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Convenient learning opportunities:  Professional representative Alyssa Gibney attends a training program from the comfort of her home. E-learning technology not only helps employees gain new skills, it also helps them better manage their personal time by avoiding the need to travel to meetings.     Developing a satisfying and productive work environment does not happen by chance – it hinges on Merck’s ability to provide all employees with a workplace that fosters innovation and leadership.     In the last several years, through our award-winning Leadership Development Strategy, Merck has focused on developing the skills and leadership abilities of Merck employees at all levels.     Outside Voices     Merck understands that its influence extends beyond its core business mission. While we believe we have succeeded in being a responsible corporate citizen of the world, it’s always gratifying to have independent, third-party confirmation about the quality of our efforts. Here are Merck’s accomplishments that won external recognition in 2000. Click here for more.      To determine how well that strategy has worked, Merck surveyed all its employees in 2000. A total of 86 percent responded – one of the highest response rates across 65 high-performing companies against which Merck benchmarks. An overwhelming majority of employees – 73 percent – expressed a high level of commitment to the Company and 74 percent said, “the Company as a whole is well managed.” Both those responses were well above the benchmark norms.     Clearly, Merck’s Leadership Development Strategy is working. One reason why is that it caters to employees’ specific needs. For example, newly hired employees need to learn how to navigate Merck’s processes and culture. Merck speeds the learning curve by pairing the newcomers with Merck veterans. Today, more than 400 new employees in the United States and Canada participate in Merck’s Mentoring Program. Mentoring benefits both participants: “I volunteered to mentor a new biological engineer, Valerie Suzawa, because I felt I could provide counsel,” says Arthur Burson, left, director in the Merck Manufacturing Division at West Point, Pa. “But I benefited, too. Valerie’s curiosity about how things work helped me to see where we could make changes for the better.”     New and veteran employees alike benefit from substantial investments Human Resources has made in new Web-based technologies that enhance and expand our traditional extensive training curricula. Now, employees in locations far from main sites can enjoy the benefits of live instruction through software that allows classroom-like online discussions.     New technology now being piloted also is helping employees at all levels strengthen and develop their skills through an online 360-degree assessment of their performance. Using feedback from superiors, subordinates and peers, employees can identify specific areas where development is needed and then create a plan that will help achieve their career goals.     Merck encourages employees to build their skills through external programs and resources as well. Our Development Resource Center – available online to all employees and in-person at key sites – offers more than 2,500 CD-ROM courses, video and audiocassette programs, and hundreds of books and periodicals on leadership, general management and personal development.     Learn more on the Web about the many programs and benefits Merck offers that help create a climate where employees can grow and thrive. Click here for more.  Health counseling improves lives: Our mission is to save and improve the lives of people – including our employees. That’s why we offer programs such as our Health Alliance Cardiovascular Program, which includes on-site education programs, health screenings and personal counseling. Such counseling helped Kalpana Shah – a diabetic and vegetarian – of our West Point, Pa., site monitor her diet. A Merck fitness instructor helped her develop an exercise regimen. The result: She lost weight and lowered her blood sugar level. Back to top

14 of 18 Copyright © 1995-2001 Merck & Co., Inc., Whitehouse Station, NJ, USA. All rights reserved.