Fostering employee growth is a top priority for Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru). Utilizing our in‑house platform, Subaru Training and Resources United (STAR-U), we facilitate learning experiences including educational programs, compliance training, informative sessions, DEIB initiatives, and executive leadership training. In 2023, we invested 10,769 hours to foster professional growth through STAR-U. Below is a variety of specific opportunities.
The Ignite mentoring program, which launched last year in response to feedback from the annual employee engagement survey, addressed employees’ expressed need for additional mentoring opportunities. In 2023, we saw a 57% increase in the number of employees who actively participated in the program compared to the 2021 pilot program. This increase helped employees who participated foster connections, set ambitious goals, and engage in meaningful personal and professional growth alongside their peers.
“This program was life changing for my career. I came in with uncertain ambitions and left with a clear career path. My relationship with my mentor will extend far beyond this program.”
– Melissa Rothenberg, 2023 Participant
We take pride in recognizing exceptional team members through our Leadership Competency Awards. Every quarter, our employees nominate individuals who embody our Subaru Leadership Competencies. These awards are a tribute to leaders who exemplify these competencies regardless of their position within the organization. The award consists of recognition from senior leadership, a celebratory trophy, and a donation to a nonprofit of their choice.
We leverage LinkedIn as a platform for the professional growth of our employees. Fostering ongoing professional development and enhancing employee engagement, we introduce monthly challenges. Currently, 75% of our colleagues use this resource. In 2023, team members collectively completed 3,135 hours of courses led by industry experts. These courses covered a wide array of topics, including communications foundations, skills for inclusive conversations, Microsoft Excel, and digital body language.
75%
of Subaru employees use LinkedIn Learning
3,135 hours
of LinkedIn Learning courses completed
We welcome new Subaru colleagues with a Love Promise. We listen with care first, then support the unique needs of both them and their family members throughout their Subaru journey. Our confidential all-employee engagement survey, The Voice of Our Stars, helps keep open lines of communication with our team members to help ensure they experience love and respect in every interaction.
Our commitment to foster a family-like environment goes beyond traditional work structures. In 2023, 107 employees and 152 children participated in our Take Your Child to Work Day celebration. From decorating flowerpots to planting seeds, the day was filled with creativity and joy, embodying the Love Promise in every moment. We also celebrated Take Your Dog to Work Day, where 60 employees brought their pets to work for pet-friendly activities. These initiatives closely resonate with our employees and create a workplace that feels like home.
Using The Voice of Our Stars, our confidential all-employee engagement survey, we establish open communication channels with our team members, helping to ensure that each interaction is characterized by love and respect.
Our people are what make Subaru, Subaru. The Subaru family is deeply committed to our mission of being More Than a Car Company® and embodying the Love Promise in every interaction. On a bi-annual basis, we encourage our colleagues to express their thoughts on various topics important to our culture and the employee experience. We take great pride in the outcomes of our Starfull results! In 2023, our colleagues rated us:
8.7 out of 10
on how likely they are to recommend Subaru as a place to work.
1.0 higher
than the industry benchmark of 7.7 and places us in the top 5% of the industry.
8.8 out of 10
on how satisfied they are with our health and wellbeing benefits.
1.3 higher
than the industry benchmark of 7.5 and places us in the top 5% of the industry in this category as well.
8.8 out of 10
on how satisfied they are with the support provided to them by managers.
0.5 higher
than the industry benchmark.
These scores, exceeding benchmark expectations, validate our progress in honoring the Love Promise.
By tailoring programs and plans to cater to the holistic well-being of each employee, we are extending support not only to employees but also to their families. We are proud of our total package, which includes a competitive base salary, an industry-leading annual bonus, and a suite of notable benefit programs.
Beginning in 2023, our enhanced Employee Assistance Program (EAP) allows employees to contact a licensed clinician at any time. We also increased the number of free counseling sessions our employees and their household members can access from 6 sessions to 10 sessions per insured member each year. The EAP also offers several work-life balance resources, including coaching, financial, legal, and concierge-type services, that can assist employees in locating child and elder care facilities, licensed contractors, and more.
While medical coverage is a standard offering across many employers, Subaru stands out for its comprehensive coverage and the cost-effectiveness it provides employees. Under our Core PPO Plan, Subaru covers 86% of the premium cost for employees with family coverage, a remarkable 21% higher than the benchmark set by the wholesale/retail industry.
Our commitment extends to customizing plans to meet the specific needs of our diverse employee population. For instance, through analyzing aggregate plan usage, we identified a prevalent challenge related to sleep and nutrition among our plan members, mirroring national trends. In response, we introduced access to the Calm app to assist with sleep and collaborated with a nutritionist who offers virtual or in-person sessions once a month to address nutritional concerns. This underscores our dedication to providing our employees and their families with the optimal resources for their health and wellness.
Our commitment to the Subaru family extends beyond their time as our employees. To support life’s endeavors, we provide our employees with a highly competitive 401(k) matching program, an employer-optional contribution program, and a guaranteed defined contribution pension program. For 2023, employees who contributed the maximum allowable to their 401(k) received a total employer contribution from Subaru equal to 13% of their annual salary, which is an industry leading sum. These initiatives are crafted to provide our employees and their families with the necessary financial resources to embark on their future journeys.
Moreover, our Love What’s Next program underscores our dedication to supporting our colleagues transitioning into retirement, ensuring they experience the same level of care, dignity, and respect they enjoyed during their active years with us. This unique program fosters a positive outlook on retirement, facilitating guided discussions between retirees and their loved ones to explore expectations about post-retirement life. The program also includes one-on-one conversations about financial planning and decision-making with financial experts. To further enhance preparedness, the program includes a comprehensive analysis conducted by a specialized retirement transition firm.
