Innovative HR Teams 2021

HRD recently conducted extensive research as part of its Innovative HR Teams Awards, looking at how HR leaders across the country managed disruption in an innovative way – and examined what the future of HR would look like in a post-pandemic New Zealand.   

Focus on psychological wellbeing  
Mental wellbeing took quite the hammering over the past 12 months. Lockdowns and remote working led to increased depression and anxiety amongst employees. As a result, HR teams had to look for innovative ways to safeguard worker wellbeing – whether through technology or increased communication strategies. HRD found that employee mental wellbeing was one of the most pressing concerns for HR leaders in New Zealand – specifically around how to implement mental wellbeing systems in remote work.

Rose Johnson, HR director at DHL Supply Chain, one of this year’s Innovative HR Teams, revealed that more needs to be done in developing mental health solutions.  

“There’s more recognition by organisations to ensure appropriate systems are in place to support the mental wellbeing of employees in addition to the standard employee assistance programmes,” Johnson says.

“HR plays a key role to deploy innovative digital solutions such as wellness apps, partnerships with health insurance providers and learning and development programmes for leaders.”  

While wellbeing is nothing new in HR, the pandemic did highlight the need for advanced, remote systems. Investments in employee wellbeing tools increased during lockdowns as employers looked for vendors that offered accessible, easy-to-use apps to inform their mental health strategies. This trend is expected to continue next year.

“In the industry I work in, employee wellbeing is one of the primary areas of focus,” added Debbie Kirby, GM of people and culture – transport at Downer, one of the winners.

“It’s going to need deliberate attention and innovative strategies to ensure that we have a healthy engaged workforce to meet our work demands. There’s a lot of work going on in this space and I believe we are going to see some game-changing ideas being implemented in the near future.”

An authentic DEI strategy
The pandemic wasn’t the only global incident to disrupt workplaces in the past 12 months. Employee activism is increasing, as workers aligned themselves with companies that stay true to their core beliefs. A recent report from Herbert Smith Freehills found that 61% of senior executives believe employee activism is to rise further, with issues such as Black Lives Matter, global warming, and unionisation efforts drawing mass attention in NZ. HR leaders need to review their DEI policies to ensure they’re in keeping with employee sentiment – or risk losing top talent.  

“There’s a heightened awareness of the significant benefits of having a culture that promotes and genuinely embraces diversity and inclusion within the workplace, from both business and social perspective,” Johnson says.

“HR’s role in this area is critical from the education perspective as they lead the culture change in this space from a learning and development perspective.”

According to McKinsey, two-thirds of employees have reassessed their priorities and purpose throughout the pandemic, and millennials are three times more likely than their counterparts to re-evaluate their career choices. Keeping this in mind, HR leaders have to commit to developing more authentic DEI strategies this year because it’s the only way to retain their employees.   

Data mining and cybersecurity  
New Zealand is experiencing a skill shortage – one which is dramatically impacting organisational recruitment efforts. One of the sectors most affected is, paradoxically, the one in which demand is growing fast: cybersecurity. HRD’s research highlighted cybersecurity as a main concern for HR leaders moving into 2022. With most organisations adopting a hybrid model, the need for up-to-date, secure tech is paramount.

“I think the big question is around cybersecurity and how that fits in with innovations in the digital space,” explains Debbie MacDonald, general manager for people and culture at GPC Asia Pacific, another winner.

“For years, we have had technological innovation, but I think that cybersecurity considerations will mean a move towards smaller, faster innovations.”

Demystifying innovation  
Perhaps one of the most interesting insights from HRD’s research was the need to reassess what innovation actually is. The data showed that some HR leaders have a new focus on upskilling employees in the field of innovation – helping them to understand how their actions can drive real organisational change.

“One thing we’ve really focused on is demystifying innovation,” MacDonald says.

“With the pandemic, people have been making small incremental improvements that have had a big impact on the organisation. So, we’re looking to highlight those stories to encourage more of them. Sometimes, it’s hard to get cultural movement on things, and innovation is no different. People say ‘we don’t have the time’ or the resources or the systems to support that, but you put people in circumstances that are different – as in lockdown and COVID-19 – and you see a mindset shift. We are still seeing larger shifts but those aren’t the pieces of gold. It’s the small changes in the way we do things, that’re coming from the grassroots, reframing how we look  at innovation.”

In a post-pandemic world, it’s clear that companies which choose to invest more in innovation and technology will be the ones to thrive. Employers need to stop thinking about innovation as a start-stop process. Innovation should be continuous, and should be built into an organisational strategy just as much as LGBTQ rights or mental wellbeing or employment law is. For organisations, enabling their teams to be creative is the best way to find a lifeline when they need it.  

Innovative HR Teams 2021

500+ employees

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  GPC Asia Pacific