise ¡¥Family Days¡¦ to engage employees and their families for a greater sense of belonging.¡¨ Furthermore, the Company partners with external organisations to provide counselling hotlines and one-on-one counselling service to support physical and mental health of its staff.

¡§With these initiatives, we hope to foster a more enjoyable workplace so that employees can share the unique ¡¥Ding Ding¡¦ culture with others and provide affordable, safe, and reliable transport services to the public,¡¨ Yeung concluded.