46 Human resources
In 2011 Genève Aéroport created new jobs, the additional staff being recruited to respond to the continued growth in passenger numbers and to enhance service quality. The airport also created new roles to support the airport’s ongoing transformation and to help organise the increasing complexity of airport management.
As a result, for the first time Genève Aéroport’s workforce passed the 800-employee mark. On 31 December 2011 the airport employed as many as 837 people – 43 more than the same day in 2010, and 169 more than five years ago. Furthermore, to provide a complete picture of the situation, to this expanded workforce of permanent employees we must add 83 auxiliary staff. The largest increases in employment were seen in two departments, Passenger Security, and Infrastructure and Planning. This growth demonstrates Genève Aéroport’s commitment to enhancing passenger comfort and convenience by employing the staff needed to minimise waiting times at security checkpoints; and it reflects the airport’s many ongoing infrastructure-related projects.
This quantitative response was accompanied by structural changes. The expansion of Genève Aéroport’s senior management team in 2010 – now four-strong – was an opportunity to rethink the organisation and redefine roles and responsibilities. In 2011 this thinking became reality through various organisational changes.
Redesigned organisational chart
One aim of this reorganisation was to improve airside-landside links to ensure a more proactive approach and to strengthen abilities in managing complexity. During the year, the airport’s organisational chart was amended accordingly. To better accompany the passenger on his or her way, two divisions, Passengers and Operations, were combined into a new division, Operations Department. This division oversees the Reception & Protocol, Parking, and Runway and Apron Management System departments.
At the same time a new division was created to focus entirely on security. This brings together security officers and firefighter supervisors, who account for over a third of Genève Aéroport staff. Lastly, created in 2011, the new Airport Steering division has operational authority 24 hours a day and is responsible for coordinating and planning airport activity between Genève Aéroport’s various departments and its partners. These three divisions (“Operations Departement”, “Security” and “Airport Steerimg”), are attached to Operations management.
Progress with the ConvergenceS project In the area of safety, the ConvergenceS project aims to combine the City of Geneva’s (SIS) and Genève Aéroport’s (SSA) firefighting and rescue capabilities in one place, on the right shore. The project is intended to: further increase their operational capacity; expand their geographical coverage; and provide the SIS (Fire and Rescue Department) with a second fire station that is operational 24 hours a day. This will be achieved by the construction of a new fire station serving the needs of the airport and the whole region, in terms of both professional firefighters and emergency medical transport. In 2011 this project progressed according to sched-
ule. The joint facility will eventually have around 400 staff, with over a quarter coming from Genève Aéroport’s Airport Safety Service (SSA).
Publication of the second social report
Among its objectives, Genève Aéroport’s social report aims to provide another view of the company, explain recent organisational changes and detail various aspects of human resources. After the first edition published in 2009, a second version of this employee-focused communication aid came out in 2011. This document provides a wealth of concrete information to help communicate with all staff and create links between divisions.