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"Our strategy goes beyond retaining talent; it seeks to foster a culture that inspires individuals to push their boundaries and contribute to shared success," Chuah Cheng Leong, Vice President of Human Resources (APAC) shares.
Showing appreciation and giving recognition is what motivates the people to strive for excellence at work these days. Many organisations are beginning to see the importance of having an employee-centric culture which enhances meaning in people’s daily lives.
With this as a top priority in the organisation, Plexus, a leader in complex product design, supply chain, manufacturing and sustaining services, clinched the silver award for 'Excellence in Employee Volunteerism' at the HR Excellence Awards 2024, Malaysia.
Catching up with Chuah Cheng Leong, Vice President of Human Resources (APAC), Plexus, we learn how the organisation implements strategies to engage and motivate its people and in return, creating an enjoyable work environment for all.
Q What was the motivation that sparked your passion & business case for pursuing your outstanding people strategy?
At the heart of our HR philosophy is our commitment to making Plexus a 'Workplace of choice', and this commitment is woven into our organisational culture and operational framework. Our model consists of five pillars: Career and meaningful work, Appreciation and recognition, Great leadership, Empowerment, and Fun. These pillars drive our motivation to create an environment where our employees can grow, thrive, and collaborate.
When our employees feel valued and engaged, they enable the organisation to be more agile, resilient, and resourceful in navigating future challenges and achieving sustainable growth.
Furthermore, our strategy goes beyond retaining talent; it seeks to foster a culture that inspires individuals to push their boundaries and contribute to shared success. This vision - empowering each person to reach their potential — strengthens our commitment to an exceptional people strategy.
Q Looking back, can you share a challenge that you overcame in your journey of HR excellence? How did you triumph?
We faced a significant challenge with retaining trained employees, as many left for startups and OEM companies, leading to high turnover rates. In response, we embraced a structured retention strategy focused on employee development and succession planning.
By creating clear career growth pathways and offering continuous development opportunities, we fostered a deep sense of commitment and purpose among our team members.
Our succession planning allowed employees to envision a bright future within our organisation, enhancing their loyalty. This approach has stabilised our turnover rate and strengthened our talent pipeline, driving us forward in our pursuit of long-term HR excellence.
Q Beyond the recognition, what impact do you hope your feature in the HR Excellence Awards would have on the HR community and manpower landscape?
We hope this feature in the HR Excellence Awards will inspire the HR community to prioritise a robust employee-centric culture, enhance meaningful employee engagement, and advance people development. By sharing our successes and challenges, we aim to cultivate a diverse and inclusive environment that champions open communication, continuous improvement, and innovation.
We urge HR professionals to boldly celebrate achievements, both large and small. Recognising these milestones will create a workforce that is motivated, loyal, and driven to make impactful contributions.
Q Could you share some advice you would give to others aspiring to follow in your footsteps?
The HR team is a vital force within any organisation, capable of significantly advancing its goals. Our advice is to continuously benchmark and improve HR processes to ensure the organisation stays at the forefront of best practices. By prioritising your employees and cultivating a supportive environment while providing essential resources, we empower our greatest asset.
By embracing these best practices, the HR team can ignite overall business performance, minimise operational costs, create a sustainable competitive advantage, and pave the way for scalability.
Read more interviews on why organisations have won trophies for their HR practices – head over to our Winning Secrets section!
Photo: Provided
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