The #HRSpotlight2021 series continues with a new interview. In this episode, we turned once again to Cristina Corello, Country Human Resources Manager at Bosch Romania, the second Most Desired Employer in the Automotive industry in 2020. Cristina Corello also featured in the original HRSpotlight series, back in September 2020.

Which will be from your perspective, the 2021 top 3 most important trends that HR leaders will focus?

The past couple of years brought an avalanche of change to the HR industry. The rise of artificial intelligence and economic fluctuations alike, topped by a global pandemic that shifted the reality of millions of people while redefining the way we work and live, taught us that organizations that do not embrace transformation will be left behind by those that do. This applies to developing a digital transformation strategy but, more importantly, extends beyond technology to tackle people-centric issues. In my opinion, this year will be all about Transformation, Digitalization and Excellence. I see learning to be the main driver when talking long-term success and business evolution, and I am confident that the continuous development of new skills, will secure a smooth transition towards digital transformation. A life-long learning approach should top each and everybody’s mindset.

When it comes to HR’s reinvention and digitalization, simplicity is the key. Simplicity is very much related to the efficiency and effectiveness of HR solutions. 2020 confirmed us we are adaptable, agile and flexible. It boosted the digitalization of the internal HR processes, and moulded us to expect the unexpected and be always prepared for immediate change. Nonetheless, virtual work is here to stay; thus, employee experience must be refined. Home-office is now the new normal and focusing on the experience that employees have with the company as much as a brand focuses on customer experience can boost productivity, improve satisfaction, and lead to greater employee loyalty. In short, excellence can only be achieved if companies adapt their corporate culture to a predominantly virtual organization and thrive in finding the best solutions to nurture its employees’ needs.

Keeping an eye on the future, with so much change and uncertainty on the horizon, how is your organization now to accelerate the 2021 changes?

Our role as a HR Team is to enable the organization for change readiness and to act as a partner for its cultural and organizational transformation, especially during times like these. We have already successfully navigated through the work-from-home culture and hybrid work, as well as through a multitude of legal aspects and new regulations, and we feel today as walking the “stairway to heaven”, as Led Zeppelin would say. What motivates and guides us in our daily activities is achieving that state of perfect balance we aim for. All our actions are rooted in both business continuity and growth, and people needs. We always keep in mind the human factor is the main asset of our organization, therefore are regularly adapting all processes in order to offer our candidates and colleagues a relevant employee experience. Safety continues to be the word of the day, and covering both candidate and employee experience remains a main priority. We see to constantly adapt our working conditions, prioritizing the needs of our employees, but to also strengthen our digital skills by using several apps designed to improve their experience.

As a modus operandi, Bosch relies on customized learning processes tailored to provide relevant knowledge to its employees and encourage the development of new skills. We are fond of giving them full autonomy in the learning process, while involving each individual in defining and shaping their learning journey as best suits them. This approach will help us attract new talents within the company, and I am confident that continuing on the path to becoming a digital savvy organization will bring added-value and a positive outcome. Moreover, we concentrate our attention in continuously adapting our learning processes, and the direction we will be following closely in the next period will be defining the learning priorities and identifying the most suitable solutions which I believe are closely related to a virtual environment, as virtual classrooms, e-learning, and considering learning solutions as microlearning and blended learning.

How your organization will adapt the future normal, shaping the future workforce, keeping the engagement and performance?

Evolution comes as a response not only to the passing of time and technological development, but also to a series of unprecedented, unexpected situations. Shaping the future of work and the future workforce is about the actions we decide to take. It is extremely hard to define today how this future will look, but we have made a priority out of creating suitable conditions for all our employees to enjoy, grow and perform. The past year has already demonstrated us that we need to start acting even before being fully prepared, so one day at a time will do for now.

In terms of how we will keep vivid the engagement and performance of our people, the dominant word here is Care. At Bosch, we care. We care for or colleagues, our business, our clients and our working environment. We have been working hard to turn this vision of ours into reality, and we are continuously shaping the future of by inventing high-quality technologies and services that spark enthusiasm and enrich people’s lives.