TOP EMPLOYERS INSTITUTE PARTNEREM JEDNEGO Z NAJWAŻNIEJSZYCH WYDARZEŃ HR-OWYCH W ROKU – HR SUMMIT, NOVOTEL WARSZAWA AIRPORT 16-17 WRZEŚNIA 2024
HR SUMMIT 2024 – WYDARZENIE HR ORGANIZOWANE PRZEZ PULS BIZNESU
Wydarzenie organizowane przez Puls Biznesu to nie tylko prelekcje i dyskusje panelowe, ale również doskonała okazja do networkingu zarówno w ciągu dnia, jak i podczas spotkania specjalnego na zakończenie pierwszego dnia.
Nie przegap szansy na wartościowe kontakty i unikatowe doświadczenia – Top Employers Institute serdecznie zaprasza do dołączenia w tej inspirującej podróży przez świat Human Resources jako Partner wydarzenia!
PROGRAM KONFERENCJ HR SUMMIT 2024
Dołącz do uczestników 11. edycji HR Summit – najważniejszego wydarzenia w roku dla specjalistów, managerów, kierowników i dyrektorów HR.
W dniach 16-17 września w Warszawie odkryjesz najnowsze trendy i innowacje, które kształtują przyszłość zarządzania zasobami ludzkimi.
Zarezerwuj swoje miejsce już teraz i:
▪ poznaj strategie budowania bardziej efektywnych relacji z zarządem i biznesem,
▪ zdobądź wiedzę na temat przyszłości pracy zdalnej,
▪ eksploruj możliwości digitalizacji i automatyzacji w HR,
▪ dowiedz się, jak wykorzystać sztuczną inteligencję w codziennej pracy,
▪ bądź na bieżąco z nadchodzącymi zmianami prawnymi w obszarze HR.
▪ ulepsz komunikację wewnętrzną oraz efektywnie wdrażaj kulturę organizacyjną.
TOP EMPLOYERS INSTITUTE O “ROLI HR BUSINESS PARTNERA” PODCZAS HR SUMMIT 2024
„Rola HR Business Partnera – Most łączący dział HR z celami biznesowymi” – zapraszamy do posłuchania dyskusji panelowej, w której Katarzyna Konieczna – Senior HR Auditor Top Employers Institute – wystąpi wspólnie na scenie z naszymi następującymi panelistkami:
Anna Mistewicz | Poland HR Head | Angelini Pharma Polska (Certyfikowany Top Employer)
Jolanta Wiewióra | Dyrektor Departamentu Partnerstwa HR | PKO Bank Polski(Certyfikowany Top Employer)
Natalia Zachaś | Dyrektorka P&O | Mars Wrigley
Tematy dyskusji panelowej: Rola HR Business Partnera – Most łączący dział HR z celami biznesowymi:
* Rola HR Business Partnera jako kluczowego gracza w zapewnieniu synergii między strategią działu HR a celami biznesowymi organizacji
* Konkretne działania i strategie wspierające realizację celów biznesowych poprzez identyfikowanie i rozwijanie kluczowych kompetencji pracowników oraz budowanie zdolności adaptacyjnych organizacji
* Korzyści wynikające z silnej współpracy między HR Business Partnerem a liderami biznesowymi, takie jak lepsze zrozumienie potrzeb biznesowych, szybsza reakcja na zmiany rynkowe oraz zwiększona innowacyjność i konkurencyjność organizacji.
SPOTKAJ SIĘ Z ZESPOŁEM TOP EMPLOYERS NA NASZYM STOISKU PODCZAS HR SUMMIT 2024
Polski Zespół Top Employers Institute zaprasza również na swoje stoisko! Spotkaj się z naszym pozostałym zespołem:
Patrycja Jankowska | Business Development Manager Poland & EE | Top Employers Institute
Maciej Moskal | Regional Account Manager CEE | Top Employers Institute
…aby dowiedzieć się więcej na temat procesu certyfikacji Top Employers i dołączyć do ponad 2300 certyfikowanych organizacji w 121 krajach.
RUSZA WRZEŚNIOWA EDYCJA HR BEST PRACTICES CONFERENCE Z WYZWANIAMI NA ROK 2025
HR BEST PRACTICES CONFERENCE: PRZYSZŁOŚĆ HR W 2024 I 2025 TO WCIĄŻ LUDZIE, TRENDY, TECHNOLOGIA
Z prawdziwą przyjemnością po raz kolejny zapraszamy naszych Top Employers Polska na cykliczne wydarzenie HR Best Practices Conference. Już 24 września 2024 r. spotkamy się w Warszawie, aby omówić najlepsze praktyki HR, wymienić się doświadczeniami i porozmawiać podczas lunchu.
Naszą kolejną jesienną edycję rozpoczniemy od śniadania biznesowego oraz sesji „pozytywnych relacji” z mówcą, mentorem i networkerem – Grzegorzem Turniakiem.
TRENDY HR Z PERSPEKTYWY EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBER / CCO TOP EMPLOYERS INSTITUTE – ADRIANA SELIGMANA
Pierwsze przemówienia na scenie zainicjujemy tematem rehumanizacji doświadczeń pracowników w obliczu postępu technologicznego i kultury organizacji opartej na danych. Będziemy mieć przyjemność spotkać się z Executive Board Member / Chief Commercial Officer w Top Employers Institute – Adrianem Seligmanem, który opowie o tym, w jaki sposób liderzy HR powinni łączyć postęp technologiczny z człowiekiem, będącym w centrum uwagi oraz jak wykorzystywać wnioski oparte na danych, aby poprawić doświadczenia pracowników przy zachowaniu empatii w miejscu pracy.
W panelu dyskusyjnym porozmawiamy z kolei o lojalności pracowników jako kluczu do sukcesu w kontekście funkcjonowania organizacji – czyli o rekrutowaniu, angażowaniu i utrzymywaniu talentów firmy.
Podczas jesiennej edycji HR Best Practices Conference posłuchamy również między innymi cennych prelekcji o cyfryzacji, raportowaniu i budżetowaniu, o transformacji HR przez AI, działaniach w duchu „Total Experience” (i skutecznego angażowania pracowników). Nasi prelegenci rozpalą również zagorzałą dyskusję z publicznością Top Employers o sile kobiet w dzisiejszej rzeczywistości biznesowej. Powrócimy także do tematu ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance).
LISA PANELISTÓW I PRELEGENTÓW, KTÓRZY WYSTĄPIĄ PODCZAS HR BEST PRACTICES CONFERENCE, MAJĄCEJ MIEJSCE 24 WRZEŚNIA 2024 W WARSZAWIE
Podczas wydarzenia HR Best Practices Conference w roli prelegentów i panelistów zobaczymy m.in. następujących ekspertów: Piotr Cykier, Dyrektor Biura Polityki Wynagrodzeń i Cyfryzacji HR, Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego; Aleksandra Kubasiewicz, Ekspert, Pion Zasobów Ludzkich, Departament Zarządzania Rozwojem i Kultury Organizacyjnej, Bank Pekao SA; Dorota Benkowska, Senior Director HR, GEA; Małgorzata Makowska, Dyrektor ds. Rekrutacji i Marki Pracodawcy, Auchan Retail Polska; Dorota Zaperty-Łukasik, Senior HR Manager – C.H. Robinson; Łukasz Peliksza, Chief Employee Experience Officer, Santander Bank Polska; Aneta Trzcińska, Kierownik Biura Personalnego, Provident Polska S.A.
HR Best Practices Conference 2024 zostanie poprowadzona przez dobrze już znaną Katarzynę Konieczną – Senior HR Auditor w Top Employers Institute.
Insights from the People Summit 2024
Today, 84% of the organisations are defining a vision for how technology contributes to the overall employee experience. That was the focus of the People Summit 2024, hosted by SAP and the Top Employers Institute, which took place on June 12, 2024, at the SAP Labs Campus in Bengaluru, Whitfield in India.
And we’re delighted to share some of the resources shared during the People Summit:
World of Work Trends 2024
Top Employers Institute’s World of Work Trends 2024 analyses the latest trends in people strategies and practices from leading organisations globally. In the report, our analysis showed five significant trends affecting workplaces in 2024. Those trends are:
- The Future Defined with Purpose
- Dialogue for Transformation
- Evolution of Wellbeing Effectiveness
- Broaden the Horizon of DEI
These trends were unpacked by Adrian Seligman, Executive Board Member at the Top Employers Institue. You can download the report here, and watch Adrian’s Keynote here:
Future of Work – Trend Report 2024
Throughout the People Summit, insights were shared by SAP which also featured many insights from the research they’re doing into the future of work. SAP have identified future of work trends three strategic dimensions. You can access an array of resources shared by SAP during the conference here:
- SAP Flex Team Workshop – This Design Thinking inspired workshop helps teams successfully navigate a hybrid work model
Future-Proofing HR: Trends and Transformations in India
The People Summit also featured a wonderful panel discussion on future-proofing HR and discussing trends and transformations in the Indian Landscape. On the panel was Kavita Kurup, Global Head HR and Corporate Communications at UST, Shilpy Sharma, Regional HR Head at Empower, Kiran Sn, Vice President – HR, HCLTech, Shweta Mohanty, Head of Human Resources: India at SAP and Billy Elliott, Regional Director Asia-Pacific, Top Employers Institute.
They addressed the integration of technology, the distinction and enhancement of employee experience vs. engagement, the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusivity (DE&I), and strategies for skills development and talent management.
Key points included:
- Technological Integration: Shilpy Sharma highlighted the evolving role of technology in HR, emphasizing advancements that boost organizational efficiency while considering potential drawbacks like job displacement and privacy concerns.
- Employee Experience vs. Engagement: Kavita Kurup differentiated between the two concepts, sharing successful UST initiatives to enhance both through personalized approaches and flexible work arrangements.
- Skills Development and Talent Management: Kiran SN discussed HCLTech’s approach to upskilling and reskilling, aligning talent initiatives with strategic goals, and addressing challenges like budget and time constraints.
- Diversity, Equity & Inclusivity: Shweta Mohanty shared effective strategies and impactful programs at SAP to promote DE&I, acknowledging challenges like unconscious bias and tokenism.
To view the complete panel discussion, please visit: Panel discussion – Future-Proofing HR: Trends and Transformations in India
3 Employee Insights Your Organisation Needs to Succeed
Despite their industry and offerings, organisations rely on their people more than anything else. That is why it is important for organisations to understand their employees as much as they understand their clients .
In this blog post we are exploring everything from what employee insights are to the three employee insights organisations need to prioritise.
What are employee insights?
Employee insights are valuable information and understanding from analysing people’s behaviour, attitude, and organisational feedback. They form the foundation upon which people strategies are built. As can serve as a starting point for information and a way for teams to monitor the success of their strategies.
Employee insights encompass aspects such as employee motivations, job satisfaction, work-life balance, professional development needs, and perceptions of the workplace culture. By systematically gathering and interpreting data through surveys, performance reviews, feedback sessions, and other tools, HR teams can use this data to comprehensively understand what drives their people.
How employee insights benefit and support organisations
Employee insights have a number of benefits for organisations, especially when it comes to learning what drives employee satisfaction. Some of those benefits include:
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- Enhanced employee engagement: when employees feel positive engagement it is reflected in the quality of their work as it becomes more than just a job for them. They show a level of dedication that means they are more likely to take pride in their work and that means that organisations can rely on them to go the extra mile for business success.
- Improved retention of employees:recruiting and training new people is expensive and time-consuming and expensive. By retaining existing employees, organisations can save on recruitment costs, training programs, and the loss of productivity associated with new hires.
- An improved work culture and environment to support employees:a positive work culture and supportive environment are essential for fostering employee well-being and productivity. When employees fee valued, respected and supported at work they are more likely to feel satisfied at work, and satisfied people are more likely to stay with the organisation and perform at their best.
- Enable organisations to make more informed decisions:organisations that can make data-driven decision-making will find that it is crucial for strategic planning and operational efficiency. This alignment leads to better outcomes and a more motivated workforce.
- Reduced costs: high turnover of employees can lead to hidden costs such as lost productivity, lower employee morale, and decreased customer satisfaction. By improving retention, organisations avoid these costs.
3 employee insights your organisation needs to know
Now that it is clearer about the benefits of identifying employee insights, we are going to go deeper into the ones your organisation needs to identify:
- How are the employee motivations within your organisation:Knowing what motivates your employees is key to fostering a productive and engaged workforce. While compensation is important, intrinsic motivators such as recognition, meaningful work, career growth opportunities, and a positive workplace culture often significantly impact long-term engagement. HR teams that can identify what motivates their people will be better able to align these needs with organisational goals, creating a work environment that supports the organisation while ensuring that employees are supported.
- How employees feel about their sense of belonging within the organisation:A sense of belonging is essential for a positive employee experience. Employees who feel included and part of the organisation are more likely to be engaged and committed. Organisations that have data and insights on these feelings will be able to make decisions to better engage their people and support them so that they are more engaged at work.
- How employees feel about their personal and professional growth opportunities at work:People want to feel that their careers are progressing and that their company supports their growth. Organisations also want to invest in the people they have rather than continually looking for new employees to fill their gaps. That is why investing in professional development through training programs, workshops, and continuous learning opportunities benefits employees and the organisation. HR teams prioritising getting data and insights into this area of their employees’ lives will feel more equipped to support their people while also boosting their loyalty and commitment to the organisation.
5 ways to gain employee insights
Employee insights can be gained through a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods designed to gather comprehensive data on employees’ overall experiences, attitudes, and behaviours. Some of the methods that organisations can use to gain these insights include:
- Regular surveys and questionnaires:frequent use of surveys and questionnaire, can be an effective way for organisations to get a general picture of how employees are feeling at work. These can be annual engagement surveys, pulse surveys, or targeted questionnaires focusing on specific areas such as job satisfaction, work-life balance, and career development. These tools can also be effectively implemented using digital tools that will allow data to be analysed and trends to be easily identified.
- Regular one-on-one meetings and check-ins:regular perfomarmance reviews, like stay interviews, provide valuable insights into employee performance, strengths, and areas for development. These discussions also offer an opportunity for employees to share their career aspirations, challenges, and feedback on their roles and the organisation. When using this method to gain employee insights, attention must be paid to creating a psychologically safe environment for employees to share their feelings.
- Exit interviews: Exit interviews with departing employees can reveal critical insights into why employees leave and what could have been done to retain them. This feedback helps identify systemic issues, areas for improvement, and opportunities to enhance the employee experience for current and future staff.
- Anonymous feedback channels: Providing anonymous ways to give feedback, like suggestion boxes or confidential online platforms, encourages employees to share honest opinions without fear of retaliation. This can surface issues that employees might be reluctant to discuss openly.
- HR Analytics: HR departments can leverage data analytics to track and analyse various metrics such as turnover rates, absenteeism, performance metrics, and employee engagement scores. Advanced analytics tools can uncover patterns and trends, providing actionable insights for strategic decision-making.
Organisations that use a combination of these methods can gain a holistic understanding of their employees’ experiences, needs, and concerns. This can enable them to have a comprehensive approach to gathering employee insights.
Employee insights: final thoughts on their value
Employee insights are essential for building a resilient and high-performing organisation in a competitive business landscape. It is critical that HR teams prioritise understanding and leveraging these insights to drive organisational success.
The Top Employers Certification Programme recognises excellent people practices to help organisations grow as an employer of choice. These excellent people practices are often improved by identifying important employee insights to know where to make impactful changes.
Learn more about joining the Programme and how it can help you make data-driven decisions: get in touch today, become employer of choice!
Wystartował wirtualny roundtable o wyzwaniach HR – Top Employers Polska HR Talks
Czym jest dzisiaj HR? Najlepiej definiuje to szkoła Harvardzka jako “Metody zarządzania zatrudnieniem zmierzającym do uzyskania przewagi konkurencyjnej poprzez strategiczne rozmieszczenie wysoce zaangażowanych i wykwalifikowanych pracowników przy użyciu technik strukturalnych, motywowania i rozwoju personalnego”. I to była jedyna teoretyczna definicja podczas wirtualnego roundtable o wyzwaniach HR – webinaru Top Employers Polska – HR Talks. Kolejne 59 minut to poszukiwanie odpowiedzi na pytania związane z rolą HR w organizacji, budowaniem kultury organizacyjnej i wyzwaniach, jakie stoją przed HR. A odpowiedzi poszukiwała grupa polskich dyrektorek HR z organizacji, które od lat posiadają certyfikat Top Employers.
Top Employers Polska HR Talks – wirtualny roundtable czołowych ekspertów o wyzwaniach HR
„Top Employers Polska HR Talks” to pierwszy Top Employers Polska wirtualny roundtable o wyzwaniach HR. Pierwsze wydarzenie online wystartowało 4 czerwca 2024. W roli aktywnych uczestniczek w moderowanej przez Senior HR Auditor, Katarzynę Konieczną dyskusji online, zobaczyliśmy:
Sylwia Balasa, Dyrektor Pionu Szkoleń i Rozwoju, Kaufland Polska
Aneta Kożuchowska, Dyrektor Biura Rozwoju i Szkoleń, Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego
Katarzyna Motelska, Dyrektor Departamentu Kultury Organizacyjnej i Zaangażowania, PKO BP
Anna Mistewicz, Poland HR Head, Angelini Pharma
Joanna Wydra, Dyrektor Personalny, Mondi Świecie
Strategiczna rola HR, jak zbudować kulturę Organizacyjną opartą na …(?)
Podczas wydarzenia Top Employers Polska HR Talks, czołowe ekspertki HR omawiały temat Strategicznej roli HR i budowania kultury organizacyjnej. Przyjrzyjmy się bliżej pytaniom Senior HR Auditor Katarzyny Koniecznej i odpowiedziom naszych ekspertek podczas tej dyskusji.
Włączenie HR do procesu strategicznego zarządzania firmą
Katarzyna Konieczna: Jaki wpływ na decyzje strategiczne ma HR dzisiaj? Czy HR powinien mieć większy wpływ na decyzje strategiczne? Jakie są potencjalne korzyści i zagrożenia wynikające z większego zaangażowania HR w zarządzanie na najwyższym poziomie? Jak wygląda codzienna droga w dochodzeniu do roli strategicznej?
Anna Mistewicz, Poland HR Head, Angelini Pharma: Myślę, że przede wszystkim przez współuczestniczenie. Przez to, że rozumiemy biznes, a to wymaga pracy – uczestniczenie w biznesie, rozumienie biznesu buduje naszą wiarygodność. Jeżeli jej nie ma…to może zabrzmi prowokacyjnie, ale zastanówmy się, czy jest coś, co możemy zrobić, żeby tą swoją wiarygodność wzmocnić? Bo to jest w moim odczuciu bardzo zrównoważony system, to znaczy na zasadzie daję, biorę, coś oferuję i na tej bazie buduję swoją wiarygodność jako funkcja, czy buduję swoją wiarygodność na operacyjnej doskonałości, czy też rozszerzam aktywność o działania, które mają na celu rozwój organizacji? Bo w strategiach przede wszystkim chodzi o rozwój, prawda? O to, żeby to była stabilna organizacja, która nie tylko tu i teraz funkcjonuje bardzo sprawnie, ale także buduje ramy na przyszłość, wytycza nowe kierunki rozwojowe. To wymaga osadzenia w biznesie, dla mnie to jest niezwykle istotne w tej roli.
Katarzyna Konieczna: Jakie role pełni HR dzisiaj, a w jakie nowe role wcieli się w niedalekiej przyszłości.
Katarzyna Motelska, Dyrektor Departamentu Kultury Organizacyjnej i Zaangażowania, PKO BP: Z mojej perspektywy bardzo mocną determinantą będzie po prostu człowiek, który podejmie to wyzwanie i będzie miał tę wizję biznesową i czuł ludzi. Po prostu tak. (…) Czy połączenie biznesowej wizji strategicznej z perspektywą człowieka nam to da? Jeżeli tak, to mamy receptę na sukces.
Rola HR w budowaniu kultury organizacyjnej
Katarzyna Konieczna: Ostatnio dużo mówimy o wellbeingu definiując jego skuteczność znajomością potrzeb pracowników. Ale tu zahaczamy już o interwencję w życie osobiste pracowników. Zatem do jakiego stopnia HR powinien angażować się w kwestie osobiste pracowników, takie jak zdrowie psychiczne, sytuacja rodzinna czy styl życia?
Sylwia Balasa, Dyrektor Pionu Szkoleń i Rozwoju, Kaufland Polska: To jest trochę historia o budowaniu zaufania, czyli o tworzeniu takiej atmosfery, gdzie po prostu o tych rzeczach się mówi (…) To nie chodzi o wypytywanie, nie chodzi o takie brutalne angażowanie się w to, co się dzieje u pracownika, ale jeżeli stworzy się odpowiednią atmosferę, to ludzie sami zaczną o tym chętnie mówić.
Katarzyna Konieczna: Czy HR powinien aktywnie angażować się w kształtowanie polityki firmowej dotyczącej kwestii społecznych i politycznych? Jak radzić sobie z presją społeczną i oczekiwaniami pracowników w tym zakresie? Czy zarządy powinny iść w tym kierunku i opowiadać się po jakiejś ze stron w kwestiach politycznych, społecznych, ekonomicznych oraz informować o tym pracowników, czy nie?
Joanna Wydra, Dyrektor Personalny, Mondi Świecie: Myślę, że może to nie jest o opowiadaniu się po jakiejś ze stron, ale siłą rzeczy przejmujemy wiele funkcji, na przykład: przy niewydolnym systemie zdrowotnym, fundujemy prywatną opiekę medyczną. Wchodząc głębiej, to samo dotyczy troski o zdrowie psychiczne – wiadomo, jak to wygląda w Polsce, więc my bierzemy na siebie tę odpowiedzialność…Kwestia ESG znowu w dużej mierze realizowane przez przedsiębiorstwa, zatem odpowiadamy na te wyzwania, odpowiadamy odpowiedzialnie…
Samotność HR (?)
Katarzyna Konieczna: Mówimy o samotności szefa-menedżera, o samotności pracowników. Jeśli pracownik ma problem idzie do menedżera (jeśli ma do niego zaufanie, o czym była już dzisiaj mowa), jeśli menedżer lub zarząd ma problem idzie do HR, a do kogo idzie HR?
Aneta Kożuchowska, Dyrektor Biura Rozwoju i Szkoleń, Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego: Ja bym powiedziała trochę przewrotnie, że wbrew pozorom wydaje mi się, że nam najtrudniej jest być samotnym. Współpracujemy z tyloma obszarami. (…) Myślę, że tak naprawdę to właśnie jest nasz zasób. To, że znamy całą organizację, że współpracujemy z wieloma osobami i że tak naprawdę te kontakty są dosyć szerokie. Ten cały networking, który budujemy, to jest nasz kapitał, na którym możemy dalej tworzyć i rozwijać. Tu możemy szukać wsparcia, bo myślę, że to działa w obie strony i te osoby są nam wdzięczne za tę pracę, którą robimy na co dzień.
The Impact of Leadership and Organisational Purpose on Employee Engagement
The recognition of the growing impact of organisational purpose on employee engagement has not just risen significantly over the last few years but has become a key trend shaping the future of work. It is no longer new for Top Employers to have clear commitments to a ‘positive impact’ on the world. In our World of Work Trends Report 2023, we identified that the importance of a ‘lived’ purpose—one that comes straight from the heart of those within the organisation—would become a constant in everyday business decisions.
In our latest research, in our World of Work Trends 2024, we dived deeper into this trend as we recognised that organisations that provide opportunities for employees to reflect on their sense of purpose and connect this to that of the organisation enjoy higher engagement, revenue growth, and profitability. It’s not surprising that 2023 saw an eight-percentage point increase in adopting this practice among Top Employers.
The importance of organisational purpose and leadership
Looking at this year, we saw that this trend continues to evolve, especially as the world becomes increasingly unpredictable and trust in traditional institutions is declining. For example, trust in government and journalists is low (41%, 47%), while trust in CEOs currently sits at 64%.
This context is of interest to us in this article. The link between employee and organisational purpose is becoming more important and equally challenging as further disruption in the world affects the workplace and workplace values become increasingly diverse. In this changing environment, it will be the leaders within organisations who will be tasked with navigating this complex world and transforming company values into action.
We identified that organisations will only see employee engagement and financial benefits from a strong organisational purpose if they have the right leaders in place to bring it to life. Purpose-driven leadership will be critical to success in 2024 and beyond.
The impact of leadership and organisational purpose on employee engagement in numbers
We analysed the relationship between organisational strength and organisational purpose and collected information about employee engagement in 1 860 Top Employers. We found the following:
- Companies with strong organisational purpose and good leadership had employee engagement rates of 79%.
- Companies with strong organisational purpose without good leadership had employee engagement rates of 76%.
- Companies with weak organisational purpose and good leadership had employee engagement rates of 79%.
- Companies with weak organisational purpose without good leadership had employee engagement rates of 75%.
It is clear that leadership has a clear impact on how organisational purpose is felt and how that affects employee engagement rates. Therefore, we need to investigate what employees really want from their leaders. What makes employees trust their leaders?
What makes a great leader?
People are different, and what they want from their leaders reflects this difference, but there are still similarities in what people now expect from them. On big-picture issues, they want leaders to have a perspective beyond immediate business concerns. 60% of employees are interested in hearing their CEO speak about controversial social and political issues that they care about. It is now common for employees to closely review the actions and opinions of their leaders to see how they align with organisational values.
But empathy is really at the heart of purpose-driven leadership. When employees were asked about the criteria they used to decide who to trust, 79% cited empathy as a deciding factor.
Empathy as the Key Factor
It is clear that empathy stands out as a critical leadership skill. Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. For people wanting to become empathetic leaders, here are key strategies to aid in this transformation:
- Active Listening: Empathy starts with listening, and leaders who want to develop this skill need to take the time to proactively listen to their employees. That involves being fully present, understanding, responding, and remembering what employees say and share.
- Open Communication Channels: Leaders must create an environment where open communication is encouraged and valued. This work can be done with regular check-ins and multiple feedback channels.
- Recognition and Validation: Recognising employees’ hard efforts is a powerful tool for leaders to show empathy. Leaders should be trained to acknowledge both their team members’ achievements and emotional states. This validation helps employees feel seen and appreciated, boosting morale and engagement.
- Conflict Resolution Skills: Empathetic leaders are skilled at resolving conflicts in a way that respects all parties involved. Training leaders in conflict resolution techniques can help them navigate disputes with sensitivity and fairness, ensuring that all voices are heard and considered.
- Feedback with Compassion: Providing constructive feedback is essential, but doing so with empathy makes a significant difference. Leaders should be trained to deliver feedback in a supportive way that focuses on growth rather than criticism. This involves balancing honesty with kindness and offering actionable suggestions for improvement.
- Leading by Example: Finally, leaders must lead by example. Demonstrating empathy in their interactions sets a standard for the entire organization. When leaders consistently act with empathy, it becomes a core part of the company culture, influencing the behaviour of employees at all levels.
Final Thoughts
Empathy in leadership is the cornerstone of an inclusive and effective workplace. Organisational purpose is an evolving, collaborative process that demands the lived commitment of every employee. Without authentic buy-in, neither the employee nor the organisation truly benefits. Once seen as a top-down process owned by the C-suite, strategy is facing a similar revolution. By prioritising this essential skill, HR professionals can help build a thriving, resilient organisation equipped to meet the challenges of the modern work environment.
Q&A with Gabi Sanchez from Verisure UK
We caught up with Gabi Sanchez, Managing Director at certified Top Employer Verisure UK who reveals how they retain talent in a competitive market, the fantastic wellbeing initiatives in place, and how the organisation utilises AI to enhance DEI within its recruitment processes and to boost efficiency and productivity across the board.
Introduce yourself and tell us about your organisation
My name is Gabi Sanchez, I am the Managing Director of Verisure UK. We are the leading European provider of professionally monitored security systems. We are proud to protect over 5 million customers in 17 countries in Europe and Latin America. Our mission is to bring peace of mind to families and small business owners by providing them with the best security solutions and services.
What makes Verisure UK a Top Employer?
We recognise the importance of continuous career development and wellbeing. Our initiatives are constantly evolving to allow our colleagues to grow both professionally and personally. We are delighted to offer a range of training and development courses, weekly check-ins, and annual career discussions to empower colleagues to reach their full potential.
We believe that personal wellbeing is critical to the overall growth of our colleagues, we offer a comprehensive employee benefits package to improve our colleague’s well-being, including private medical insurance, pension, flexible working, health and wellbeing programmes, away days, financial advisors, a day off for birthdays and many more.
Additionally, we have created spaces that foster a collaborative and innovative work environment. Our offices are designed to enhance productivity and satisfaction, with amenities such as subsidised canteen, games room and break out spaces in our Newcastle Centre of Excellence.
What is the biggest people challenge your business faces in 2024? And what will you do to meet this challenge?
One of our challenges revolves around talent retention and development in a competitive market. As one of the UK’s leading monitored alarm companies, we recognise the critical role our employees play in delivering exceptional service and driving innovation. As a result, we are continuously investing in tailored training, competitive benefits packages, providing clear career paths, and addressing feedback to retain top talent and remain competitive.
Tell us about a recent HR initiative you have instigated within your organisation that you are most proud of?
We are immensely proud of the initiatives we have implemented. One standout initiative is our Mental Health First Aiders program, a vital support system for colleagues navigating mental health challenges. This program cultivates an environment where individuals feel supported and empowered to seek assistance, resulting in improved mental health and overall wellbeing throughout our workplace. Furthermore, we extend a 24-hour counselling service through Aviva, ensuring that our team members have access to professional support whenever they need it.
How is AI affecting your business?
AI has become a transformative force in our business, impacting our people practices in different ways. One notable aspect is our utilisation of AI tools to enhance diversity and inclusion within our recruitment processes. We employ an AI tool to ensure gender-neutral language in our job ads, mitigating unconscious biases and promoting equal opportunities for all candidates. In addition, we’ve implemented an AI tool called Co-Pilot, which streamlines our work processes and workflows, allowing our teams to focus on strategic initiatives rather than repetitive administrative tasks. By automating routine processes, we’ve been able to boost efficiency and productivity across the board.
Which wellbeing offerings in your business are proving the most popular with employees? And which are proving the most effective in terms of their impact?
Our flexible working opportunities and private healthcare are two of the most popular and impactful wellbeing offerings among our employees.
Our colleagues are given the flexibility to work remotely from home or abroad or simply adjust their hours to suit their schedule depending on their role. This plays a huge role improving work-life balance and maintaining high satisfaction levels. Additionally, our private healthcare offering has been incredibly popular. It has had a significant positive effect on our employees’ well-being. Our private healthcare option contributes to better overall health and morale within the team, and we continue to receive positive feedback on both fronts.
Have you any new DEI initiatives you can tell us about that help you tap into fresh sources of talent?
We have several DEI initiatives that help us tap into fresh sources of talent both internally and externally. This year, one of the exciting outcomes from our DEI roundtable is the launch of an internal job fair. This allows us to tap into fresh sources of talent within our existing workforce and promote internal mobility. It also provides an opportunity for our colleagues to meet colleagues from different departments and discover different opportunities that they didn’t know is available to them.
What’s next? Tell us about a new initiative/project for 2024 that you’re most excited about?
This year brings a wave of exciting new initiatives and roles. We are on the lookout for talented individuals, who would like to grow with our company. The roles currently available include customer service representatives, sales executives to Alarm Receiving Centre Ambassadors and many more. We offer extensive on the job training and a supportive work environment that empowers individuals to thrive and advance their careers. We’re also launching thrilling new initiatives, such as new television campaigns, so people can expect to see a lot more of our branding throughout the year!
Best Practice | Conscious Leadership Builds an Inclusive and Effective Culture at Boehringer Ingelheim
At Boehringer Ingelheim Mexico, leaders are crucial for shaping a culture where all employees can feel a sense of belonging within the organisation. As role models, they help to set the scene and show that diversity and inclusion are priorities. For the organisation, the meaning of diversity refers to diversity of thought, while inclusion is how they bring different perspectives and ideas together for innovation.
This best practice focuses on developing a new generation of inclusive leaders through a series of targeted training modules to enable them to foster psychological safety at all organisational levels and identify issues arising from micro-aggressions, harassment, discrimination, and unconscious biases. The basis for this transformation was a “Conscious Business Leadership Programme,” an Unconscious Bias e-learning course, and Psychological Safety & Speak Up workshops.
This is just a snapshot of Boehringer Ingelheim’s innovative best practice. You can find the entire practice in 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
Culture and leadership are inextricably linked: consciously or unconsciously, leaders foster the values and beliefs that underpin an organisation’s culture and imprint values and assumptions that persist for decades. An organisation’s leaders can also shape culture over time through their conscious and unconscious behaviours.
Boehringer Ingelheim Mexico recognises that being able to promote their organisation as one where different genders, identities, races, ages, and backgrounds are celebrated is directly linked to increased employee engagement, innovation, and productivity. Prioritising diversity and inclusion training at all levels, but especially for the role models who lead organisational culture, is key to facilitating true inclusivity. Without engaged leadership, such activities can become nothing more than corporate speak.
How the practice was implemented
Boehringer Ingelheim Mexico has implemented a Leadership Journey that includes comprehensive D&I training. Traditionally, in business, leaders are often selected based on their individual success. At Boehringer Ingelheim Mexico, developing leadership skills goes beyond technical skills; the ethical aspect of leadership has become imperative. Leaders are asked to grow in their roles in a human sense.
These programmes aim to evoke the internal commitment of the team members to accomplish the organisation’s mission with effectiveness and integrity. It means doing so with the understanding that their team members are human beings who will only do their best if they are inspired, feel safe, and believe they are truly included and have a sense of belonging in the organisation.
All leaders in the company are required to participate in training programmes to ensure that they all operate from the same basis for managing talent within the organisation. For D&I, their Leadership Journey includes four programmes:
- Unconscious Bias e-Learning accessible through an online D&I channel
- Psychological Safety & Speak Up leadership workshops
- People Growth + Diversity & Inclusion + Belonging: D&I topics as part of management are addressed during the mandatory training for Boehringer Ingelheim leaders. The training includes skills and tools for communication, feedback, and feedforward.
- Conscious Business Leadership Programme: developed and presented in conjunction with Fred Kofman, a renowned Executive Coach and Advisor on leadership and culture and Founder of the Conscious Business Center. Over the course of 32 weeks, leaders engage in learning about the following topics: leadership, culture, communication, responsibility, humility, collaboration, resolution (honesty), coordination (commitments), essentialism, co-evaluation (feedback), emotions, meditation, perspectives (empathy), stoicism (flourishing), teamwork, coaching, capitalism (ethics), anti-capitalism (justice), and the West (economy and citizenship).
The web platform, for leaders and direct reports, was created on the company’s intranet. This space is available to ensure that employees are able to find all the information they need and more to reinforce an open, just and equitable culture. In this way, leaders have access to information from anywhere, at any time, to be able to effectively address issues such as micro-aggressions, bullying, discrimination, etc.
The Conscious Business Leadership Programme was designed and aligned with the company’s corporate competencies, behaviours and code of ethics, allowing Boehringer Ingelheim Mexico’s leaders (Directors, Senior Management and Middle Management) to put the organisation’s philosophy and values into practice on a daily basis within their teams. Their leaders learn to manage by improving effectiveness, caring for collaborative relationships with their team and peers, as well as promoting the welfare of all involved.
Leadership is divided into three cohorts, and the programme is tailored accordingly. Thereafter, the training is cascaded throughout the organisation. Those three cohorts are:
- Cohort 1: Senior Leadership
- Cohort 2 and 3: Leaders across the business functions
The results of the practice:
To measure the effectiveness of this best practice, a global survey is undertaken annually across Boehringer Ingelheim countries, totalling 54 000 employees. Each country has its own results and a comparison with the global results. Below are a selection of the results Boehringer Ingelheim Mexico has obtained that are directly related to the leadership development trainings and coaching discussed in this best practice:
- 86% agree that leaders work effectively with people who are different from themselves.
- 93% agree that people are treated with respect in Boehringer Ingelheim, regardless of their job, level, etc.
- 98% agree that the values of Boehringer Ingelheim and the principles of the Code of Conduct support employees in their work on a day-to-day basis.
Notable Quotes:
“No matter what position you hold in the company, you can make a huge impact with what you say and how you say it.” Luis Carlos Pérez, Director of Communication
“Regardless of position or rank, lets demand that we work with the principles of Conscious Business. It is the most efficient and fastest way to establish a conscious business culture.” Augusto Muench, CEO
Best Practice | Stay Interviews at BAT
By Top Employers Institute
In this blog post, we will discussing how BAT improve their workplace culture and retention strategy by gaining employee insights through stay itnerviews.
What are Stay Interviews
While it is traditional for organisations to have exit interviews, many companies realise there is a need to conduct stay interviews. Stay interviews are a proactive and structured approach to engage with current employees and gain insight into their job satisfaction, career aspirations, and overall experience within the company. Where exit interviews are reactive, stay interviews are a proactive approach to assessing the needs of employees while they are still within the organisation.
How BAT established stay interviews:
In the APMEA West region (Middle East, North Africa, Caucasus, Central Asia and Pakistan), BAT recently established stay interviews with their employees to help with retention and focus on customised, individualised, and purposeful interventions for employees instead of a ‘one size fits all’ strategy.
The primary objectives of stay interviews include:
- Identifying factors that contribute to employee retention.
- Understanding individual motivations and needs.
- Addressing potential concerns or dissatisfaction before they lead to turnover.
- Aligning employees’ goals with the company’s objectives.
- Tailoring retention strategies to foster a more positive and fulfilling work environment.
This is just a snapshot of BAT’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 our HR best practice library.
Why the stay interview practice was needed
BAT sees stay interviews as necessary for their organisation’s talent management strategy. The interviews provide a proactive and insightful approach to employee retention, allowing the organisation to understand their existing workforce’s unique needs, motivations, and concerns.
By engaging in open and candid conversations with employees about their experiences, career aspirations, and overall job satisfaction, BAT can identify potential issues and opportunities for improvement before those issues escalate into reasons for departure. Stay interviews not only demonstrate their commitment to employee wellbeing and growth but also enable the customisation of retention strategies that resonate with each employee.
BAT’s main focus was a targeted approach, mainly focusing on their key talents, employees sitting in critical roles, and women; this was in line with the turnover trends and likely personas to leave the organisation, as the organisation had observed in the last few years.
Their strategy and subsequent practice were born out of numerous brainstorming sessions in the HR team aimed at curbing attrition rates within BAT’s APMEA West region. Over the past three years, this region has witnessed an upward trend in attrition, mirroring prevailing patterns across diverse industries and markets.
To effectively tackle this challenge, BAT developed and deployed a proactive measure to understand employee sentiments – what it would take to leave the organisation and what they appreciate in the organisation so that BAT could focus on elevating and building on those initiatives.
How stay inteviews were implemented:
BAT conducted external research to see what cutting-edge practices were available externally in the era of “great attrition” to foster employee retention and engagement and found that stay interviews were highlighted by many other researchers and top-tier businesses globally. They broke down the process into four steps.
Step 1: For BAT, building complete awareness of the stay interviews concept for their HR teams across the region was critical, including upskilling sessions to explain the practice and how to conduct meaningful and targeted stay interview sessions for different personas.
Step 2: The second step was a region-wide upskilling session for all their line managers run by the Area Talent Team to ensure the same messaging and level of understanding was provided for all line managers conducting the stay interviews with their direct reports.
Step 3: The third step was to share the standardised stay interview templates, questions with all line managers, and online self-learning tools for additional content.
Step 4: The fourth step was to gather all the stay interview information and to begin a complete analysis to ensure consistency of findings. This analysis was done by the to commence by the Area Talent Team.
Stay interviews results:
Stay interviews allowed BAT to take a deep dive into what drives employee corporate purpose and contributes to fostering the best workplace to develop and build their careers. Overwhelmingly, the organisation saw that there were three main reasons employees chose to stay with BAT:
- Challenging work that allows them to grow both personally and professionally.
- A feeling of camaraderie and support, providing employees with a like-minded circle to work within.
- Learning opportunities provided by BAT to finesse functional mastery and leadership skills to deal with constant change and speed.
Final Thoughts: BAT’s stay interviews, a new way to listen to their employees.
Understanding employee experiences is critical to helping an organisation thrive and keeping valuable talent. If you want to read more about BAT’s practice and get a complete insight into the approach, challenges and learnings.
Access it now via the Top Employers Programme if you are certified, or learn how to became an employer of choice.
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.
Read More: Winning the Battles for Talent
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!
