What Is the New Agile Approach for HR Leaders?

Create space for crucial conversations with your employees

What are the best ways to encourage and support the employees in adjusting to rapid changes in the crisis period?

The global pandemic has taught us all a lot, and now that we have an ongoing economic crisis, the best way to address employees is to listen to them and empathise with their most significant concerns; leaders at various hierarchies should hold space for crucial conversations with employees, we also need feedback channels to get employees’ input. Last but not least, we need to create a support structure with programs like wellness assistance, psychological assistance, and mental awareness.

How to design a safe space for collaboration, creativity, and innovation for the workforce of different generations?

We must take an Agile approach, and leaders must exemplify this new way of thinking. We need to cultivate the right behaviours, openness, fearlessness, empowerment and transparency; establish a continuous feedback culture; encourage open collaboration across units, and lead the change, both from the top down and bottom up; We need to nurture forums to grow innovations, new ideas, and creative solutions, last but not least, get a robust reward mechanism and have the right technology in place.

How could new cloud technologies support HR experts in creating a better and safer place for work?

Today we already have all working generations using Smartphones, and accessing web-based apps is commonly done by all users (WhatsApp, Facebook, LinkedIn, Tik-Tok, etc.). The starting point must be “One HR system” with AI/ML and all HR tools in one app to make everyone’s life easy. Hiring through AI and machine learning tools to make smarter decisions regarding hard skills, AI-driven performance metrics and measurements, and digital health enablement tools, more innovative career development tools to empower and motivate employees with gamification-based learning technology. Finally, all the employee business as usual supported (salary slip, day-off booking system, meeting room booking, parking, etc.).

Alberto Borghesi is the Head of Global Operations & Innovation HR – Cloud and Network Services at Nokia. He is an experienced HR operations and innovation leader with 24 years of experience delivering business transformation within the telecommunications industry, with over 17 years in the MEA region. Driven by passion, he takes pride in providing the best solutions to create tangible impact. He has a proven ability to lead multicultural and diverse teams, driving effective change across geographical and physical boundaries. Alberto lives in Dubai with his wife and daughter and has two sons studying overseas.