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Being part of the dynamic tech industry where business is always evolving, getting the leadership mindshare to drive the experience is a continuous focus area, shares Franny Koh, Head of HR, AP Commercial & Singapore Site.
There is an intrinsic connection between employee fulfilment and customer delight — Lenovo Singapore understands this.
With this, Lenovo Singapore successfully won a silver in 'Best Capability Development Programme for the HR team' and bronze in 'Best In-House Certification Programmes' at the Employee Experience Awards 2023, Singapore.
Read on as Franny Koh, Head of HR, AP Commercial & Singapore Site of Lenovo Singapore shares how these achievements were made possible.
Q How do you ensure your employee experience initiatives are aligned with your business objectives?
Lenovo's core mission is to shape computing intelligence for the betterment of the world, offering a wide range of technology products to realise its vision of 'Smarter Technology for All'. As a Fortune 500 technology company (ranked 171) and recognised among Fortune magazine's 'World's Most Admired Companies', we embrace a global perspective and extend enriching experiences to our valued employees.
Embedded in our culture is the empowering statement, "We Are Lenovo. We do what we say; We own what we do, and we wow our customers." This ethos fosters personal accountability, effective problem-solving, and a commitment to customer satisfaction. By instilling a sense of ownership and an entrepreneurial spirit, we encourage employees to view their work as integral to the company's success, collectively driving customer fulfilment.
Lenovo deeply understands the intrinsic connection between employee fulfilment and customer delight, leading us to believe that "Happy employees create happy customers." We treasure our greatest asset, our people, and nurture a "People First" culture that embraces diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). These values guide our integrity, trust, and innovative approach to designing products that cater to all.
Q Can you provide examples of how the organisation has invested in the employee experience?
Lenovo's "People First" culture is at the heart of its commitment to prioritise employee wellbeing and growth. This ethos permeates daily operations through tangible actions, such as:
- Employee-centric development: Investment in comprehensive development programmes, including training, leadership courses, and mentorship opportunities, focusing on wellbeing and career growth.
- Inclusive and supportive environment: Fostering diversity and inclusion, transparent communication, and employee recognition programmes to build trust and motivation.
- Social impact and team building: Encouraging social impact initiatives and community service projects to foster camaraderie and collaboration.
By consistently implementing these practices, Lenovo creates an organisation where employees feel valued, supported, and inspired, leading to enhanced satisfaction, retention, and performance. This commitment contributes to Lenovo's continued success and innovation in the competitive technology industry.
Q What are some of the key challenges that you faced in implementing your EX initiatives, and how did you overcome them?
Articulating the need and the subsequent business case to invest in employee experience initiatives is a natural expectation from business and finance, and we do this by ensuring that success metrics are carved out whenever we start something new.
Having a data-based approach in HR allows us to collaborate with businesses effectively.
Being part of the dynamic tech industry where business is always evolving, getting the leadership mindshare to drive the experience is a continuous focus area for us. We do that by closing working with businesses to identify the critical success areas, and co-create the required people initiatives to have their buy-in continuously.
Q Do you have processes to measure the effectiveness of your EX initiatives, and what metrics do you use to evaluate success?
Building and sustaining trust is crucial, and we have introduced many processes and tools to evaluate success. Apart from structured employee connects, we also have formal feedback mechanisms like 'Lenovo Listens' (employee survey) that helps us measure engagement scores, feedback on HR support from employees and managers separately, feedback on training programmes, and exit interview feedback.
They all serve as essential tools to identify focus areas, create action items and periodically share progress with employees.
We have invested in HR analytics, which helps us receive these insights and take decisions accordingly.
Q Finally, what role do leaders and managers play in driving a beautiful employee experience, and how are they held accountable for the success of these initiatives?
At Lenovo, we recognise the pivotal roles of both leaders and managers in driving employee experiences. Our leaders inspire trust, while managers serve as vital touchpoints for employees. We design experiences with their input, empowering them to unleash team members' potential, leading to increased productivity.
To meet the expectations of a younger workforce, we offer our leaders and managers participation in the "Coaching with Impact" programme, equipping them with effective coaching techniques for continuous growth.
As part of our commitment to employee engagement, we have introduced a refreshed 'Leadership Priorities' charter and people management KPI. Annual engagement survey results guide recognition for high-scoring managers and support for those with lower scores through coaching programmes.
A similar approach is taken for DEI and training initiatives, fostering a positive employee experience. Investing in our leaders and managers ensures a thriving workplace where employees can flourish and contribute to our success.
Lead image / Provided
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