'Brilliant': Open-door sessions with CEOs praised for creating 'environment of safety'

Initiative implemented by Asia's best HR teams for innovation

'Brilliant': Open-door sessions with CEOs praised for creating 'environment of safety'

An expert has lauded the use of open-door sessions with chief executive officers that are crucial in fostering an environment of safety across organisations in Asia.

"It's brilliant and, in Asia, it's about building that environment of safety where people feel they can say whatever they really think to the CEO," said Helen Coult, APAC regional president at Armstrong Craven, in a statement.

According to Coult, CEO open-door sessions can also be implemented by having "shadow boards."

"They create visibility and a sense of being listened to up through the ranks and can feed back what's going on in the culture of the company," Coult said.

This initiative ensures that the board and leadership are not blindly just going forward but are aware of what people are talking about and feeling at the lower parts of the organisation, she added.

Other innovative measures

Implementing CEO open-door sessions is only one of the many initiatives executed by The Best HR Teams for Innovation in Asia. Other measures they implement include peer-to-peer recognition where employees nominate and reward colleagues.

"It is absolutely critical, but it needs to be consistent, not just recognising the most visible people, but also those who are doing a great job underpinning the company," Coult said.

Gamification is also another measure carried out by Asia's Best HR Teams, which is utilised as an avenue for employers to communicatee their vision, mission, and values.

According to Coult, implementing gamification at work should not only be about completing a task and pressing the right buttons.

"It has to be a sell from the company. It needs to be about what the firm can offer, what they are looking for and what is their vision," Coult said.

Find out more about this year's Best HR Teams for Innovation in Asia and their strategies through this link.