In this blog post, we will discussing how BAT improve their workplace culture and retention strategy by gaining employee insights through stay interviews.
Best Practice | Stay Interviews at BAT
What do you enjoy most about your job? How do you feel about your current workload? What skills would you like to develop? What aspects of your job would you like to change? These are just a few of the key questions asked during a stay interview—a structured conversation between a manager and an employee that aims to understand how the employee feels about their role and workplace.
Stay interviews are crucial because they help employers uncover what employees appreciate (and don’t appreciate) about their jobs, providing valuable insights that can guide actions to boost productivity or prevent unwanted turnover.
In today’s article, we’ll explain what stay interviews are, how they differ from exit interviews, how they can improve retention and engagement, and share best practices from our Top Employer BAT.
Keep reading not to miss out on expert tips and insights!
What are 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.
While it is traditional for organisations to have exit interviews, many companies realise there is a need to conduct stay interviews.
How do stay interviews differ from exit interviews?
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 to conduct a stay interview
Conducting a stay interview effectively requires preparation, a clear structure, and an open, honest dialogue.
The goal is to understand an employee’s motivations, satisfaction levels, and potential concerns, while also gathering actionable feedback for improving retention and engagement.
Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to conduct a stay interview:
1. Prepare and Set Expectations
Plan Ahead: Schedule the interview in advance and make it clear that it’s meant to be an open conversation about their job satisfaction, career goals, and workplace environment—not an evaluation of their performance.
Set the Tone: Let the employee know that the interview is a chance for them to share feedback, and that their insights will be used to improve the workplace. Emphasize that it’s a confidential and candid discussion.
2. Choose the Right Setting
Pick a Comfortable, Private Space: Ensure the interview is held in a quiet, private setting where the employee feels safe to speak openly.
Avoid Distractions: Give the employee your full attention. Turn off phones and minimize interruptions.
3. Start with Open, Positive Questions
Start with questions that encourage the employee to reflect on the positive aspects of their role and the company.
This builds rapport and helps them feel comfortable sharing.
Example questions:
“What do you enjoy most about your job?”
“What keeps you motivated and engaged at work?”
“Why do you continue to stay with the company?”
“How do you feel about the team you work with?”
4. Dive Deeper with Focused Questions
After discussing positive aspects, shift to questions that can uncover areas for improvement. Use open-ended questions to encourage detailed answers.
Example questions:
“What challenges or frustrations do you face in your role?”
“Are there any aspects of your job that you wish were different?”
“Is there anything that could make your experience here better?”
“Do you feel your contributions are recognized?”
5. Discuss Organizational Culture and Leadership
Inquire about the company’s culture and management style.
“What do you think about your relationship with your manager?”
“Is there anything you would change about the company’s leadership?”
6. Address Any Concerns Immediately (If Possible)
If an employee shares an issue or concern that can be addressed right away, take action or offer to follow up promptly. This shows that you’re taking their feedback seriously and are committed to making improvements.
9. End on a Positive Note
Close the conversation by expressing appreciation for their time and feedback. Reassure them that their input will be used to improve their experience and the workplace overall.
Example closing statement:
“Thank you for sharing your thoughts today. Your feedback is really valuable to us, and we’ll take it into consideration as we continue to improve. We’re glad to have you on the team!”
10. Follow-Up and Take Action
Close the Loop: Follow up with the employee to let them know how their feedback is being acted upon. This shows that you value their input and are committed to making positive changes.
Review the Feedback: After the interview, review the key insights and, along with other HR analytics, identify patterns or areas of concern that can be addressed.
Take Action: If an employee raised specific issues, work with HR or management to implement solutions. Be transparent about what changes or improvements will be made.
Stay interview Best Practice: insights from our Top Employer BAT:
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:
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 and be used for your employer branding strategy.
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 interviews 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.
Stay interviews: a few more tips
Be Transparent: Make sure the employee understands the purpose of the interview and how their feedback will be used.
Be Consistent: Regularly conduct stay interviews, especially for key team members or high performers.
Be Honest and Open: Show empathy and understanding. If the employee is sharing difficult feedback, validate their feelings and show appreciation for their honesty.
Be Action-Oriented: Don’t let the feedback sit without action. Follow up and implement changes where possible.
Respect Privacy: Keep the conversation confidential, and avoid discussing the details of the interview with others in the company unless necessary.
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.
As mentioned earlier in the article, 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.
If you want to read more about BAT’s practice and get a complete insight into the approach, challenges and learnings, you can access it nowvia the Top Employers Programme if you are certified.
Developing an Effective People Strategy: A Roadmap for HR Leaders and Company Executives
In an era of rapid change and fierce competition, organizations can no longer afford to view their people as simply a resource to manage. Today, companies must recognize the strategic value of their workforce as a core driver of business success.
A well-defined people strategy helps organizations build a strong culture, attract top talent, and drive performance in alignment with overall business objectives.
In this post, we will explore what people strategy is, how to develop it, and how it differs from HR strategy. We will also look at examples from leading companies that have successfully implemented People Strategies and discuss how the Top Employer Institute program can help your organization elevate its People Strategy and become an Employer of Choice.
What is a People Strategy?
A people strategy is a comprehensive plan that ensures an organization’s workforce is aligned with its business goals and priorities. At its core, it’s designed to create a high-performance culture, where the right people are in the right roles, equipped with the necessary skills, and motivated to contribute to the company’s long-term success.
A people strategy takes into account broader organizational needs and focuses on nurturing a sustainable talent pipeline that will drive future success.
It aims to create a high-performing culture, foster employee engagement, drive leadership development, and ensure the workforce is equipped to meet future challenges.
People strategy today: what does it mean for HR leaders?
Today, leading organisations across the globe are forced to transform rapidly – and continuously – in order to remain purposeful, relevant and stay ahead of competition. This in turn means that the very definition of people strategy is itself evolving at pace. The role of HR leaders is changing too, and the number of challenges they are asked to solve is increasing.
As you need to focus on your people, it’s key to gather employee insights: by understanding needs, motivations, and preferences of your workforce you better shape policies that improve the employee experience. And, consequently, contribute to higher levels of engagement and retention.
People Strategy vs. HR Strategy: What’s the Difference?
HR strategy and people strategy are often used interchangeably, although they represent different approaches to managing human capital within an organization.
While, as we have seen above, a people strategy is more holistic an HR Strategy focuses on the tactical aspects of managing employees.
It deals with the functional tasks related to human resources, such as recruitment, compensation and benefits, performance management, compliance, and training.
How to develop a people strategy: key steps
Developing a successful people strategy requires careful planning, collaboration, and a deep understanding of both business needs and employee aspirations.
Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to develop a People Strategy that delivers value to both the workforce and the organization:
1. Understand Your Business Goals
The first step in developing a People Strategy is to clearly understand the long-term goals of the organization. Whether you’re expanding into new markets, launching a new product line, or striving to improve operational efficiency, your people strategy should align with these goals.
For example, sur research shows that 97% Top Employers demonstrate the importance of aligning their people strategy with their business strategy. Yet it is worth noting that only 77% of Top Employers translate their people strategy into key HR metrics and related targets.
2. Analyze Current Workforce Capabilities
Assess the current skill sets, experience, and potential of your workforce. This will help identify any gaps between the existing talent pool and the skills required to achieve the company’s strategic objectives. By conducting talent audits, employee surveys like stay interviews), and performance assessments you will effectively understand what your workforce can offer and where development is needed.
And how can we not mention artificial intelligence? With AI tools for talent acquisition, organizations can streamline the process of identifying, assessing, and recruiting candidates with the right skills. AI can enhance the recruitment process, helping companies attract the best talent faster and more efficiently while minimizing bias.
3. Create a Talent Acquisition Plan
The foundation of any people strategy is indeed attracting the right talent. This involves not only recruiting for current roles but also planning for future needs. Companies like Amazon have made headlines for their innovative talent acquisition strategies, including programs aimed at hiring from underrepresented groups and offering upskilling opportunities for current employees to fill high-demand roles.
In today’s war for talent, organizations must differentiate themselves to attract and retain top candidates. Leveraging ai for talent acquisitioncan significantly enhance this process, allowing HR teams to focus on the most promising candidates and streamline hiring.
4. Develop Leadership and Talent Management Programs
Leaders and high-level managers are not excluded by your workforce. In fact, strong leadership development and succession planning initiatives are a key component of your strategy. Investing in leadership training ensures that the organization is prepared for future challenges. Companies like IBM are known for their leadership development programs, which include mentorship, continuous learning, and hands-on leadership opportunities for emerging talent.
In addition, organizations must continuously gather employee insights to better understand how employees view leadership, what skills they want to develop, and how they perceive the company’s future. This helps tailor leadership development efforts to actual needs and ensures leadership programs are effective and impactful.
5. Foster a Culture of Engagement and Well-Being
Employee engagement and well-being are at the heart of a successful People Strategy. This involves creating an environment where employees feel valued, connected, and motivated to contribute. For example, Salesforce has made a name for itself with its “Ohana” culture, which emphasizes inclusivity, community, and well-being. Initiatives like flexible work arrangements, wellness programs, and employee resource groups are key aspects of such a strategy.
Digital employee experience platforms are increasingly used by companies to enhance employee engagement. These platforms enable real-time feedback, streamline communication, and offer personalized resources for learning and development. By investing in the digital employee experience, companies can improve overall engagement and foster a more inclusive, connected, and productive work environment.
6. Measure Success and Adjust
A strategy can never be successful without the “measure and adjust” work. Therefore, you need to regularly assess the effectiveness of your strategy through employee feedback, performance metrics, and business outcomes. This allows you to make adjustments as needed and ensure continuous improvement. Many companies use tools like the Gallup Engagement Survey or employee Net Promoter Scores (eNPS) to gather valuable insights and track employee satisfaction.
Real-World Examples of Companies with Exceptional People Strategies
Some of the world’s leading companies are great examples of how a well-crafted people strategy can drive success. As we have quickly mentioned some of these examples above, it’s now time to take a closer look at a few:
Google: Google’s people strategy is built on innovation, diversity and inclusion, and employee empowerment. The company offers extensive professional development opportunities, flexible working arrangements, and a culture that encourages creativity and collaboration. By focusing on employee well-being and continuous learning, Google ensures that its talent stays motivated and engaged.
Salesforce: Salesforce places a strong emphasis on its Ohana culture, where employees are viewed as part of a family. Through initiatives like well-being programs, paid volunteer time, and inclusivity initiatives, Salesforce creates a workplace where employees feel valued, supported, and connected.
Amazon: Amazon’s approach to People Strategy is centered on agility and growth. Through its comprehensive upskilling programs and focus on employee development, Amazon has been able to remain competitive while fostering a culture of continuous improvement and innovation.
Become an Employer of Choice with Top Employer Institute and elevate your people strategy
As we reach the end of our discussion, it’s clear that having a well-crafted people strategy is crucial for organizations looking to thrive in today’s competitive landscape.
A strong People Strategy not only addresses the war for talent but also drives engagement, retention, and long-term business success. By aligning your workforce with business goals and continuously evolving your approach to talent management, your company can stay ahead in an ever-changing world.
Through the Top Employer Institute program, companies can elevate their people strategy, enhance their employer brand, and attract the best talent in the market.
By participating in this program, you gain access to a wealth of resources, best practices, and insights that will help you create a more engaged, motivated, and productive workforce.
Whether you’re looking to improve the employee experience, enhance talent acquisition through AI, or develop leadership capabilities, the Top Employer Institute can help you build a people strategy that aligns with your business goals.
Best Practice | Momentum Metropolitan’s Offboarding Practice
The offboarding process occurs no matter what kind of contractual relationship an organisation has with the person who is leaving. The desired experience that Certified Top Employer, Momentum Metropolitan, wants for any person who has worked there is one where the individual intends to return to work for them or refer others to seek employment there. Momentum Metropolitan has, therefore, created a holistic exit experience covering activities across contractual obligations, business continuity, relationship management, and workforce engagement.
Certified Top Employer, Momentum Metropolitan, wanted to create a lasting positive impression with their employees with the final touchpoint acting within a collection of streamlined, supportive, and efficient experiences.
This is just a snapshot of Momentum Metropolotian’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 via the Top Employers Programme if you are certified, or learn more about it here!
Why the practice was needed:
The offboarding process can be stressful for individuals, as it involves an internal change management experience. It is also worth noting that it is only sometimes, or very often, that an individual undergoes offboarding, which means that this is also a time of ambiguity and reliance on others for guidance in the overall process. As it stands, offboarding relies on back-and-forth emails between various parties, and often, the individual needs to know who to turn to for information and what information should be looked at to support a smooth transition.
With the increased focus on employee experience and the competitive talent landscape, the offboarding stage is fundamental to ensuring a positive, lasting impact. When an individual leaves the company, this is an opportunity to create brand ambassadors, alumni talent, and a growing referral network for future talent pools.
During offboarding, the business also goes through the stress of capacity management, handover requirements, equipment and access controls. It may need more time to give the attention necessary for an individual to feel cared for and looked after.
Momentum created the following process to meet the needs of their offboarding practice:
Created an Offboarding Platform
Momentum Metropolitan ensured that all the relevant employees had access to the offboarding platform via our employee self-service HumanHub. Additionally, they ensured that the platform was digitally enabled for smartphones and desktops. The platform allowed managers and relevant admins easy access to the platform. They ensured a digital-first approach with tailored tracks for different employees and exit types.
Exit Questionnaire & Interview
Momentum Metropolitan had an integrated and streamlined digital solution for their exit surveys and interviews.
That became a one-stop shop for both the questionnaire and interview experience.
It was competency-driven for holistic feedback and data-driven insights.
Automated Processes
Reminders will be sent through push notifications on the HumanHub App, and emails will be sent at relevant steps in the process to keep HC and line managers in the loop throughout the offboarding process.
Automatic push to Documents of Record to ensure relevant docs are stored and accessible on the system.
Offboarding Metrics Dashboard
The HR team at Momentum Metropolitan were able to view available turnover and exit-specific insights.
Those metrics created visibility of offboarding journey trends and fall-off points.
Practice Guide
Momentum Metropolitan created an offboarding framework and principles of consideration to assist managers in the offboarding process.
Highlights:
A design-thinking approach was applied in unpacking the specific needs of employees, HR, and line managers during the offboarding experience.
The focus is on the entire journey, from pre-exit, during exit, and post-exit experiences.
Key touchpoints were identified up-front and positioned within the solution in such a way that we could gather data for significant insights through dashboard metrics.
Short iterative deliverables have been prioritised, allowing testing, feedback, and pivotal shifts that answer the real needs of their employees.
A digitally enabled offboarding platform where employees are guided through the process with easy-to-follow steps.
An integrated solution for both questionnaire and interview experience.
An offboarding dashboard with turnover stats, journey insights, and exit insights.
Finding Balance: How to Navigate a Global-Local Strategy with Dana Incorporated and JYSK Hungary
Combining global and local strategies is crucial for organisations operating in multiple markets and cultures. While doing this, how can organisations balance the benefits of standardisation and maintain a sense of authenticity in each location?
We spoke with Zsolt Tánczos, Compensation and Benefits Europe for Dana Incorporated, and Ágnes Nyester, HR Manager for JYSK Hungary, during the 2023 Top Employers Inspire event to learn more about this topic. Both companies have been navigating the global-local balance for years. Dana Incorporated has over 40 000 employees in more than 30 countries, and JYSK has 3 100 stores in 51 countries.
Through our discussion, we gleaned some practical tips and examples of creating a successful global-local strategy, which I will highlight in this article. Watch the complete discussion for more details about Zsolt and Ágnes’s experiences and actionable plans for replicating their success.
Integration & Differentiation for Multinational Organisations
Multinational organisations must decide how much to integrate or differentiate activities and policies across locations. Integration refers to standardising processes, systems, and policies to create efficiency and consistency. Differentiation means customising those aspects of an organisation–processes, systems, and policies–to meet the specific needs of each office.
As a conceptual retail company, JYSK has carefully considered the balance between integration and differentiation in their offices and stores. Ágnes explained why they chose to integrate their recruitment process, “Whether you are in Hungary or Spain, the recruitment process is the same, which means it’s transparent. This makes the process easy to measure, and progress is trackable from year to year.” If one location achieves notably higher or lower metrics, headquarters can gain insights into what’s happening and adjust accordingly.
Similarly, this unified approach helps the organisation retain talent. “Our policy is that 80% of open positions need to be filled with internal candidates. This helps us develop our future talents and support existing staff,” Ágnes described the reasoning behind their approach. If it is not possible to fill the position internally, then external candidates may be considered.
Zsolt gave examples of when differentiation is beneficial. “Local regulations need to be considered. If they aren’t, it can be a very painful situation that will block the entire process,” he explained. For example, he mentioned how data protection rules vary from country to country. Involving local experts and engaging key stakeholders early in the implementation process is essential to successful local operations.
Limited resources are another standard challenge organisations face on the local level. Zsolt described how this challenge often plays out, “if a local office is told to implement a change, the key questions are really: who and when?
Because they might not have enough staff support, or it might be a bad time because they have other projects.” So, considering the dynamic of each office is essential while trying to implement policies across multinational organisations.
Global-Local Challenges For Multicultural Organisations
Navigating cultural differences is challenging for international organisations, especially when determining global-local strategies. Ágnes described a time when offices in three countries had the same management team. “We took the collaboration quite seriously. We had cultural training to better understand our different perspectives and motivations. We talked about the business plan and how to make it work in each office, and we met several times to keep things going smoothly,” she explained.
Regular communication was the key to their success. Although it sounds simple, having good communication requires intentional effort to bridge cultural divides.
Zsolt described how fostering relationships between country offices is advantageous. “There were some production problems in our Belgium office. Because there was a good relationship between the Belgium and Hungary offices, we were able to quickly move some employees from one to the other to resolve the issue immediately while working on a more long-term solution,” he said.
As a multicultural and multinational organisation, Dana Incorporated knew the relocated employees would need help settling into their new environment. Zsolt elaborated, “We supported our colleagues with housing, tips about the local community, and connected them with colleagues through a kind of buddy system to help them have a smooth transition.”
While developing a global-local strategy, organisations must remember it’s a balancing act. There is no one-size-fits-all approach.
Considering local dynamics helps avoid operational issues and creates a positive, efficient work environment, ultimately giving organisations a competitive advantage.
Paradigm Shifts: Agile HR Practices and Skills-Based Organisations
To close the 2023 Top Employers Inspire event, I sat down with my colleague Quinton van Es, Director of Research & Insights for Top Employers Institute, to discuss two closely linked topics –the funadamental shifts in HR practices and the rise in skills-based organisations.
These ideas are reaching a tipping point in business practices and creating paradigm shifts.
At Top Employers Institute, we certify organisations based on best practices, which requires us to look ahead at developing industry trends and consider those that are proven successful.
Agile HR practices and skills-based organisations are becoming more mainstream when there are many disruptions and uncertainties. From a business perspective, now more than ever, organisations need to be resilient, adaptive, and human-centric.
We discussed how these two practices are enabling organisations to do just that.
From the basic tenets of each to the more significant industry implications to our personal employee experiences with each principle, our discussion covered a lot of ground.
In this article, I’ll summarise the highlights of our conversation. You can watch our discussion in full at the end of the article.
What Are Agile HR Practices?
Working agile has long been established as a best practice for IT where rapid innovation was a necessity. Gradually, the ability to quickly adapt has become a strategic imperative for organisations, causing agile practices to spill over into other areas and functions.
In HR, operations are moving away from a rules- and planning-based approach toward a simpler model based on feedback.
Organisations can struggle with agile HR operations because many things, like payroll, feel fixed–there is no trial and error. However, the application is more of a big-picture consideration. Quinton explained, “When it comes to working agile, we are used to seeing these principles applied to projects.
In the context of operating models, a lot of organisations are more agile than they realise because they already have a continuous feedback loop in place.”
The essence of this approach is about regularly receiving and responding to feedback rather than specific tasks.
There are considerable variations in how organisations apply agile principles to their HR operations. Quinton gave examples, “some organisations focus on the mindset and values.
Other organisations are taking a more methodological approach and just implement scrum.” Each approach has its pros and cons. There is no one solution, which is part of what makes this paradigm shift so interesting.
Skills-based Organisations
Historically, jobs were the dominating structure for work. Job descriptions and titles defined who did what and how their work was managed and evaluated.
This approach is falling out of favour because it hinders many organisational objectives, including growth, innovation, agility, and the ability to offer employees a positive work culture.
“A job-based approach is very linear and predictive but it’s also a reductive view of work and the individual. In contrast, skills-based organisations zoom in on specific skills and the whole person to consider how an employee’s talents may best be applied. It’s a more employee-centric approach,” Quinton said to highlight why this paradigm shift is happening. Another reason it’s gaining popularity is that it offers a great deal of flexibility and adaptability.
As jobs shift from being the primary construct for work to being one of many factors, organisations must adapt their HR practices. HR writes job descriptions, sets compensation, and manages performance reviews–all tasks based on defined jobs.
Skills-based organisations thoroughly shake up this model, reimagining employee management, which is partly why agile HR practices and skills-based organisations are often closely linked.
Benefits of Shifting
Working agile means iterations happen quickly–things are done slightly better each time. Employees do not have to wait long to see their feedback in action. Additionally, employees get used to adapting and a certain level of ambiguity.
A human-centric skills-based approach supports employee well-being. It considers the whole individual, not just their education and experience. As a result, organisations can tap into larger talent pools, and current employees have a greater sense of mobility. “A famous example here is Google,” explained Quinton, “They acknowledged that they made a mistake by just relying on credentials because performance dropped. They figured out that they needed to consider motivation and individual skills more than specific credentials.”
Advice for Getting Starting
Starting small always helps ease the transition–it creates less of a shock to the system. “Why not put someone from IT that’s used to working agile on the HR project team and see what comes from that,” Quinton suggested.
It is also helpful to identify your value proposition. A clear understanding of your business case for making these changes will justify the required resources. A valuable next step could be a readiness assessment. This process will let you see if your organisation is ready to move into that domain and identify potential challenges.
From my experience during transitions, the art of letting go is essential for leadership. As you guide your organisation through significant operational changes, accepting uncertainty is a requirement. If you don’t, progress is seriously inhibited.
I invite you to watch our complete discussion to hear more examples of how organisations that are Certified Top Employers put these principles into action. The applications are quite varied and continuously evolving, making agile HR operations and a skills-based approach to work exciting trends to follow.
How Generative AI is Impacting Personalised Learning and Development
Over the past few years, Human Resources professionals have begun to embrace several technological tools to assist in both short and long-term objectives at work. While Artificial Intelligence (AI) has yet to be integrated into many HR plans, this has been the year for HR professionals to learn more about generative AI’s capabilities and the effects it could have in the near future.
As seen already at the end of 2023, the integration of generative artificial intelligence could begin to reshape HR learning programmes by offering a dynamic and personalised approach to employee development.
In this article, we will be looking at what effects AI may have on HR, with a particular focus on how it may affect learning and development programmes.
Additionally, we will explore the potential benefits and challenges for HR professionals seeking to create a future-ready workforce.
What is Generative AI?
Generative AI is a subset of artificial intelligence that, unlike other AI systems, can autonomously create content, including texts, audio, code, images, text, simulations, and video.
We explored some ways that AI is changing HR and talent acquisition in a previous article that you can read now for more general context on the new relationship between AI and HR.
Personalised Learning and Development in 2024
In the annual World of Work Trends Report 2024, one of the significant trends we identified was that there would be a shift in how HR professionals understood learning and career development programmes.
That change would be a move towards a more personalised approach that would give employees more of an active and empowered role in advancing their careers, often through the use of digital and personal resources so that they can develop the competencies and skills needed for the future.
To make employee attain new skills more individualised, many organisations are developing digital employee experiences, with easily accessible and on-demand micro-learning tools to allow employees the opportunity to learn ‘just in time’ when needed.
Generative AI could empower HR learning programs to move closer to the personalised learning approaches we noted in the World of Work Trends Report.
This tailored approach ensures that employees receive the most relevant and effective training, enhancing their skill development and overall job performance.
How Generative AI Tools Could Impact Learning and Development Programmes
Improving Personalised Learning Paths:
AI in talent acquistion can be impressively useful,Generative AI algorithms can analyse individual employee insights, including learning preferences, strengths, and areas for improvement, to generate personalised learning paths. That work empowers HR learning programmes to move beyond one-size-fits-all approaches and move closer to the more individual training programmes that HR leaders hope to get.
AI-Powered Virtual Mentors and Coaches:
Generative AI is already giving rise to virtual mentors and coaches that could provide real-time guidance and support to employees. These AI-driven mentors can answer questions, offer insights, and provide personalised feedback, creating a virtual learning environment that complements traditional mentoring programs. This approach ensures that employees have access to guidance whenever needed, fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
Improving Adaptive Learning Modules:
Traditional training modules often follow a fixed structure, regardless of an individual employee’s learning speed and style. Generative AI can introduce adaptive learning modules that evolve based on an employee’s progress. By continuously assessing a learner’s comprehension and adjusting the difficulty level accordingly, HR professionals can optimise the learning experience and improve knowledge retention.
Gamification for Enhanced Engagement:
Gamification has proven an effective strategy for boosting employees’ engagement in learning programs. Generative AI can take gamification to the next level by creating personalised game scenarios based on individual employee profiles. By integrating elements of competition, rewards, and social interaction, AI-driven gamification makes learning more enjoyable and motivates employees to participate actively in their development.
Challenges with Implementing Generative AI in Learning and Development Programmes
Generative AI in HR learning programs holds immense promise, but HR professionals must navigate potential challenges and ethical considerations. These include:
Ensuring data privacy.
Addressing algorithmic biases in learning recommendations.
Employee trust and adoption.
And maintaining a balance between automation and the human touch in the learning experience.
Ensuring Data Privacy
One of the most challenging aspects of implementing generative AI tools into an organisation’s strategy is the aspect of data privacy, especially as organisations are still relatively early in their adoption of AI tools.
As AI programmes rely heavily on collecting and analysing vast amounts of employee data to personalise learning experiences, HR professionals must establish robust data protection measures. HR leaders should ensure that they comply with data protection regulations by obtaining informed consent and adopting encryption protocols.
These are essential steps to mitigate the risk of unauthorised access or misuse of sensitive employee and organisation information.
Mitigating Algorithmic Biases
It should be common knowledge that generative AI systems are not entirely unbiased. In fact, they are only as unbiased as the data they are trained on. HR professionals need to be vigilant about potential algorithmic biases in learning recommendations.
If the training data used to develop AI models contains biases, the algorithms may perpetuate or even exacerbate existing inequalities. Regular audits of algorithms, diverse and representative training datasets, and continuous monitoring for bias are crucial to ensure fair and equitable learning opportunities for all employees.
Employee Trust and Adoption
Introducing generative AI into HR learning programs may raise employee concerns about job security, privacy, or the perceived objectivity of AI-driven decisions. HR professionals must proactively address these concerns through transparent communication and educational initiatives.
Building trust in AI technologies requires demonstrating their value, emphasising their role as tools for empowerment rather than surveillance, and involving employees in the process to alleviate apprehensions and foster a positive reception.
Balancing Automation and Human Interaction
While the automation capabilities of generative AI can significantly enhance the efficiency of HR learning programs, it is imperative to strike a balance with human interaction. Employees still value the human touch in learning experiences, and specific aspects of development, such as mentorship and interpersonal skills, may be better served through direct human engagement.
HR teams should carefully design AI-driven learning initiatives to complement, rather than replace, the essential human element in the learning journey.
Final Thoughts: Became an employer of choice to embrace HR AI trends before your competition
Generative AI in HR represents a significant leap forward in redefining the employee experience. Organisations can harness AI’s power to streamline processes, enhance employee engagement, and contribute to their overall success.
They must do this by being aware of the ethical practices and staying attuned to the evolving landscape.
Organisations can begin to navigate this transformative journey in the hopes of creating and maintaining workplaces that thrive in the digital age. By joining Top Employers Institute you will access a library of HR AI best practise and anticipate all its trends.
Best Practice | Addressing Staff Issues through Employee Experience Managers with Kaufland
Starting in 2018, certified Top Employer Kaufland began operating a network of employee experience managers across sites in Europe.
These are trained HR liaison officers who work to address employee welfare issues, solve challenges that might be putting a drag on business or individual performance. In our latest best practice focus, we are focusing on what brought in these managers and how they’re improving the employee experience for Kaufland workers.
This is just a snapshot of Kaufland’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 via the Top Employers Programme if you are certified, or learn more about it here!
Why the practice was needed:
It is challenging to keep an eye on employee engagement when an organisation like Kaufland has many employees scattered across many locations.
For this reason, Kaufland introduced ‘employee experience managers’ (a Vertrauensperson, in German): a neutral, trustworthy, and independent liaison for all employees.
How the practice was implemented:
The primary objectives behind Kaufland’s practice of employee experience managers are:
Anchoring of the corporate principles and leadership approach.
Early detection of (potential) disputes.
To better understand the atmosphere/mood among frontline employees.
To provide support to employees in difficult situations.
In the European locations where Kaufland’s employee experience managers are active, every employee can freely contact a dedicated employee experience manager and access contact details for other employee experience managers via a page on the company intranet, should they prefer to speak to someone specific.
Each employee experience manager acts as a confidante for receiving confidential feedback. Employees may remain anonymous if they wish to report a sensitive issue.
Employee experience manager responsibilities:
The main tasks of each employee experience manager at Kaufland are to:
Attend stores daily: talk with employees about their jobs, work-related problems, the store environment, etc.
Use employee feedback to identify work environment issues or business issues that could be improved.
Assist employees in handling issues with co-workers or to tackle personal problems having an impact on their work.
is skilled in psychology, mentoring and communication.
Kaufland offers special training, for instance, a mediation training course to support the work of the employee experience managers.
Results
Each employee experience manager has a target number of conversations to be held each month (approx. 300). The rationale behind this (as opposed to a target number of employees to speak with) is that sometimes, one employee may require several conversations to be had until their issue is resolved.
As a result of the work of the employee experience managers, Kaufland has improved many of its operational and work-related issues based on employee feedback.
How Employee Networks Have Become a Growing Practice for Progress in Diversity and Inclusion Efforts
In 2023, Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) networks, formed by employees who advise in areas such as equality, disability, generational coexistence, or LGTBIQ+, are on the rise in top organisations. The use of these employee networks in Spanish organisations is becoming more common, especially among Top Employers.
In this article, we are looking deeper at four Spanish Top Employers, including Zurich, ACCIONA, Michelin, and ILUNION, who are excellent examples of organisations successfully implementing such networks.
80% of Top Employers in Spain have consistently implemented these networks, 11% more than the average of certified organisations at the European level.
Employee networks aim to identify the needs of all groups within the organisation and contribute to considering relevant perspectives and trends in Diversity and Inclusion in all Human Resources processes.
D&I networks can be internal (e.g., women’s networks or employee resource groups) or external (forums on various D&I topics organised by specialised entities).
“These diversity networks, in addition to contributing to a sense of belonging, help prevent situations of discrimination, incorporate inclusive perspectives, and improve people processes such as talent acquisition, leadership, employee engagement, work model, or organisational culture,” emphasises Massimo Begelle, Regional Manager at Top Employers Institute in Spain and Italy.
These networks are integrated into the overall diversity and inclusion strategy, coordinated with other best practices such as diversity champions, who are volunteer employees acting as promoters of various diversities (46% of certified organisations already have them), or leadership training to serve as models for D&I (85% of companies).
Zurich, ACCIONA, Michelin, and ILUNION are excellent examples of organisations that have successfully implemented such networks.
Zurich: A Team of Volunteers for All Diversities
At Zurich Insurance, they are clear: under the motto Brave, proud of their colours and because of this pride, they have developed a strategy based on the belief that a diverse team makes a difference. Following this premise, they are building an open company where all people are welcome, and the well-being of each individual is essential.
As part of this ambition, the people at Zurich have created the Allies Programme, consisting of a team of volunteers from different collectives, ages, and backgrounds.
They have created initiatives for many diversities in their organisation, focusing on four pillars of their inclusive attitude: Gender and Functional Diversity, Pride, and Intergenerational Dialogue.
#IamYourAlly is the battle cry with which they want to be very close to those who need the support of the programme, openly highlighting situations of discrimination.
In addition to being part of the decision-making on the D&I agenda, they regularly meet with the Management Committee to monitor initiatives.
They also actively participate in various events, such as Pride Day, March 8th, or the awareness campaign on unconscious biases.
ACCIONA: Diversity Committees Representing All Collectives
Placing people at the centre and contributing to real transformation is part of ACCIONA’s purpose. Therefore, PEOPLE is the global strategy they have outlined, integrating Diversity and Inclusion as a fundamental pillar and having internal networks to scale this commitment throughout the organisation.
13 Diversity and Inclusion Committees comprise the internal networks that drive best practices and connect people in business and countries.
They are formed by groups of professionals representing all collectives and sharing the mission of collecting information from their environment and generating proposals and initiatives on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
While creating a sense of community and belonging, the committees promote an inclusive workplace aligned with the company’s purpose, values, and objectives.
ILUNION: Networks to Address the Needs of Different Collectives
ILUNION is committed to diversity, demonstrating that it can be profitable and competitive while promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace.
At ILUNION, they work to promote the employment inclusion of people with disabilities and other vulnerable groups with specific needs related to their sexual orientation, gender, age, origin, etc.
They are proud of their diversity, reflected in all company and business areas.
Companies within ILUNION have Equality Plans that guarantee equal treatment and opportunities between women and men. Also, coinciding with the European Diversity Month in May, ILUNION joins the European initiative with various actions such as training, dissemination, and in-person events on different topics.
They also coordinate with critical networks involved in diversity management, especially in the workplace. Among other actions, these networks identify the needs of collectives and assess how to address them within ILUNION with its policies and activities that directly impact the workforce and other external actions that contribute knowledge and help the diversity management network become increasingly knowledgeable and professional.
Michelin’s Women Forward Network
In Michelin Spain and Portugal, since 2007, they have been committed to diversity and inclusion as a vital element of the People policy, confirmed in 2010 with the signing of their first Equality Plan.
In 2014, the Michelin Group launched the Women Forward network, in which women from all areas of the company participate, sharing their employee experiences and leading initiatives, allowing the visibility of new ways to progress in the field of diversity and inclusion within Michelin: they have significantly increased the presence of women in industrial environments, female presence in management positions has advanced similarly, and they have simultaneously improved the culture and perception of diversity at all levels of the company.
Similarly, as a leading company in the country’s industrial sector, they participate in external networks such as “Women and Engineering” and the “STEM Alliance for Female Talent,” where, together with other companies, they seek to attract young women to STEM studies to highlight the need for female talent in industrial environments.
How to Manage and Succeed with a Multigenerational Workforce
Across today’s modern workforce, many organisations are witnessing a unique blend of generations working side by side. From Baby Boomers and Gen Xers to Millennials and Gen Zs, the workplace has become a melting pot of diverse experiences, perspectives, and work styles.
As leaders and managers seek to create a productive, inclusive and welcoming environment for all these different groups, it is essential to understand and effectively manage this multigenerational dynamic to foster collaboration, innovation, and overall team success.
Cultivating this understanding will help to better utilise everyone’s talents from an individual and a generational level.
What Generations are Currently in the Workforce?
In 2023, there are currently five generations working side-by-side. Those generations are:
The Silent Generation: This generation was born between 1928 and 1945, making them some of the oldest in the workplace. Many have already retired, but many still choose to participate in the labour force. It is estimated that they still make up 3% of the workforce in the USA. It can be easy to underestimate the number of older people still active in the workplace, especially when you consider that according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2030, 11.1% of those 75 and older will still be active participants in the workforce in 2030.
Baby Boomers: This generation was born between 1946 and 1964 and currently makes up around a quarter of the working population in the United States. The youngest members of this generation will start retiring in the upcoming years. Still, some of this generation have already begun retiring, this many because they are further along in their careers and often hold higher positions of power at work.
Gen X: Born between 1965 and 1980, this is one of the smaller generations compared to the ones that came before it and the ones that are coming after it and many in this generation.
Millennials (also known as Gen Y): Millennials are often quite technologically adept because they have lived through some of the most significant technological advancements. They were born between 1981 and 1996, and they make up the biggest group in the workforce in the USA, making them around 35% of the working population.
Gen Z: The youngest generation to enter the workforce were born between 1997 and 2012, and they are remarked to be the first actual tech generation as they have never known a world without the internet. While many are still in university, the first groups are becoming active participants in the workforce. As such, organisations need to learn how to support them.
What are the Benefits of a Multigenerational Workforce?
In many places, we hear about the difficulties of generational differences affecting people’s ability to relate to each other, but there are many benefits for organisations.
Those include:
Skill Diversity: Different generations tend to have distinct skill sets. For example, older employees might excel in interpersonal skills and relationship-building, while younger employees might be adept at leveraging technology and digital tools. This mix of skills can enhance the team’s overall capabilities.
Knowledge Sharing: Older generations often possess valuable industry experience and institutional knowledge, which they can share with younger team members. This knowledge transfer helps bridge the generation gap and ensures that essential insights are passed down to the next generation. Equally, the younger generation can share knowledge that older generations may have previously ignored, making the sharked knowledge sharing a fruitful opportunity.
Diverse Perspectives and Ideas: Each generation brings unique life experiences, perspectives, and approaches to problem-solving. This diversity can lead to a broader range of ideas and solutions, fostering innovation and creativity within the team.
Adaptability: A multigenerational team is often more adaptable to changes in the business landscape. Younger members might embrace new technologies and trends, while older members can provide stability and a long-term perspective during times of transition.
Reduced Bias and Stereotyping: Working closely with colleagues of various generations challenges stereotypes and biases. Team members learn to appreciate each generation’s strengths and qualities, breaking down preconceived notions.
Effective Communication: Interacting with colleagues from different generations can improve communication skills. Team members learn to adapt their communication styles to accommodate diverse preferences, leading to more precise and effective information exchanges.
Enhanced Problem Solving: Multigenerational teams can bring diverse problem-solving approaches to the table. This diversity allows the team to tackle challenges from multiple angles, increasing the likelihood of finding effective solutions.
Market Insights: Different generations have varying consumer behaviours and preferences. A diverse team can help the organisation better understand and connect with a broader range of target demographics.
Mentorship Opportunities: Multigenerational teams provide natural mentorship opportunities. Older employees can mentor younger ones, offering guidance and wisdom, while younger employees can offer insights into new technologies and trends.
Increased Employee Engagement: Recognising and leveraging the strengths of each generation can lead to outstanding employee engagement benefits. When team members feel valued for their unique contributions, they are more likely to be motivated and committed to their work.
How Organisations Can Get the Best Out of Their Multigenerational Workforce
The benefits of having a multigenerational workforce show that having a work environment that is diverse in age range creates a positive impact on organisations and their employees; it is still important to figure out how organisations can foster that environment.
Some of the ways that HR professionals can learn how to manage their workforce to foster collaboration and innovation effectively include:
Embracing Diversity and Inclusion: A multigenerational team offers diverse skills and perspectives. By fostering an inclusive environment, HR professionals and leaders can help team members feel valued and respected regardless of age. Encourage open dialogue that celebrates the unique strengths and experiences each generation brings to the table. They can organise cross-generational mentorship programs to facilitate knowledge sharing and skill development.
Flexibility in Work Arrangements: Different generations often have different expectations regarding work-life balance and remote work options. By offering flexible work arrangements, organisations can accommodate the diverse needs of their multigenerational team. Allowing for flexibility in where employees work, flexible hours, and job-sharing opportunities ensures everyone can maintain a healthy work-life balance.
Continuous Learning and Development: Promoting a culture of constant learning to keep all team members engaged and up to date. Provide opportunities for professional development, training, and upskilling. Encourage cross-generational learning by pairing experienced employees with newer ones to facilitate knowledge exchange.
Flexibility in Leadership Styles: Different generations may respond to different leadership styles. Some may appreciate a hands-on approach, while others prefer a more autonomous working environment. HR professionals should understand these preferences and adapt leadership strategies to manage and motivate their multigenerational teams effectively.
Conflict Resolution and Mediation: Generational differences can sometimes lead to misunderstandings and conflicts. HR professionals and leaders should be equipped with effective conflict resolution and mediation skills to address any issues that may arise. A proactive approach to resolving disputes can prevent them from escalating and disrupting the team’s harmony.
Final Thoughts on how to Manage and Succeed with a Multigenerational Workforce
Managing a multigenerational team requires a thoughtful and inclusive approach. By embracing diversity, fostering open communication, offering flexibility, recognising individual contributions, promoting continuous learning, and adapting leadership styles, organisations wanting to get the best out of their people can work to create an environment where everyone thrives.
Suppose they successfully create this environment by navigating the complexities of a multigenerational team. In that case, they will not only be able to enhance team performance, but they will also be able to cultivate a workplace where everyone feels valued.
T-shaped Skills: A Simple Approach with Big Results with Boehringer Ingelheim
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.
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