David Plink on Innovation & Leadership in a Rapidly Evolving World of Work

In September, David Plink, CEO at Top Employers Institute, participated in CNBC Africa’s 2023 Future of Work Virtual Conference in a live panel discussion on leadership. He met with other C-suite leaders to discuss how work is changing and how leadership is innovating to meet the needs of their employees.

The other speakers in the panel included Dr Nejri Mwagiru, Senior Futurist at Africa: Institute for Futures Research (IFR) at the University of Stellenbosch, Amadou Diallo, CEO at DHL Global Forwarding Middle East & Africa, and Stephen van Coller, CEO at EOH.

In the session, their discussion answered questions including:

How will the future of work impact income inequality, social mobility, and job security?
What policies and regulatory frameworks should be implemented to safeguard workers’ rights and ensure a just transition?
How can governments, businesses, and civil society collaborate to mitigate the potential negative consequences of automation and ensure a fair distribution of opportunities?
And more.

The future of work is evolving as it is driven by technological advancements, changing demographics, and shifting economic landscapes. Watch the session in full below to hear more from this insightful session.

Putting People First: Top Employers Institute Shares Insights About Building a Human-Centric Organisation

By Wouter van Ewijk, Global Head of Brand & Content, Top Employers Institute

Human Resource departments frequently consider how to attract and retain top talent. Top Employers Institute is no different. Paola Bottaro, People Director at Top Employers Institute, has found the most success by putting people first. Notably, the organisation is not alone in this endeavour. Taking a human-centric approach to the workplace is a practice steadily gaining traction.

So, what does this move to a human-centric model entail? During the 2023 Top Employers Inspire event, Paola and I discussed exactly that. I’ll share highlights of our discussion for companies interested in joining Top Employers Institute as a human-centric organisation.

The Basics: What is a Human-Centric Approach?

Essentially, this approach to the workplace recognises and accepts that people are people. Organisations acknowledge that their employees are multifaceted individuals with lives beyond the office.

It’s about enabling employees to work in the best way that suits their needs and preferences, rather than requiring them to adhere to standard hours or procedures. Employees at different phases of life, a new parent versus a recently hired university graduate, for example, will likely have very different preferences for the rhythm of their workday. Allowing employees to determine their workday and workflow does not impact organisational results overall, yet it has a profound impact on each individual’s work experience.

For Paola’s team, realising that there was no one-size-fits-all solution for creating a great workplace was a turning point. Reflecting on this moment, she shared, “We had a lot of conversations about what way of working would be best and we came to the conclusion that everyone is different, and we all need different things. Who are we to decide what each individual needs?” They concluded that in an ideal workplace, everyone gets to define the best way to work for themselves.

Another turning point was adapting to a primarily remote workplace during the COVID-19 pandemic. This transition was smoother than anticipated, and productivity remained very high. Paola elaborated on their observations, “Everyone was very responsible and wanted to perform well.

Actually, I had to make sure people took care of themselves much more than making sure that they were doing their jobs.” Seeing how well the company ran while employees worked remotely was a valuable lesson that built trust. Going forward, the company had complete confidence in allowing employees to decide how they want to work.

The Practicalities: How Does a Human-Centric Approach Work?

Trust is a critical component of making a human-centric approach successful. Granting employees the ability to set their work dynamics, whether that involves unconventional hours or regular breaks, requires a high level of trust that employees will continue fulfilling their responsibilities to the best of their ability, even without constant supervision. The focus is on outcomes, prioritising results above all else.

Top Employers Institue’s company culture fully embraces a human-centric approach with its three core values:

We are all professionals.
All professionals want to be successful.
We succeed when we achieve great things while taking care of our own wellbeing and each other.

That teams communicate about everyone’s needs and preferences is critical. As our conversation progressed, Paola gave a simple example that Top Employers Institute does not want employees to pretend to be available during traditional working hours if they are not. She explained that this freedom also benefits managers, “They don’t have to think about motivating their teams anymore. The core belief is that all professionals are intrinsically motivated to be successful.” Transparency about who is doing what and trust in employees to fulfil their responsibilities improves operations.

Although trust and open communication are generally recognised as positive values, translating them into practical action can be a challenge because doing so requires a shift in mindset. Top Employers Institute, like many organisations, was forced to try a new way of working during the pandemic.

The success of this experiment gave management the confidence to use a human-centric approach even after pandemic-related safety restrictions were lifted. Organisations that have not had the opportunity to test drive a new working model may struggle with transitioning from employees coming into the office every day during the same hours to people working from home at hours of their choosing. Embracing the values of trust and open communication in new ways needs to happen at all levels of the organisation for a human-centric approach to truly succeed.

If an employee is not performing well, the first step is to have a conversation. “Success is defined not only by great results but also by people’s wellbeing, which is a responsibility and not something that can be left to chance,” said Paola. Considering the complete picture of an employee’s life while navigating challenges is a central tenet of a human-centric approach.

The Impact: What are the Benefits of a Human- Centric Approach?

This approach gives employees the best possible work life, which fosters loyalty and productivity. It also creates great returns. Through this approach, organisations can:

Attract talent,
Improve retention, and
Foster a culture of growth and internal mobility.

These benefits contribute to a positive atmosphere and help a company’s bottom line by attracting and keeping top-tier talent.

Top Employers Institute is in the process of hosting workshops with employees to discuss both the company’s and individual employee’s values. “The most important thing is that we left one open space in our company values for employees to fill. There are three company-wide values and the fourth is for each employee to fill with their personal value. It’s an opportunity for them to connect their personal values and sense of purpose to the company,” Paola said of the process.

Ultimately, a human-centric approach forges meaningful connections between a company and its workforce. By giving people the autonomy to work in a way that suits their needs best, organisations reap great returns. This approach truly benefits both the company and its employees.

To hear more about Top Employers Institute’s journey to becoming a human-centric organisation and the lessons learned along the way, watch my full conversation with Paola below.

World Mental Health Day 2023 Q&A with Marie-Soleil Ferland and the Health and Wellbeing Team at CGI Canada

World Mental Health Day 2023 Q&A with Marie-Soleil Ferland and the Health and Wellbeing Team at CGI Canada Earlier this week, on the 10th of October, we acknowledged World Mental Health Day. The day is a moment to give extra attention to issues around mental health. This year the WHO theme for the day is ‘Mental health is a universal right’ and we are hoping to raise awareness and knowledge about mental health by highlighting how organisations can support their employee’s mental health throughout October.

To recognise the efforts of Top Employers were lucky to have a Q&A interview with Marie-Soleil Ferland and the Health and Wellbeing Team at CGI Canada. We were honoured to get an insight into their efforts around wellbeing and mental health in their organisation.

CGI Health & Wellbeing Team Introduction

CGI wholeheartedly acknowledges that the wellbeing of its workforce stands as the bedrock of its success. We hold in the highest esteem a culture deeply rooted in mental health awareness, a commitment that transcends mere obligation, forming an integral facet of an ecosystem that fosters personal and professional flourishing.

These recent years have brought upon us an array of unprecedented challenges, compelling us to adapt, evolve, and unearth new ways to connect and thrive. At this juncture, never before has CGI placed such a high priority on mental health as we proudly do today.

On World Mental Health Day, we, at CGI, once again stand with unwavering pride as we pay homage to the mental wellbeing of our invaluable workforce. We celebrate the resilience of our esteemed members and the nurturing spirit of the compassionate community that we have ardently cultivated for over two decades now. Together, we break barriers, dismantle stigma, and forge a brighter, healthier future.

As part of this year World Mental Health Day, celebrated on October 10, it’s important to remember that everybody has mental health, regardless of race, gender, age, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, etc. For some, it can be challenging to know or realize when to reach out for help.

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Read More: Mental Health Q&A: Bentley

We celebrated World Mental Health Day on 10 October. The theme for 2023, set by the World Foundation of Mental Health, is ‘Mental health is a universal human right’, so we were honoured to ask CGI Canada the following questions:

Which organisational values that you hold help you to embed mental health as a right for all employees? And how do these values show up in day-to-day actions?

Workplace Health & Wellbeing

A dedicated Oxygen Centre of Expertise with 50 professionals globally willing and able to support partners and employees as needed.
Promote a culture of compassion through skill building, empathy, and empowerment to reach out to those showing signs of difficulty.
From prevention to return to work following a disability, support our employees, managers, and the organization on global health topics (physical, mental, social, financial) to optimize individual and collective wellbeing and organizational performance.
Use Mental Health Minute Program cards to raise awareness and open conversations (see more information at question 5)
Comprehensive Health Platform for all employees: Oxygen Portal
Free Telemedicine Service for all members and their family
Free 27/7 EAP support for all members and their family
In-house wellbeing consultations that focus on prevention, identification, and mitigation of psychosocial risks
In-house wellbeing interventions that promote staying healthy and thriving at work.

Our values

Respect:

Consistent with CGI dream of creating an environment in which we enjoy working together, our Core Value of Respect and our Code of Ethics and Business Conduct, CGI is committed to fostering and maintaining professional workplaces that respect the dignity of all members.
Offer mental health support through the Mental Health First Aiders network and leadership by promoting a stigma-free environment to discuss mental health.
Hold public authentic conversations using panel discussions around various psycho-educational topics that breakdown barriers and drive respectful conversations around sensitive issues.
Develop culturally sensitive and equity deserving group sensible health and wellbeing material.

Safety:

CGI is committed to the prevention of workplace incidents, injuries, and illnesses, and is ultimately responsible for ensuring a physically and psychologically safe and healthy work environment for all members. CGI will guide the development of individual performance and learning plans to achieve organizational goals while promoting members’ physical and psychological wellbeing in an active effort to reduce harm to their health and safety.
Health and safety committees
Health and wellbeing committees
+120 employees-volunteers – Mental Health First Aiders willing and able to support employees in the workforce.
Health and Safety Policy and processes including a working alone management rule.
Health Crisis Protocol for psychological and/or physical emergency situations.

Inclusion:

Creating a welcoming and diverse workplace environment free of discrimination and harassment underpins everything we do. We aim to foster a culture of belonging where everyone is inspired to grow and empowered to succeed with a shared sense of purpose. We believe this starts with creating an environment where every voice is heard, and respected and different ways of thinking are welcomed. Diversity of thought, backgrounds, experiences, and skills empowers us to share ideas and drive innovation. At the same time, ensuring everyone feels included raises morale, creativity, and productivity among our members, helping them reach their full potential. Through stakeholder communications, we continuously reinforce that diversity, equity, and inclusion are clear, prominent, and inherent parts of the CGI culture.
Cultivating inclusive language (i.e., inclusive pronoun and gender language in employee representative surveys, providing gender transitioning support, and accommodations for physical, mental or cognitive support needs).
Upskill leaders and HR around neurodiversity.
Upskill leaders and HR around supporting members who are transitioning.
Provide inclusive benefits
Flexible work policies
Affinity groups and allyship
Mental health support that is sensitive to cultural differences and experiences
Accessible technology for those who require accommodations.
Inclusive hiring practices
Conflict resolution and support interventions

Diversity:

Creating a culture of belonging requires conscious and intentional effort. Our DE&I strategy is foundational to the growth and success of our company. It provides a framework for cooperation that empowers our members to show up as their complete, authentic selves at work. We are committed to driving positive cultural change by increasing diversity in our workforce and embracing the differences in race and ethnicity, gender and gender identity, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, language, culture, national origin, religious commitments, age, and disability status, and the intersectionality of one or more of these characteristics. Moreover, we recognize that it is every individual’s right to work in an environment free of sexual, psychological, and racial harassment.
DE&I is endorsed at the highest level in the company by the CEO and the Executive Committee of CGI. Oversight and accountability for DE&I is a shared responsibility with global and local steering committees to set direction, report on progress and approve programs and initiatives. DE&I is embedded in the annual business plans for each Strategic Business Unit. The Code of Ethics and global and local policies create the framework to protect our members, clients, communities and CGI and ensure compliance with all applicable requirements. Beyond our formal governance, we have an engaged group of global DE&I experts, champions and advocates who support our DE&I vision every day. This broader community is essential to amplify the reach of our DE&I activities and increase the engagement of our members.
Diverse representation

World Mental Health Day 2023

At CGI, there are a variety of free resources to help our members prioritize their mental health and offer additional support when they may be struggling. They can access free mental health resources in the Mental Wellbeing Toolbox on our internal health & wellbeing portal, contact a Mental Health Champion, or consult with our Member Assistance Program for professional support. As part of this campaign, a publication will be made on the CGI LinkedIn account to celebrate and highlight the CGI community that is involved in mental health support and the overall holistic health of our members. CGI’s health experts gathered testimonials from members within the Mental Health Champion network and the Health & Wellbeing Committee by asking the question, “Why is supporting mental health in the workplace important to you and your colleagues?”. You will find the testimonials shared on October 10 and will be able to use the hashtag #CGIMentalHealthMatters to find other mental health stories shared by CGI members, and to share your own.

How have your mental health programmes evolved in the past year? Are there aspects that have moved up the priority list and/or taken on greater urgency? In response to the ongoing challenges posed by the pandemic and its impact on chronic stress, isolation and domestic violence, our mental health programs have evolved significantly in the past year. We have placed additional emphasis on addressing the reactive aspect of the mental health continuum. This means that we have augmented our efforts to provide immediate and responsive support to individuals who are experiencing acute mental health challenges, such as stress, anxiety, trauma, or burnout. Recognizing the heightened need for timely interventions, we have developed and implemented targeted initiatives designed to assist members in managing and coping with punctual stressors. These measures have allowed us to better address the immediate mental health needs of our workforce, ensuring that they receive the support and resources necessary to navigate these challenging times effectively avoiding potential deterioration or illness.

Aspects that have moved up in priority and taken on greater urgency:

Substantial increase in mental health coverage for our members and their families.
Expanding our internal Mental Health First Aid network by offering and covering the cost of certification to all interested volunteer members.
Hiring of an Organizational Mental Health Specialist to further expand internal services and interventions.
Health crisis protocol to upskill HR professionals and leaders in assessing an imminent and critical health risk in an employee, predominantly in a virtual setting, and responding to the risk as deemed appropriate using external resources.
Domestic and family violence program to develop organizational awareness, respond by providing support and accompanying employee victims to adequate and necessary resources.
Neurodiversity Affinity group and program to cultivate an inclusive, collaborative and supportive CGI community by fostering awareness around neurodiversity, building internal knowledge, advocating for supportive practices, and building internal and external partnerships that promote best inclusive practices.
In-house Interventions (stress management, sensitivity coaching, conflict resolution, climate assessment, etc.) facilitated via our internal Workplace Mental Health Specialist.
Revision of CGI’s Presence at Work Program
Always ensuring the presence and visibility of a group of more than 120 volunteer Mental Health First Aiders ready to support any member in need during our trainings or psychoeducational sessions or initiatives.
Additional Family Support: Upgrades in our Telemedicine program, EAP services and benefits coverage to improve all services related to mental health support & access for employees and their family.

How have mental health programmes and initiatives been impacted by more flexible, hybrid and remote forms of working? What have you had to do differently? The shift to a more flexible workplace and openness to virtual work has acted as a catalyst for fostering greater inclusion and accessibility in our organization, creating a more accommodating and supportive environment for neurodivergent and equity deserving groups within our workforce. The transition to virtual work has created a more inclusive environment by levelling the playing field for employees who may have previously faced challenges in traditional office settings. Neurodivergent individuals, for instance, have found the virtual work environment to be more accommodating, reducing sensory overload and anxiety that can be associated with physical office spaces. Additionally, remote work has enabled employees to tailor their workspaces to their specific needs, allowing for greater comfort and reduced distractions. This flexibility has not only benefited neurodivergent individuals but also other equity-deserving groups who may have faced barriers in the traditional office setting due to various factors, including commuting challenges, accessibility issues, or caregiving responsibilities. One significant shift we’ve made is toward virtual facilitation of trainings and interventions. This transition has proven highly beneficial as it enables us to intervene more rapidly and on a broader scale across the organization. In fact, by leveraging virtual platforms, we can extend our reach to cover a much larger population than would have been feasible with in-person programs alone. This approach not only aligns with the evolving work landscape but also allows us to be more agile and responsive in addressing mental health needs throughout the organization.

How have you ensured that your managers are reinforcing mental health as a right for all employees? And are they trained to recognise and address mental health issues in their teams?

Yes, we have implemented an internal training program known as “Leading Healthy Teams,” which is specifically designed to equip our managers with the skills necessary to identify signs of mental health challenges and appropriately respond to them. Additionally, we have developed a quick-reference tool in the form of a cheat-sheet, readily accessible through our online Health platform, the “Oxygen Portal” within the “Leaders Toolbox” section.

In conjunction with these mandatory training initiatives, we have consistently offered various additional learning opportunities to our leaders over the past years. These include specialized training modules covering topics such as Resilience at Work, Burnout Prevention, Stress Management, Work-life Balance, and Self-Care for Leaders. These programs collectively enable our managers to reinforce mental health as a fundamental right for all employees while equipping them with the knowledge and tools necessary to effectively address mental health issues within their teams. Our leaders are also encouraged to take part in Mental Health First Aid certification. We are proud to share that over 46% of our mental health ambassadors hold management positions at CGI. Thus, it’s fair to say that mental health at CGI is an integral part of our operating culture.

How do you create psychological safety for employees to feel they have a right to speak up about their mental health concerns, without worrying about how it will affect their careers?

Destigmatize mental health:

Leadership upskilling and training around courageous conversations and authenticity
Discussion Panels such as Mental Health For All

Leaders speaking openly and publicly about their challenges with mental health including burnout, suicidality, domestic violence, neurodiversity, etc.

The Mental Health Minute Program

Equips all our leaders and members with Mental Health Minute “cards” that they can use to kick-off every team meeting
Encourages leaders, and members, to take advantage of a moment of openness with their team to discuss common challenges and normalize topics surrounding health and wellbeing
Provides authenticity and empathy building opportunities through sharing real-life experiences and examples.
Upskills leaders and members on day-to-day actions that can be put in place to support their health.

Psychoeducational awareness through interactive learning sessions, newsletters, CGI’s health & wellbeing portal, wellbeing consultations and various communication channels
Mental Health Champion Network

Network composed of more than 120 CGI members who have volunteered and received a Mental Health First Aider certification training offered by the Mental Health Commission of Canada
Aiders are available to respond to requests or calls from members in need by initiating a caring conversation through dialogue, accompanying them to help defuse a situation, and guiding them to the right resources and support.

Neurodiversity Affinity Group

Sharing how to open to a leader about a neurodivergent trait.
How to respond as a leader to show support

Ensure promotional practices that foster and support diversity and inclusion.
Socialize accommodation program for any member regardless of job role.
Assess and mitigate psychological risk factors within teams who are struggling.
Team wellbeing assessments

Mediation
Trauma debriefs.

About Marie-Soleil Ferland

HR Director

Health & Well-being, CGI Canada

Passionate leader of CGI Canada Occupational Health and Well-being HR Center of expertise. She is responsible for the development of innovative organizational health offering, their implementation, and their measure of success. She sits on human resources committees to effectively integrate workplace health into business strategies. Her mission is to optimize not only the overall well-being of employees but also to encourage meaning at work, inclusion, and organizational performance. She provides ongoing consulting services to HR teams and leaders. She holds a bachelor’s degree in health sciences and a graduate certificate in nutrition. In addition to numerous specific training sessions on occupational health, psychosocial risks, and protective factors, she is certified in Mental Health First Aid, Workplace First Aid and Behaviour Change Interventionist. Her caring and inclusive leadership is recognized by her peers.

Best Practice | A New Kind of Interview with American Express (Amex)

By Top Employers Institute

In a fun interview format shared across social media, American Express (Amex) used current employees as talent brand ambassadors. In this mini-employee series, Member x Colleague looks behind the scenes of the Amex brand to feature different employees explaining what it is like to work at the company, and what their products are all about.

This is just a snapshot of American Express’s innovative best practices; you can find the entire practice on our HR Best Practices database, which is exclusively available to Top Employers. Get inspiration and insight into the approach, challenges and learnings experienced by certified Top Employers. Access it now via the Top Employers Programme if you are certified or learn more about it here!

Why the practice was needed

The initiative aimed to promote the Amex brand to the outside world in a modern, approachable, and interactive way. Amex decided to select six colleagues with different job profiles to conduct interviews facilitated by a Brand Ambassador. The organisation wanted the conversations to be authentic and emotive while providing an in-depth look at what it is like to work at Amex. The conversations were intentionally conducted with a wide range of different Amex employees, from career starters to executives in upper management positions.

How the practice was implemented

The project was a cooperative project between the marketing and HR departments.
A Member (i.e., a cardholder or customer) meets a Colleague (an employee at Amex) and the two talk about a specific topic. An Amex Brand Ambassador joins the conversation to help facilitate the discussion.
In an interview format, Amex organised conversations on their brand as an employer, including focusing on their strategic points: career, leadership, wellbeing, diversity, and inclusion.
The colleagues Amex filmed all received training on communication (i.e., how to keep their wording gender-neutral, etc.) and on social media use.
These individual videos were each linked to distinct locations from the Global Dining Collection to create an authentic and relaxed atmosphere.
The conversations from the campaign were later edited in different formats (IG-TV, Reel, Post) and integrated on all channels (Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.). The videos were then shared on social media at different points in time.

Some benefits of this initiative:

It gave Amex fans new insights and a special kind of exposure on social media.
Through this initiative, Amex used real people from diverse backgrounds to showcase their diversity within the company. Exciting topics were explored, telling personal stories, highlighting challenges, and addressing questions from the community.
By subtitling the videos, special attention was paid to accessibility so that deaf and hard-of-hearing people could also watch the interview series.

A breakdown of the mini-series interviews:

Episode 1 was with the Head of Private Clients discussing a career with family and female empowerment.
Episode 2 was with the Team Leader in Account Development on corporate culture and team leadership.
Episode 3 was with an HR career starter on Amex as an employer. In the episode, they explored what Amex does as an employer for its employees. This episode covered international career opportunities, inclusion and diversity, leadership, and wellbeing.

Download Now: World of Work Trends Report 2023

Results

The series was successful, and Amex continued it after the first series.

The reach, number of views and interactions can be named as relevant KPIs on Instagram.
A total of 1 085 fans interacted with the Member x Colleague format, and Amex Germany reached a total of 45 052 Instagram users; this resulted in an engagement rate of 2.4%.

Final thoughts

Using this mini-series, Amex was able to highlight its EVP and strengthen its employer branding. Alongside this, the interviews work as a great marketing asset. It is a win-win as customers and employers engage with one another in a new and exciting way.

“We strongly believe in the power of sharing and inspiring each other and others”

Benchmarking and sharing best practices are essential for all Top Employers to keep evolving and improving their HR strategies. At Luminus, we strongly believe in the power of sharing and inspiring each other and others — it’s a fundamental part of who we are as a company. It should therefore come as no surprise that “All together” is one of our corporate values.

How do you share successful practices and processes (with other Top Employers)?

At Luminus, we encourage our employees in sharing their knowledge and innovative solutions as well inside as outside the organisation.

In June, we had the opportunity to host a Top Employers sharing session in-house on the importance of SDG’s in employer branding.

Bringing together a group of HR specialists to reflect on the war for talent and how integrating SDG’s can help to attract the “right” employees, was a true enriching experience.

We inspired other top employes on our successful Generation Zero campaigns. Our employer brand for young professionals in which we focus on attracting those who want to contribute actively to our companies purpose : building a CO2-neutral energy future together.

An ambition which resonates to many young graduates in various disciplines, all determined to make a difference : young graduates, young IT talents and young tech talents.

How does the Top Employer seal help us in attracting young professionals?

The Top Employer seal plays a vital role in attracting young professionals to our company. It serves as confirmation and reassurance that we have processes and leadership in place to support their professional growth, while also prioritizing their work-life balance and health & safety.

Our HR strategy, vision, policies & processes keep evolving thanks to TE insights & benchmarking.

As an open-minded, positive and caring company, we foster a supportive and inclusive environment where everyone’s contributions are valued and respected. We want our employees to feel “at home” so they can be the best version of themselves. However, Top Employer results & benchmarking insights showed us that there was still room for improvement in the area of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I).

In response, we’ve made DE&I a dedicated HR focus for 2023, defining a DE&I vision, gaining insights from our employees and other companies and implementing processes to objectively evaluate and continuously optimize our DE&I strategy, initiatives and actions.

Our Luminus HR baseline is clear : we do what matters, we catch the moment & we challenge ourselves. TE has been a valuable partner over the past 11 years in supporting our team in achieving this continuous and challenging mission.

Case Study | JTI’s Candidate Survey

Do your candidates value your status as a Top Employer?

By Top Employers Institute

JTI is a certified global Top Employer with 46 000 employees present in more than 130 countries. Since achieving their certification, they have consistently included their certification status in job adverts, career pages and other recruitment channels.

After nine years of implementing best practices, the company sought recruitment data to answer a question related to employer branding. Their question was: How important is it for our candidates that we’re a certified Top Employer?

In 2019 JTI selected Talenthub, a technology platform that integrates with existing HR systems, to collect real-time candidate feedback during the recruitment process. With their technical help, JTI captured accurate feedback from candidates while allowing them to reach out directly to follow up on provided feedback and improve the process where needed.

Download the Case Study to discover how:

They set up a digital survey on their career page and Applicant Tracking Software (ATS) system for candidates who applied at JTI.
JTI verified the impact of the candidate’s journey at all stages and found trends that enabled them to understand the behaviour of their applicants.
JTI implemented a new initiative to track and benchmark their candidate’s application process against other companies to optimise their process.

T-shaped Skills: A Simple Approach with Big Results with Boehringer Ingelheim

How T-shaped skills can bring clarity, alignment, and focus to employees and the employee journey.

By Jonas van Wees, HR Auditor, Top Employers Institute

Like many other companies, Boehringer Ingelheim, a certified Top Employer, had to expedite operational changes during the COVID-19 pandemic to meet customer needs while adhering to safety recommendations like social distancing. Face-to-face meetings were the norm in the pharmaceutical industry, making Boehringer Ingelheim’s transition to remote meetings a significant adjustment. However, maintaining the highest level of service remained a top priority. “As a business we sat down and asked how can we support our customers and patients in the best way possible? That is when we really sped up the T-shape initiative,” Helen Doeswijk-Lindley, People Growth Manager for Boehringer Ingelheim, explained.

Helen and I discussed how a T-shaped approach enhanced company operations and benefited employees as part of our conversation during the 2022 Top Employers Institute Best Practices Week. In this article, I want to share the wealth of insights we discussed, highlighting how this approach not only enhanced overall efficiency but also empowered employees to recognise and voice their needs effectively.

What is a T-shaped Approach?

The T-shape is a symbol that illustrates an individual’s strengths. The vertical line represents expertise and knowledge in a specific field, while the horizontal line represents cross-discipline competencies and the ability to collaborate effectively with professionals from various industries or roles. Helen simplified this concept, stating for employees, “The T-shape allows you to understand what general skills you need, the horizontal line, and what you need to be an expert in, the vertical line.”

Boehringer Ingelheim began implementing T-shaped job descriptions with the customer-facing teams. Helen explained that the first step was for everyone to individually consider the skills and competencies required for a specific role. After comparing notes, they compiled a list of thirty-four competencies. Helen described what happened next to narrow down the list, “We really got crisp. What are we asking our team to do? Where does responsibility start with one team member or one job role and where does it end? We really defined the skills for each role.” They arrived at a final set of fourteen competencies, nine general skills and five unique skills, that everyone agreed fit the respective role.

Their process of individual and team workshops was used throughout the organisation to define roles using the T-shaped approach and followed these general steps:

Employees individually consider the required skills and competencies for specific roles,
Teams gather and discuss the skills and competencies each person identified, and
Teams collaboratively narrow down the identified skills and competencies to one list.

Helen shared that they were pleasantly surprised by this approach’s far-reaching impacts, “What actually came out of those workshops is that we could take the T-shape and really start looking holistically at what we were offering to our employees – all the way from providing a clear job description to assisting with career progression planning to helping us recruit talent.”

Benefits of the T-shaped Approach

The T-shaped approach offers numerous benefits to both employees and the company. Employees are better able to engage in self-reflection with a T-shaped job description. They can evaluate their competencies and have meaningful conversations with their managers about growth opportunities. Helen elaborated on this benefit, “I can say from [the] feedback I’ve received that the T-shape has given employees clarity. It’s also given them a voice to express where they need support to do their job effectively, whether that’s from an educational standpoint or from a process standpoint.”

Furthermore, the T-shape creates a shared understanding of skills and competencies across the company. Helen explained how this clarity led to the restructuring of various roles, “We actually started to change key processes. We didn’t want certain roles to have to do certain things anymore because it was slowing them down.” To support these changes, Helen developed skills-based training tailored for the newly defined roles, which enhanced operations and better-equipped employees for career advancement.

A T-shaped skills approach is a powerful tool for self-reflection. As our conversation concluded, Helen challenged the audience, “Create a T-shape for your role. Review your job description and ask yourself: Is my role the same today as when I started in terms of the required skills? What is needed for the future? The T-shape is a straightforward way to look at your general skills and expertise and identify opportunities for growth.”

Whether utilised by individuals or organisations, investing in T-shaped skills brings clarity and focus to future development. This approach enhances efficiency and facilitates meaningful discussions, ultimately driving progress.

Inspiring HR Practices from Asia-Pacific’s Top Employers

Are you ready to unlock a world of innovative HR practices and transformative ideas? Look no further! We are thrilled to present our ebook, "Inspiring HR Practices from Asia-Pacific's Top Employers,"

In this comprehensive resource, we have curated insights and best practice examples from a select group of our esteemed Top Employers in APAC. These organisations have not only raised the global standard of HR excellence but also set the benchmark for others to follow.

Download the ebook now to uncover valuable insights. Here are some highlights from the ebook:

Diversity, equity, and inclusion – Discover how Avanade partnered with the Autism Resource Centre (ARC) Singapore to train adults on the autism spectrum with digital skills and provide them with full-time technical roles. Learn how this initiative contributes to large-scale digital transformation projects at organisations in Singapore.
People strategy – Explore Boehringer Ingelheim’s cultural framework called FOCUS, which defines their purpose and serves as a guide for their day-to-day work. Gain insights into how this framework supports their business objectives and is interwoven throughout the entire organisation.
Employer branding – Learn about PUMA’s commitment to creating a premier workplace by developing a set of Employer Values that align with the actual employee experience. Discover how these values contribute to PUMA’s mission of becoming the fastest sports brand in the world.
Purpose & values – Dive into DHL Express’ annual Employee Opinion Survey (EOS), which allows employees to voice their opinions, share feedback, and help shape the DHL culture. Understand how this survey helps create an inclusive and comfortable working environment while also identifying areas for improvement.
Talent acquisition – Explore MCC Singapore’s strategic talent acquisition approach, which focuses on attracting and developing competent leaders, executives, and specialists in alignment with their organisation’s sustainability goals. Discover how this approach ensures a strong leadership and talent pipeline.
Onboarding – Learn about Saint-Gobain Sekurit’s New Hire Orientation programme, designed to help new employees adapt to their roles effectively. Discover the three-phase programme that ensures new hires are ready for the company, its culture, and their specific job requirements.
Organisation & change – Explore Sampoerna’s adoption of a Leadership Model and the Three Hands philosophy, which empower individuals’ growth and support internal transformation. Learn how these approaches create an inclusive working environment and drive high performance.
Learning & Development – Delve into the TCS’s innovative continuous learning culture, designed to empower employees to drive their own career development. Explore the diverse ecosystem featuring various learning formats, democratizing skills and talent, which ensures individuals are not just ready for roles, but are future-ready for evolving careers.
Rewards & Recognition – Discover SAP’s internal Compensation Assistant Tool launched in April 2022, allowing employees in India to view their pay-range. This initiative has significantly boosted employee engagement and trust, clarified compensation paths, dispelled misperceptions about rewards, and reinforced the fairness and equity of decision-making processes within SAP

These are just a few examples of the invaluable insights you will find in the ebook. Download your copy today to unlock a world of innovative HR practices and transformative ideas that will help you excel in the dynamic field of human resources.

How Organisations Improve Employee Engagement with Emotionally Engaged Leaders

The world of work is permanently active. The business landscape is fast-paced and ever-evolving, but one thing that hasn’t changed is the importance of employee engagement. Employee engagement is a critical factor in an organisation’s success.

Engaged employees are more motivated, productive and stay in organisations longer, leading to higher levels of innovation and overall performance. One of the critical drivers of employee engagement is the presence of emotionally engaged leaders.

In this article, we will explore how emotional intelligence makes a leader emotionally engaged and how it impacts employees and their engagement levels.

Managers have a more considerable impact on people’s mental health than doctors and even therapists. Leaders that are emotionally engaged are better able to create a positive, supportive and psychologically safe work environment, which can improve employee wellbeing and employee engagement.

What is Emotional Intelligence?

In 1995, in the book Emotional Intelligence Daniel Goleman, the psychologist that coined the term defined emotional intelligence as a set of skills that help individuals recognise, understand and manage their own emotions, as well as the emotions of others. While emotional intelligence is usually emphasised more in personal relationships, it is critical to realise that emotional intelligence or a lack of it, also is essential at work.

In Emotional Intelligence, Goleman identified four traits of emotional intelligence, which are:

Self-Awareness: It is believed that the first step in developing emotional intelligence is self-awareness. Leaders and management should take time to understand the impact of their behaviour by reflecting on their own emotions. This needs to be done across different situations so that they have a fuller understanding.
Self-Management: The next step for leaders becoming emotionally intelligent comes from developing ways to manage their emotions; this can only come after becoming more self-aware. Self-management involves learning and using skills like stress management and mindfulness. If a leader is to engage with these skills, they must also practice active listening when interacting with coworkers.
Social Awareness: Leaders making an effort to become emotionally intelligent will need to develop the ability to understand and empathise with other people’s perspectives; this is especially important as more and more organisations become more diverse than before.
Relationship Management: The fourth trait of an emotionally intelligent leader is one of the most critical, and it relies on the other characteristics to truly achieve it. Relationship management uses emotional intelligence to build and maintain positive relationships, resolve conflicts, and influence and inspire others to achieve common goals.

You can download the World of Work Trends Report 2024 here for free.

What is an Emotionally Engaged Leader?

Emotionally engaged leaders are individuals who genuinely care about their team members, their wellbeing, and their professional development. These leaders demonstrate empathy, active listening skills, and emotional intelligence. They create a supportive atmosphere where employees feel valued, heard, and motivated to perform at their best. Emotionally engaged leaders also foster a sense of purpose and alignment by effectively communicating the organisation’s vision, goals, and values.

Three Ways that Emotionally Engaged Leaders Impact Employees

Trust and Transparency: Emotionally engaged leaders establish an environment of trust and transparency by being open and honest with their team members. This cultivates a sense of psychological safety, encouraging employees to share ideas, express concerns, and take risks without fear of negative consequences.
Personal and Professional Growth: Emotionally engaged leaders invest in their employee’s growth and development. They provide mentoring, coaching, and opportunities for learning and advancement. This commitment to individual growth enhances employee skills and knowledge and demonstrates that the organisation values their long-term success.
Motivation and Empowerment: Emotionally engaged leaders inspire and motivate their employees by recognising their achievements and providing constructive feedback. They empower their team members to make decisions, take ownership of their work, and contribute meaningfully to the organisation’s goals. This sense of autonomy increases job satisfaction and engagement.

How to Improve Employee Engagement with Emotionally Engaged Leaders

Understanding what makes a leader emotionally intelligent is essential; it is even more critical to see how they can improve employee engagement more concretely. We have four strategies that organisations can use to engage their employees with the help of emotionally engaged leaders:

Encourage Open Communication: Promote open communication channels within the organisation, allowing employees to voice their opinions, concerns, and ideas. Emotionally engaged leaders actively listen to their employees insights, seek their input, and take appropriate actions based on their feedback.
Leadership Development Programs: Organisations can implement programs focusing on emotional intelligence, empathy, and effective communication. These programs help leaders develop the skills necessary to connect with their teams on an emotional level and foster a positive work environment.
Regular Feedback and Recognition: Establish a culture of feedback and recognition where leaders provide regular, constructive feedback to their team members. Recognise and celebrate employee achievements, both big and small, to reinforce a culture of appreciation and motivate continued engagement.
Lead by Example: Leaders should model the behaviour they expect from their employees. Emotionally engaged leaders demonstrate integrity, empathy, and a strong work ethic. They are authentic, accessible, and approachable, creating a positive and engaging work environment that makes it safe for employees to model these behaviours.

Final Thoughts

Employee engagement is crucial for organisational success, and emotionally engaged leaders are pivotal in driving and nurturing team engagement. By developing emotionally intelligent leaders who prioritise trust, transparency, motivation, empowerment, and growth, organisations can create a culture that fosters high levels of employee engagement.

Investing in leadership development programs, promoting open communication, and recognising employee contributions are some of the effective strategies that can help organisations unlock the potential of their workforce, leading to improved productivity, innovation, and overall success.

Emotionally engaged leaders bring out the best in their employees and create a work environment where individuals thrive, and organisations prosper.

As the pace of technology accelerates, we must focus on the aspects of us that make us human- creativity, empathy, innovation and awareness. In the future workplace, our ability to capitalise upon this, and develop it in others, might ultimately lead to an organisation’s success or failure.

Get in touch today for free: become an employer of choice!

Personalisation in 2023: How the Employee Experience Will Be Impacted by Increasing Personalisation at Work across Asia-Pacific

“What we realised is that we can’t design a programme without involving our employees. All of our organisations’ initiatives are crafted in partnership with our employees,” said Rashmi Raghuraja, Senior HR Consultant at SAP India, during one of our Top Employers Inspire sessions.

This partnership with employees in crafting employee experiences is synonymous with achieving a more personalised approach. This particular trend of involving employee groups in the design of the organisation and work can be seen in 87.6% of Top Employers in the Asia-Pacific region. In 2023, companies of all sizes are actively competing to not only attract and retain top talent but also to cultivate a work culture that empowers employees to unleash their full potential, and this is synonymous with the emphasis on involving employees in shaping their experiences.

Recognising that employees are the heart of any successful company, businesses are embracing a collaborative approach to work. The inclusion of employees in shaping various initiatives not only boosts engagement but also results in a more compelling and meaningful work environment. While competitive salaries and benefits remain fundamental, the emphasis is now on fostering a culture of co-creation, where employees feel valued and have a sense of ownership in the organisation’s progress. This paradigm shift marks a critical evolution in the way companies view their workforce, placing employee well-being and fulfilment at the core of their strategies.

A Paradigm Shift in the Post-Pandemic Workplace

In the post-pandemic world, a period of reflection has allowed employees to identify what truly matters to them. In response, employers have been compelled to become increasingly innovative in their efforts to attract, develop, and retain their top talent. As the employee experience takes centre stage as a critical differentiator, personalisation emerges as the key to its success.

Notably, one of the most significant trends in the APAC region is the substantial growth in employee involvement in engagement action plans, rising to an impressive 84% compared to 75% in the previous year (2022). This means that employees are actively participating in the development of action plans through engagement in employee focus groups and sounding boards. Moreover, they are regularly consulted to ensure alignment on progress and ensure the plans’ effectiveness and relevance to their needs and aspirations.

This trend underlines the growing importance of involving employees insights in decision-making processes. In doing so, organisations in the APAC region are striving to create a work environment that truly resonates with and supports their valued employees.

Personalising the employee experience means understanding and catering to the unique needs, preferences, and aspirations of each employee. It involves tailoring well-being, training and development opportunities, work environment, and work-life balance to suit the individual. As observed in the World of Work Trends Report 2023, personalisation has become a necessity for organisations that want to create a productive workforce. And the role of digital and technology cannot be understated as it uses intuitive tech to personalise the experience. Our research among Top Employers worldwide shows that the Asia Pacific is leading the way in digital personalisation, with significantly wider implementation of practices, compared to the rest of the world.

What are the benefits of emphasising personalisation at work?

The personalisation of consumer needs has been a challenge for organisations for some years, and now employees expect to be treated as “internal” customers. The rise of individual employee needs will have much further to run in 2023 – what has been until now been “people-centric” will become “person-centric”. As such, organisations have been able to see a positive relationship between this personalisation and their employees ‘ experience of work.

We’ve seen a couple of examples of some of our Top Employers in Asia using personalisation to great effect in the workplace:

Global and Regional Asia-Pacific Top Employer Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), for example, created a platform called Xcelerate – a career guidance management platform that generates a personalised learning path based on an employee’s current skill sets and desired career trajectory. The platform provides career insights, including learning paths of employees in desired roles, competency gap analysis, and engagement indexes.
SABIC, certified as a regional APAC Top Employer, uses a platform called Percipio that uses AI to personalise the learning experience of employees, as well as improve the individuals’ efficiency and effectiveness of the learning process.

Top Employers are not personalising employee experience just for the sake of it. Personalising the employee experience offers a diverse array of benefits that span various aspects of the organisation:

Personalisation helps organisations create a positive work culture. By prioritising the unique needs of each individual employee, organisations foster a culture of belonging and inclusivity. Organisations that personalise their employees ‘ well-being and communication efforts will be able to see a noticeable improvement in their overall company culture. That is because employees who feel seen and appreciated are more likely to stay with the organisation and refer others to join. This can help reduce turnover and recruitment costs while also improving the quality of candidates. Employee involvement plays a pivotal role in personalisation, as the more involved an employee is, the more personalisation can be tailored to certain programs. There has been a noticeable trend among Top Employers in the APAC region, who have 72% of employees involved in designing well-being initiatives, as opposed to 58% in 2022. This trend reflects the growing emphasis on personalisation in the workplace, as organisations recognise its positive impact on employee satisfaction, wellness, and retention.

Another benefit of personalisation is increased employee engagemen This is especially important as many organisations struggle to keep engagement rates high as they find new ways of working after the upheaval of the COVID-19 global pandemic. Prioritising employee experience is relevant for all companies because when employees feel seen, heard, and valued, they are more likely to be invested in their work and the organisation. Engaged employees are also more likely to be motivated, productive, and willing to go above and beyond for the company. This can lead to higher quality work, increased attraction of new employees, and increased retention of talented employees for prolonged periods.
However, it’s concerning that less than 50% of Top Employers in the Asia-Pacific have an employee listening strategy in place, despite its crucial role in fostering a culture of openness, trust, and employee empowerment. Implementing an effective employee listening strategy is essential for organisations to understand their employees’ needs, concerns, and aspirations, enabling them to make informed decisions, boost engagement, and drive long-term success.
Another benefit of personalisation is improved performance management. Personalised feedback and coaching can help employees identify areas for growth and development, leading to improved job satisfaction and career growth. By personalising training and development opportunities, organisations can also help employees acquire the skills they need to succeed in their roles, leading to improved job performance. This is seen as an important factor for Top Employers in Asia, where 83% of Top Employers’ performance management approach allows for variation in philosophy, process, and timing to cater to the needs of different target audiences and/or business needs – recognising the need for personalisation of performance management.
Lastly, another benefit of personalisation is an improved sense of autonomy for the employee. Personalising an employee’s ability to choose where they work from, whether that is fully from home, always in the office, or hybrid, allows employees to feel that their organisations trust them to do their best work. That feeling of trust is important as it allows employees to feel as though they are not only a part of a company but rather that they are a trusted member of the organisation. Additionally, allowing employees to personalise their work schedule gives employees a chance to work when they are at their best rather than the traditional 9-5.

What makes for a great personalised experience for employees?

When it comes to increasing personalisation at work, we can see that certified Top Employers are leading the pack. If we look at how Top Employers personalise the employee experience, the answer is clear. They embrace conversations with employees and allow them to choose and shape their experiences. Personalisation is used most prominently in the evolution of flexible working practices, including remote and hybrid working, in Top Employers’ offerings in well-being, compensation & benefits initiatives. And in the development processes, especially careers, onboarding, and leadership development.

The growing availability of a highly digital employee experience creates the opportunity for a far greater degree of personalisation. This personalisation does not need to start from when the employee is hired, but for many organisations, it can incorporate personalisation from the talent attraction stage.

Winning the Battles for Talent

How technology and digital tools can assist in personalising the employee experience

The widespread use of technology is being put at the service of employees, with the data it provides used to act and improve each employee’s experience. IT systems used by organisations must be designed around the needs of employees if it is to contribute positively to their experience. In 2023, 89% of Top Employers in Asia Pacific conduct regular assessments of HR technology (compared to 83% globally), and 83% of Top Employers in APAC are personalising their HR technology (compared to 78% globally). There should be regular assessments of HR technology to make sure that any features that remain unused or do not contribute to the user experience are removed, with employees given the power to self-manage, control, and edit their environment based on their preferences.

Technology is being leveraged to collect and analyse data, enabling organisations to act and enhance each employee’s journey. Top Employer SABIC exemplifies this by utilising AI to create personalised HR technology experiences. To learn more about how SABIC uses AI to optimise employee experiences, check out the dedicated article on this topic.

While technology and digital HR are key drivers of personalisation, neither of them provides a guarantee of a great personalised employee experience. Organisations and their leaders, along with individual employees, will still need to define a clear vision for the role of digital HR for the whole organisation. We can already see this for certified Top Employers as 78% of them have a vision of the role of digital HR in the overall employee experience.

When the vision and direction are clear, the hard work on the employee experience begins. Organisations will need to go through the employee’s entire journey map, from the latter’s perspective. In 2023, we will see a commitment to detailed employee journey mapping in order to leverage the employee experience.

Employee journey mapping is a valuable tool for continuous improvement. It highlights all the touchpoints and experiences an employee will go through, designed from their subjective experience, alongside the information the organisation collects from various channels. The aim is to trigger a process of continuous improvement at every stage and across an employee’s digital and non-digital experience.

How Top Employers around the world are prioritising digital personalisation

Our research among certified Top Employers worldwide shows that the Asia Pacific and Middle East regions are leading the way in digital personalisation, with significantly wider implementation of practices, compared to the rest of the world. This fits with other more widely available data showing an accelerated investment in digitalisation when compared globally.

There have been two factors at work here. Firstly, in the drive to mitigate the adverse impacts of the pandemic, many businesses adopted digital technologies rapidly, effectively creating a digital “Big Bang”. Secondly, for a young and tech-savvy workforce, the expectation of a flexible and personalised digital experience has become a priority for their everyday employee experience.

Final Thoughts

Personalising the employee experience will be crucial for organisations worldwide in 2023. It helps create a happy and engaged workforce, a positive work culture, and improved performance management. Organisations that invest in personalisation will have a better chance of attracting and retaining top talent, driving innovation, and achieving long-term success. In 2023, the Asia-Pacific region will witness a surge in personalising the employee experience, with certified Top Employers leading the way in embracing collaborative approaches and involving employees in shaping initiatives. Leveraging digital technologies, such as AI-driven solutions, companies like Tata Consultancy Services and SABIC are tailoring learning paths and optimising HR technology to cater to individual needs.

This employee-centric approach yields benefits like a positive work culture, increased engagement, improved performance management, and a sense of autonomy. To succeed in this transformative era, organisations must define a clear vision for digital HR’s role and focus on detailed employee journey mapping for continuous improvement.

Find out today what it means to become an employer of choice!

Prioritising Skilling and Upskilling Young People on World Youth Skills Day

By: Sinakho Dhlamini, HR Content Specialist, Top Employers Institute

Our current work landscape is changing more than ever with technological advancements, labour market shifts and more – the world of work has never been a more complex place to enter. A recent study by McKinsey showed that 90% of employers will require significantly different skill sets in 2030 than before. And while young people are more able to access information from across the internet and the world, the skills gap has never been wider.

World Youth Skills Day was initiated by the United Nations in 2014 when they saw a growing need to support young people to be prepared for a world of work as they grow into a changing employment landscape. By doing this work, enlightened organisations will be able to positively impact the youth of today and the youth that are still to come.

In this article, we will explore what organisations can do to support young people as they prepare to enter the world of work? And how can they show their commitment to skilling the youth of the future, and what are Top Employers doing?

World Youth Skills Day and Positive Impact

One of the trends we identified in the World of Work Trends Report 2023 was that organisations were finally making a clear commitment to ‘positive impact’ as it became the -new North Star for everything that enlightened businesses to do in 2023. In the report, which is available for download now, we broke down this trend into three parts:

A “a ‘lived” purpose works best when it comes straight from the heart of all those who work there – and remains a constant in their everyday decisions.
Secondly, the purpose of any organisation can only ever be as good as the views it allows itself to hear. So enlightened attitudes to diversity and inclusion are not only imperative for the positive impact and momentum they create in all organisations.
Finally, sustainability is critical in how an organisation ensures its continuity through a positive broader impact and in how it behaves as a good employer.

On World Youth Skills Day, we can see how this trend aligns with the importance of businesses in skilling today’s youth, especially as the barrier to entry for work only gets more difficult for young people.

The UN encourages us to unite in recognising the potential of young people as catalysts for change by committing to providing them with the skills needed to build a sustainable and prosperous future for all as we celebrate this World Youth Skills Day and for organisations, it is vital to understand the role that they can play in creating this future.

How Organisations Can Work to Skill Young People

While many organisations have begun committing themselves to creating a better world, many still need to learn precisely what they can do to have the positive impact they would like. Still, large and small businesses have the unique opportunity to contribute to improving the workspace for young people. Some of the ways that they can do that include:

Establishing training programmes, like boot camps or in-school programmes.
Partnering with charities and other organisations that are committed to educating young people.
Forming Coaching, training and mentor programmes aimed at young people who have yet to enter the workforce.
Establishing apprenticeship programmes.
Funding scholarships at universities and schools.
Create project-based learning opportunities and programmes for young people.

UST’s Partnership with Tech She Can

During Top Employers Inspire 2023, UST recently shared details of their partnership with Tech She Can. Tech She Can is a charity committed to changing the ratio of women in technology; they do this by providing free resources to help inspire young women to study technology subjects and inevitably choose a career in a technology field. While they focus on young women, they also work with all kinds of young people to feel inspired to choose a tech career. They do this by connecting them to relatable role models working in the jobs they may consider for themselves.

Certified Top Employer, UST, has partnered with Tech She Can as they want to play a role in having more representation for young women in tech. During UST’s session in Top Employers Inspire, Seena Mohan noted that ‘It is important to inspire women and girls to get into tech careers so they can become equals in creating and developing new technology businesses to shape our future.’

Final Thoughts

On this year’s World Youth Skills Day, we encourage businesses to commit proactively to skilling the youth of today and the young who will follow them. They need to do this by addressing their challenges and supporting or creating programmes and initiatives that seek to upskill young people for the changing world of work. Whether through their own initiative or if organisations need to leave a positive impact on the world beyond their offices’ walls.

Businesses prioritising improving the world will see wins for themselves and their community. We can shape a better future together and create a future that doesn’t leave anyone behind. Find out to day what it means to be an employer of choice!

Best Practice | How NTT DATA Colombia are Reassessing the Employee Value Proposition

By: Top Employers Institute

NTT DATA Colombia has created a human-centric value proposition explaining what working at the organisation is like. Advocated by a clear Employee Value Proposition (EVP) that employees and potential candidates can understand the working experience and company brand. The EVP includes their corporate values and the company’s purpose and reflects professional benefits from the development model and personal benefits for the employees and their primary team.

This is just a snapshot of NTT Colombia’s innovative best practice; you can find the entire practice on our HR Best Practices database, which is exclusively available to Top Employers. Get inspiration and insight into the approach, challenges and learnings experienced by certified Top Employers. Access it now or learn more about it here!

Why was the practice needed?

NTT DATA Colombia carried out an exercise to redefine its value proposition during the Covid-19 pandemic as it understood that employees deserved personalised and agile solutions. The organisation realised the market, habits, expectations, and lives of their current and prospective employees had changed. The company needed to better reflect their value to everyone encountering their organisation.

For NTT DATA Colombia, this EVP helped define and communicate their framework of action, corporate culture, and values, plus delivered on their company purpose and leadership principles. They wanted to guarantee consistency between what they did and what they said.

How the practice was implemented

Through exercises such as focus groups, surveys, workshops and social listening, NTT DATA Colombia redefined their value proposition by finding convergent points based on their employees’ needs and personal purposes. The company then generated offers personalised according to the multiple archetypes they found.

Some highlights of the new EVP:

One of the challenges was maintaining their employees’ closeness, contact and trust during the pandemic.
Perception studies, surveys, focus groups and social listening were used.

Results

A new EVP adjusted to the needs of the employee and the market, which is flexible, personalised and diverse.
There has been a 23% increase in their staff, and the EVP has also helped develop both new talent and existing employees.

In 2023 we published the World of Work Trends Report 2023, which identified how the employee experience would become more personalised. In the post-pandemic world, employees have had a chance to reflect on what truly matters to them. And their employers have had to become increasingly inventive to get, grow and keep their very best people.

Only businesses that work hard to provide a genuine and heartfelt commitment to a personalised experience will generate the emotional reaction necessary to create a high-performance culture, align purpose, vision and values and develop new leadership capabilities.

Learn more about the impact of this personalisation by downloading the World of Work Trends 2021 Report now for free.

David Plink on Innovation & Leadership in a Rapidly Evolving World of Work

Putting People First: Top Employers Institute Shares Insights About Building a Human-Centric Organisation

The Basics: What is a Human-Centric Approach?

The Practicalities: How Does a Human-Centric Approach Work?

The Impact: What are the Benefits of a Human- Centric Approach?

World Mental Health Day 2023 Q&A with Marie-Soleil Ferland and the Health and Wellbeing Team at CGI Canada

Best Practice | A New Kind of Interview with American Express (Amex)

“We strongly believe in the power of sharing and inspiring each other and others”

Case Study | JTI’s Candidate Survey

T-shaped Skills: A Simple Approach with Big Results with Boehringer Ingelheim

What is a T-shaped Approach?

Benefits of the T-shaped Approach

Inspiring HR Practices from Asia-Pacific’s Top Employers

How Organisations Improve Employee Engagement with Emotionally Engaged Leaders

What is Emotional Intelligence?

What is an Emotionally Engaged Leader?

Three Ways that Emotionally Engaged Leaders Impact Employees

How to Improve Employee Engagement with Emotionally Engaged Leaders

Personalisation in 2023: How the Employee Experience Will Be Impacted by Increasing Personalisation at Work across Asia-Pacific

A Paradigm Shift in the Post-Pandemic Workplace

What are the benefits of emphasising personalisation at work?

What makes for a great personalised experience for employees?

How technology and digital tools can assist in personalising the employee experience

How Top Employers around the world are prioritising digital personalisation

Prioritising Skilling and Upskilling Young People on World Youth Skills Day

World Youth Skills Day and Positive Impact

How Organisations Can Work to Skill Young People

UST’s Partnership with Tech She Can

Best Practice | How NTT DATA Colombia are Reassessing the Employee Value Proposition

Why was the practice needed?

How the practice was implemented

Some highlights of the new EVP:

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