At Total, looking beyond the immediate horizon and thinking in ten to 20-year increments is both a mindset and a requirement of our business. Naturally, we take the same approach to our core human resources policies, which are pivotal to our future success and ability to meet major challenges - such as managing increasingly complex projects, predicting the magnitude of future shakeups in the energy industry, expanding dialogue with all stakeholders and encouraging initiative without sacrificing cohesiveness, one of our strengths.

These challenges point up the scope of Total's requirements in terms of employee backgrounds and qualifications, especially in high-technology sectors. However, a few figures also underscore the wealth of opportunities we offer. Total operates in 130 host countries, offers jobs in 500 different professional disciplines, and hires almost 10,000 people annually, 56% of them outside Europe, of all educational levels, from young people beginning their careers to seasoned professionals.

Three-year turnover

Total's human resources community, a partner of our operational employees, juggles a number of projects simultaneously. It must prepare the next generation, attract talent from around the world while leveraging the experience of senior personnel, plan varied, rewarding careers, and offer attractive, fair compensation and working conditions. Projects under way include promoting mobility within the company, being open to new profiles and strengthening employee motivation by furthering their understanding of Total's strategy.

Although we aim to improve in all of the above areas, our human resources policies already in motion mean that turnover is fairly low - around 10% today - expressing better than words ever could our employees' attachment to Total.