The retention of high quality personnel and their development through comprehensive organisational planning remains the cornerstone of the company’s personnel management. Closely aligned with this is the implementation of a performance driven culture that enables staff to maximise their outputs to the best of their respective abilities.

To ensure that staff realise their full potential the organisation provides a supportive infrastructure allowing participative target setting, decision-making and equitable, performance based remuneration. An integrated performance-reward system measures performance results and allocates commensurate compensation as part of a total reward culture.

ArcelorMittal South Africa remains committed to its skills development and training programmes despite the current economic downturn. Currently 5% of the company’s payroll is spent on training programmes - R60 million in 2008 and a budgeted R80 million in 2009.

The company is recognised by the Manufacturing, Engineering, Related Industries Sector Education and Training Authority (Merseta) as a platinum-ranked skills development company - the top ranking in the industry. It is also member of the Accelerated Artisan Training Programme, a group of six leading South African companies which have committed to the South African government to training more skills than is needed for their own requirements.

The company is committed to harnessing the full spectrum of skills within the South African population by providing equal employment opportunities. Employment equity and a commitment to cultural diversity are cornerstones of its employment policy. This is particular evident in its skills development programme, where around 80% of its 2009 intake of over 1 500 trainees are EE candidates.