HP employees

Our employees are integral to the success of our business. Their talent, expertise and skills drive everything from how we innovate products and manage our supply chain to how we connect with customers and collaborate with partners. Recruiting and retaining the best people is a key competitive advantage, and we strive to create a supportive, motivating work environment where all employees can flourish.

Much of our focus in 2009 was on integrating those who joined HP through the acquisition of EDS, which increased our number of employees to 304,000¹. This section represents our combined workforce. In some cases, this makes it difficult to compare data or progress in 2009 with previous years, which we have noted.

Our employment policies apply globally and reflect our commitment to fair treatment of all employees wherever we operate. At a minimum, we comply with local laws, but our own policies often set a more demanding standard:

• Best Work Environment Policy Defines the standards of personal conduct that we expect employees to meet to contribute to a positive, productive work environment
• Open Door Policy Reflects our commitment to open communications and a workplace where each person's voice is heard
• Human Rights and Labor Policy Commits us to fair treatment of all employees wherever we operate

We provide channels to report policy violations anonymously, and we fully investigate all issues raised.

In this section we describe our commitment to employees in the following areas:

• Diversity
• Compensation and benefits
• Employee engagement
• Employees and global citizenship
• People development
• Work-life programs
• Health, safety and wellness

1. ¹ As of October 31, 2009