What we want most from HR in 2022: The business leaders speak Build a culture that enables employees; champion employee voices; be strategically focused. We hear from business leaders on their expectations for how HR can support them in the coming year By Mint Kang
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s we wind down 2021 and gear up for 2022, one major strategic question HR leaders may be asking themselves is: how can we better support and collaborate with the business leaders, in order to contribute even more strongly to the broader organisational strategy? There's nothing like hearing directly from the business leaders themselves, and so People Matters asked three leaders from multinational companies for their thoughts on what they appreciate most from their HR counterparts, and what they hope that the HR function can do more of in the coming year.
Create the best kind of working culture
Gordon Watson, Chief Executive Officer Asia and Africa at insurance giant AXA, anticipates that AXA's HR team will place strong emphasis on creating a culture that enables and supports hybrid work, in line with the business strat60
| DECEMBER 2021
Ensuring we have the right people in the right place has always been a core objective of our HR leaders. But these days, there is much more involved in achieving that goal Gordon Watson, Chief Executive Officer, AXA Asia and Africa
egy to roll out opt-in hybrid work worldwide. “It is important for the HR team to continue collaborating closely with our people across the region – via coaching with empathy, regular and transparent communication and information sharing – to create a working culture that maximises our productivity, collab-
oration, creativity, and individual wellbeing, while also being inclusive,” he told People Matters. “This can help managers and leaders to nurture empowerment and trust within their teams by coordinating around clear objectives, backed by strong support and greater flexibility, so as to achieve personal and organisational
