Andreea Voinea (BCR) takes the spotlight at Working Romania #futureofwork 2024

In anticipation of the Working Romania #futureofwork conference, set to unfold on March 28 at the Courtyard by Marriott Bucharest Floreasca starting at 10 AM, Business Review had the distinct opportunity to engage in an exclusive dialogue with Andreea Voinea, the HR Executive Director at BCR. Amidst a landscape of evolving workplace dynamics and shifting employee expectations, Voinea offers an insightful exploration into the transformative strides BCR has made in HR services throughout 2023, particularly in the realm of employee benefits. Her narrative underscores a strategic pivot towards personalization and flexibility, reflecting a broader commitment to aligning employee incentives with individual life stages and personal aspirations.

How have HR services evolved in 2023 from the perspective of benefits offered to employees?

Regarding benefits, we have focused a lot on customization and flexibility. If we talk about customization for the bank’s clients, it is natural to have the same approach towards our colleagues. Therefore, we want to have not just interesting benefits, in general. But relevant benefits, as well adapted as possible to the life stage of each colleague.

Moreover, this year we introduced a series of new benefits:

Teleworking from another country in Europe: The opportunity for colleagues to work remotely from another European country, offering flexibility and freedom in managing the workplace.
Sabbatical leave of up to three months: An extended period of leave, to allow colleagues to dedicate their time to personal or development projects.
7 extra days off: To allow colleagues to relax and “recharge their batteries,” in addition to the usual holiday days.

All these, for two very simple reasons. We care about our colleagues’ development. We are passionate about creating a work environment that supports the balance between professional and personal life.

Generally in the labor market, people are returning to offices more and more. How do BCR employees currently work, and what are their desires (working from home or from the office)? Do you offer employees the possibility to work remotely and if so, under what conditions? How many employees prefer this?

At BCR, we approach flexible working as an essential way to support the balance between professional and personal life. We want to offer at the same time an efficient and productive work environment. Thus, our network colleagues benefit from two days of remote work per month, which they dedicate especially to learning and personal development. Our headquarters colleagues come to the office about 8 days a month, depending on the requirements of their team. This flexibility allows colleagues to dedicate time to improve themselves, to explore new technologies, or to participate in online training programs. For managers, it’s important that flexibility means finding a balance between teamwork and individual autonomy, supporting a culture of collaboration and innovation. It’s not always an easy equation, but it is one whose solutions make the difference between a rigid organization and a flexible and vibrant one. In essence, through this approach of customization and flexibility, we want to ensure that each team member feels supported and encouraged to achieve performance, no matter where they work.

Generation Z and others are concerned about career and upskilling. How many employees are looking for new qualifications and what does the company offer?

We observe a significant increase in interest in career development and upskilling, not just from Generation Z but also from other generations. Time dedicated to learning increased by 12% in BCR in 2023 compared to 2022. This shows that our people are motivated to stay relevant for the future. And it shows that we have an organizational culture of learning.

Therefore, in 2023 nearly half of our hires were internal. This is because we support colleagues to develop their skills and to follow new career directions within our company. We offer a variety of training and development programs, including upskilling and reskilling courses, to meet the changing needs of the labor market and allow colleagues to advance in their careers.

How are upskilling and reskilling courses conducted and how important is technology? What are the most common qualifications employees are looking for?

For us, technology is not just an objective but a strategic pillar of our organizational development. Our promise is to prepare people to use technology, but also to remain authentic in their way of working and approach. At the same time, we are aware of the specifics of each generation and seek to integrate these differences into how we manage our colleagues’ development. We emphasize empathy, curiosity, and the desire for continuous learning. In addition, we are increasingly focusing on skills such as creative thinking, analytical thinking, and the use of technologies, especially data and artificial intelligence. Our vision is learning anytime, anywhere, and on any device. We have in-room trainings, with our trainers or external partners, we have our own online platforms or contracted platforms. Depending on each colleague’s learning and career plan, the learning mode mixes different methods and sources. Regarding the qualifications sought by employees, we see an increase in demand for technical skills such as data analysis, understanding artificial intelligence, and using digital tools. In addition, communication, collaboration, and adaptability skills remain just as important in a constantly changing work environment.

How do you keep employees connected to the company’s values and vision? How important is community creation?

At BCR, we connect to the company’s values and vision by supporting internal communities. We have professional communities, such as the digital experts community. In these communities, it’s easier for colleagues to exchange information and experiences live. And thus to continuously develop. We have a strong community of over 1500 colleagues from BCR, who are financial education teachers in schools, kindergartens, universities. Together, we’ve helped over 1 million Romanians make smart financial choices. However, we do not limit ourselves to professional communities. It’s important to have a work environment where colleagues feel connected and supported in everything that matters in their life. Therefore, we also have communities of parents, athletes, or the Generation Z colleagues community. Community management is a priority for us. It provides us with direct and real-time feedback about the needs, desires, and concerns of our colleagues. These communities help us communicate directly and openly between our teams. They help us make friends. And to have an authentic organizational culture, where people feel at home. We can say that at BCR, at the cultural level, we have a very strong communal instinct. If we want to succeed, it’s important to define ourselves not just as a bank of nearly 3 million customers and 5000 colleagues. But a bank of communities. A bank for our future, together. Where shared success is multiplied success.

Join us at the forefront of the #futureofwork at the Working Romania conference on March 28, Courtyard by Marriott Bucharest Floreasca. Register now and be part of the conversation that will define our collective future. Let’s shape the future of work, together!

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