Proton has been celebrated for its exceptional learning and development initiatives, sustainable human resources (HR) practices, and outstanding employer development programs. The company received accolades at the prestigious Employee Experience Awards 2024 and People & Purpose Awards 2024 held in May and June. These recognitions underscore Proton’s commitment to nurturing talent and fostering a sustainable work culture, driving the company towards greater advancements.
The Employee Experience Awards, organized by Human Resources Online Awards, recognized Proton’s Human Capital Division (HCD) in two categories: Gold in Best First-Time Manager Programme and Gold in Best Learning and Development Programme. The first award highlights Proton’s comprehensive initiatives that help new leaders thrive and contribute effectively, while the second acknowledges efforts to equip employees with valuable skills, knowledge, and advancement opportunities.
Similarly, the People & Purpose Awards 2024 by SEEK, which celebrates passionate and purpose-driven HR practitioners in Malaysia, honored Proton’s HCD with Platinum in Best Sustainable HR Practices and Gold in Best Employer Development Program. The former award applauds Proton’s practices that balance business objectives with employee well-being, driving organizational goals. The latter validates Proton’s in-house training programs and career development initiatives.
These achievements can be attributed to the robust HR system led by Amran bin Mohd Tomin, who became the Vice President of HCD in March 2016. Under his leadership, the HCD department developed a human capital strategy aligned with business requirements, restructured roles and functions, and streamlined workflows to support various divisions, particularly in sales, after-sales, and manufacturing.
Following its partnership with Geely, Proton established a new strategy based on collaboration requirements, consisting of seven strategic thrusts evolving into four shared values: Teamwork, Achiever, Respect, and Integrity (TARI). A significant change was the creation of the HR Business Partner role to enhance business acumen between HR leaders and divisions such as manufacturing, sales, after-sales, and technical engineering support.
As the company returned to profitability, a second phase of HCD restructuring occurred from 2019 to 2020, aiming to bridge the gap between talent capabilities and company requirements. Simultaneously, Proton’s HR department was strengthened to better manage talents, culture, and organizational design, supported by a 10-year business plan aligning company goals with employees’ aspirations.
Guided by Organisational Resources Optimisation (ORO) over the past four years, Proton has focused on rightsizing operations for cost optimization, savings, and avoiding redundancy. ORO 2.0, initiated this year, extends these activities by identifying non-core processes for outsourcing as profit-oriented activities, without reducing manpower but rather merging roles where possible.
Despite these efforts, as the company accelerates, the need for external recruitment to complement existing skills becomes more apparent. In the past four to five years, Proton has hired over 3,000 people while experiencing an annual attrition rate of about 10 to 11%. Additionally, the company aims for internal promotions to account for 10% to 20% of its workforce at any level.
To bolster its talent pipeline, Proton launched the Proton Young Talents (PYT) programme in 2018, targeting the recruitment of 100 young talents annually. After initial rotations through four core divisions, 30 to 50 talents are absorbed into permanent roles to support key business functions over the subsequent five years.
“Assigning the right individuals to the right roles at the right time is key to guiding the company towards further expansion. Thus, we continue to invest in our talents, deploy leaders and executives who align with divisional restructuring, and prioritize internal career development,” said Amran bin Mohd Tomin, Vice President of Human Capital Division, Proton.
