Talking talent dynamics

The COVID-19 pandemic not only left labour markets tighter than they’ve been in decades. It also made people question more than ever what makes a good job or a great career and how, where and why they want to work at all. I recently had the pleasure of speaking with my industry colleague Karima Silvent, Chief HR Officer AXA about what our companies are doing to navigate fast-changing workplace dynamics and win the competition for talent.

In this far-ranging conversation, we consider what makes a company stand out in the current landscape. Is it benefits? Work flexibility? A clear sense of purpose? How can we move beyond a one-size-fits-all mentality in HR to more agile approaches that resonate with a diverse workforce in a dynamic world? How can we ensure that all employees feel they can bring their whole selves to work and perform at their best?

Karima and I agree that having a meaningful mission is an important differentiator in the eyes of the talented people our organisations aim to attract and keep – and we count ourselves lucky to work in an industry with a clear sense of purpose. We also consider what inclusion means in 2023 and how to foster an inclusive company culture. Using real examples from Swiss Re and AXA, we reveal how HR can help companies win the competition for talent, especially by engaging senior leaders and working hand in hand with the business.

Listen to the full highlights from their discussion here.

We focus first on HR’s contribution to enabling a company to deliver in uncertain times. Employees increasingly want to be part of organisations that offer work flexibility, attractive growth opportunities and a culture where people of diverse backgrounds and viewpoints can collaborate and thrive. We discuss how this has made HR an even more critical enabler of business and what Swiss Re and AXA are doing to attract and keep top talent in a fast-changing landscape.

We reflect here on the importance to attracting and retaining talent of having a sense of purpose beyond profit. Employees today want to work in more meaningful jobs and to make a positive difference in the world. We share how our organisations are engaging employees’ sense of purpose, for instance, by fostering climate awareness and offering concrete ways to volunteer for and donate to good causes. These efforts play a major role in reinforcing a sense of meaning and purpose at work and translating that purpose into action.

We conclude by discussing the role of company culture in creating a sense of belonging and ensuring that all employees feel they can bring their true selves to work and perform at their best. We look at how our respective organisations are getting better at reflecting perspectives and including people from the communities they serve. Among the practices we share are Swiss Re’s “Inclusion Journey” to support managers in role-modelling and promoting an inclusive, collaborative culture and AXA’s inclusion survey, which invites employees to give critical as well as positive feedback and shares that feedback openly with teams.