Addressing employee needs is crucial for employers because it directly impacts productivity, job satisfaction, retention, and overall organisational success. Priyanka Sharma, Head HR Kraft Heinz India GCC spoke to BW People's journalist at their flagship event BW People HR Excellence Awards about how at Kraft Heinz India GCC they keep employees' needs the prime focus, since its them who help the brand reach heights.
How do you measure and track the employee experience within your organisation?
We measure and track employee experience through a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods. Key metrics include employee engagement surveys, pulse surveys, and net promoter scores (NPS). We also analyse feedback from one-on-one meetings, exit interviews, and performance reviews. Additionally, we track key HR metrics like employee retention, and productivity to gauge the overall experience. Regular feedback loops ensure that we stay attuned to our employees' needs and can make timely adjustments.
Can you provide examples of specific programs or initiatives that have significantly enhanced the employee experience?
One of our initiatives is our “Speak Easy” program, which aims to build public speaking confidence among our employees. This initiative not only enhances communication skills but also promotes personal growth and team bonding. Additionally, our “Connect and Inspire” monthly series for managers includes activities like quizzes on our brands and presentations by team members, which fosters camaraderie and continuous learning. Our wellness programs, such as annual health check-ups and mental well-being support, have also been instrumental in enhancing the employee experience. We are also introducing Mentorship programs to bridge cultural experiences and provide better exposure to our employees.
How do you foster a culture of continuous improvement in employee experience?
We foster a culture of continuous improvement by creating open channels of communication where employees feel empowered to share their ideas and feedback. This includes regular town halls, suggestion forums & voting polls, and innovation forums. We also have a dedicated Employee Experience team that continuously reviews and iterates on our programs and policies. Furthermore, we encourage cross-functional collaboration and benchmarking against industry best practices to ensure that our employee experience strategies remain dynamic and responsive.
We have also introduced Coffee Fridays- Cross Functional Learning sessions for employees.
What advice would you give to other organistions looking to enhance their employee experience strategies?
The advice would be to place employees at the heart of your strategy. Listen actively to their feedback and involve them in the decision-making process. Tailor initiatives to meet the specific needs of your workforce rather than adopting a one-size-fits-all approach. Measure the impact of your efforts regularly and be willing to pivot when necessary. Also, focus on building a solid organizational culture where employees feel valued, respected, and part of a larger mission.
Are there any upcoming projects or initiatives related to employee experience that you are excited about and would like to share with us?
To create consistent & coherent employee experience it is imperative that we touch all facets of HR from hire to retire. So, our HR roadmap comprises of 4 pillars- Ongoing Emp Exp, Building a Future ready org, Employee Engagement, Statutory & Compliance. We ensure that we are constantly raising the bar by introducing various initiatives enhancing employee experience across these pillars and constantly seeking feedback to ensure we stay relevant.
One of our core values is ‘We Demand Diversity’, and we enhance all elements of the employee experience, from recruitment through to employee engagement. To support diversity in hiring we begin by ensuring that our job descriptions are free from bias. Interviews are done in teams. Gender balanced hiring slates are presented to hiring managers. We can see in the business units which drive a more inclusive hiring process, there is a correlation with a higher percentage of women in management positions.
We have empanelled vendors who are champions of DE&I because it is embedded in our culture. If we are empanelling new vendors, we encourage them to leverage our account as a starting point in their diversity journey. We intend to make GCC Ahmedabad’s footprint a benchmark for our global partners. We want to go FTE route by reducing our dependence on vendor partners and absorbing lot of employees post post-screening measures into our FTE mix. This move enables us to have more control over the gender diversity for our GCC.
