Compensation, Benefits and Well-being
Our compensation and benefits philosophy and the overall structure of our programs are designed to reward all employees who contribute to our success. We offer competitive, performance-based compensation packages and have global equitable pay practices . Our global benefits are competitive, inclusive and align with our culture. We provide family-friendly policies such as flexible work schedules, competitive time off, paid leave to care for seriously ill family members and parental leave in many locations.
Our compensation programs are generally comprised of a base pay rate, the annual Variable Cash Incentive Program (VCIP) and, for eligible employees, the Restricted Stock Unit (RSU) program. From the CEO to the frontline worker, every employee participates in VCIP, our annual incentive program, which aligns employee compensation with ConocoPhillips’ success on critical performance metrics and also recognizes individual performance. Our RSU program is designed to attract and retain employees, reward performance and align employee interest with stockholders by encouraging stock ownership. Our retirement and savings plans are intended to support employees’ financial futures and are competitive within local markets.
Our global wellness programs are designed to educate participants and promote a healthy lifestyle. Each year, we host a six-week global competition featuring health and wellness activities called the SPIRIT of Wellness challenge. In 2021, nearly 2,000 employees and contractors participated as individuals or as part of a team. The event included three challenges: Move, Eat Right and Stress Less. Recording their activities daily, participants earned points and tracked their progress on Individual and Team Leaderboards. Read more about the 2021 challenge.
Ensuring our employees’ health and well-being remained an ongoing focus as the world continued adapting to the realities of COVID-19. In 2021, COVID-19 activities were guided by our three companywide priorities, set during early pandemic stages: protect our employees and contractors, mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and safely run the business. We have acted on these priorities via a coordinated crisis management support team, frequent workforce communications and flexible programs to suit the challenging environment. Our office and field staffs adhered to rigorous mitigation protocols implemented across operations, utilizing the most current guidance from health authorities. Mitigation measures, including requirements for remote work, vaccines and testing, were driven by the specific circumstances applicable to a region or business function.
In the U.S., we partner with U.S. employees who participate in ConocoPhillips’ medical plan to promote accountability for personal health through our Health Improvement Incentive Program. This voluntary program encourages healthy behaviors, provides insights into potential health risks and offers opportunities to improve overall health. Employees can earn incentives toward medical premiums by completing a series of steps, including the newly added mental well-being incentive. In 2021, 75% of participants completed a biometric screening, of which 85% earned the mental well-being incentive.
All employees have access to our employee assistance program, and many of our locations offer custom programs to support mental well-being.