Employee engagement and experience is at the core of what most Human Resources professionals do on a daily basis. From hiring to succession planning, HR is first and foremost focused on recruiting and retaining top talent. Keeping those talented people engaged in their work is key to achieving positive business outcomes.
Recently, speakers at the 2022 HR Exchange Network Employee Engagement and Experience online event shared their best advice, telling lessons, and hard-won battle stories. Discover the most unforgettable quote on employee engagement and experience from each session:
Putting Belonging in DEI
"What belonging means for us is how you make people feel included, valued. How proud do they feel being part of our brand? How connected are we regardless of where we are and how safe we feel working in this organization." -Gayatheri Silvakumer, Chief HR and Talent Officer, APAC, McCann Worldgroup
What's Next in Employee Experience?
"We're building in the mobile application - push notifications that say, 'Have you thought about this role?' We look at potential lateral moves for skillsets. It sends reminders, bits of news. We're sharing our commitment to ESG with people."-Graeme Poules, People Director, Employee Experience and Operations, Bupa
Cloud Solutions for Efficiency in Employee Engagement
"Newer cloud solutions are much easier to integrate, so you can choose a strategy where you'll be implementing the best solution for the best purpose. It's much easier in the cloud than on premises, for sure."-Frederik Skyggebjerg, Head of Solution Consulting for APAC at Unit4
Employee Engagement Is Change Management
"What transformation really does is put a lot of strain on engagement. It is a fact. This is not unfamiliar to all of us. But an HR leader like me, who is experiencing this, there are employees who are feeling overwhelmed, confused, sometimes disconnected, angry. I would also like to highlight the fact that with COVID, all that the world has faced over the past couple of years, the threshold for the employee to take stress has really gone down. There are a lot of studies available that fatigue sets in much faster. Coupled with transformation, it hits employees. Could the Great Resignation be happening because there is continuous change?" -Trupti Mohan, Vice President HR Asia-Pacific, Fresenius Medical Care
Add the Joy
"I really, really believe the future of work should be purpose-led and fun. I don't think it should be a chore, where people wake up on a Monday morning dreading it. It should be something they're really excited about as well."-Sharenya S. Kumar, former General Manager Employee Experience, Crown Resorts
Equip HR Teams for Success with a Digital-First Approach
"Digital-first means we can be more inclusive and intentional on how we work. It lets us stay focused on great outcomes...Everyone may be remote, working in different places and time zones, yet communication and collaboration are the lifeblood of any successful company."-Meiyea Neo, HR Director, Zendesk
Know the Difference Between GBS and Shared Services
"[Global Business Services] is more integrated. It's an advanced version of the shared service model. It's evolved from new demands that have come up as the world has gotten more global and organizations have gotten more global. It's truly a more global model. Shared services can be more regional, country-based, or multinational based."-Eithne Freeney, Employee Experience Sales Manager ANZ, ServiceNow
Importance of Recognition
"When I feel validated at work, I can take my hand and tap my shoulder and say, 'I added value today,' because I belong to an organization that is creating the most amazing change in the workforce. Having that belonging and having that understanding of where you are in the workforce is really the heart-centered way of how an organization operates. That is what people are saying and asking for in our organizations." -Shereen Williams, Director People and Culture Technology & Innovation at Standard Chartered
Slow and Steady Wins
"I can't stress this enough, and I'm sure I have many allies in the HR community, who may be on this call and may have influenced stakeholders, that any focus on culture and engagement takes time. You really need to focus and chip away if you're going to see a consistent change." -David Monti, Senior Manager Culture and Engagement, Transport for NSW
Look Within for Strength
"As we all know, the competition for talent is fiercer than ever, post COVID-19. So, the talent you're looking for is likely already in your organization. It's just a case of finding it by aligning the skills of your integral workforce to the work required rather than aligning the individual to the problem." -Chris Broadway, Technology Sales Manager, PeopleScout
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