Putting employees first
(From left) Gurdip, Chok, Yaw, Ng and Khoo are among those shaping a culture that drives performance and growth.

Impactful HR practices recognised at SEEK People & Purpose Awards

MALAYSIA’S exemplary organisations and human resources (HR) practitioners were recognised at the SEEK People & Purpose Awards.

This inaugural SEEK awards by Jobstreet honoured 73 winners for their innovative and impactful HR practices in their respective industries.

CIMB Group swept Employer of the Year, Best Employee Development Programme, Top Voted Employer in Banking & Insurance, and Best Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (DEI) awards.

CIMB Group chief operating and people officer Gurdip Singh Sidhu won the platinum award for “The People Leader of the Year”.

He said CIMB aspired to emerge as the best organisation for the best talent with the right values.

“People, as catalysts of business and growth, remain our top priority.

“With the range of human capital development programmes being driven across CIMB and the greater banking industry, ultimately our purpose is to further support the realisation of CIMB Group’s Forward23+ strategic plan, where human capital transformation remains a key focal point in the overall strategy.”

Leaders have a critical influence in shaping organisational culture – a catalyst for business performance and growth.

Key initiatives such as CIMB Signature Leadership programmes help build and expand the current and future pipeline of quality leaders.

“We believe that diversity, equity and inclusion are important as diversity across the organisation can foster innovation, inclusive growth and participative leadership, and serve to remove barriers to communication, productivity and performance.”

Family-centric initiatives include six-month maternity leave for first-time mothers, childcare subsidies, financial assistance and support for staff with special needs children and single parents, and flexible working arrangements for parents.

These have contributed to a healthy work environment that encourages high performance and better integration among the workforce, Gurdip pointed out.

“We are pleased to see increased female representation in leadership from 37.2% in 2020 to 41.8% in 2023 across our key markets and achieved full parity in pay across genders.”

Winning silver for Employer of the Year award, Carro group human resources director Chok Oi Sin attributed the success to the company’s four key HR strategies: engagement and communication (online and offline), training and development, digitalisation and performance management system.

The company uses a cloud-based business-to-business super app with a collection of collaboration and productivity tools as a centralised communication channel.

It enables transition from the manual process of submitting employee forms and applications to having a centralised system to manage all employee claims.

“We also share our work culture on social media.

“This empowers employees, giving them a sense of pride.

“It is not a top-down approach as staff would also propose ideas to the Employer Branding Team.”

The company also conducts a yearly survey with employees across 39 branches nationwide to get feedback on areas they are satisfied and dissatisfied with.

To upskill its staff, Carro collaborates with external training programmes. “Leadership training is not just for managers, but for non-managerial level staff too.

“This succession planning strategy helps identify and develop new, potential leaders. We believe that when the manager is up to par, they can manage.”

According to Chok, the performance of each team and employee were efficiently recorded and updated via Carro’s own HR Data Intelligence Centre.

“The system enables us to collect accurate performance data that helps management make the right decisions, equitably and objectively during mid-year and year-end reviews.

“It also provides staff with clear and measurable goals, empowering them to achieve more,” she said.

The HR strategies have resulted in employees’ commitment and dedication to their teams’ success.

“I was touched to hear that some of our teams selflessly volunteered to help out during critical periods when we were short-handed due to sudden surges in demand.”

Having won gold for Top Voted Employer in Real Estate and Construction category, Sunway Construction talent acquisition and employer branding senior executive Natalie Yaw said Sunway Construction prioritised integrity, humility and excellence, embedding these values into the company culture and daily operations across all levels.

“We recognise the importance of continuous improvement and fostering a collaborative work environment.

“This environment incubates diverse opportunities for our employees to develop or refine their skills, ensuring they stay relevant in today’s ever-changing industry.”

At Sunway Group, respect and inclusivity is reflected in its workplace culture.

Sunway Property human resources assistant manager Natalie Ng said its “zero-tolerance policy for discrimination ensures that every individual feels valued and respected regardless of their background.

“We actively encourage open communication and provide platforms for employees to voice their opinions and concerns.”

Similarly, Sunway Healthcare Group (SHG) invests in its people by partnering with renowned institutions to provide training for employees, such as Harvard Medical School for the Leadership in Medicine, Southeast Asia Programme.

“We prioritise the growth and development of our people and provide exposure to the latest advances in medical technologies and medicine,” said Sunway Healthcare human capital senior manager Samantha Khoo.

The healthcare sector in Malaysia is overstretched. Recognising the importance of mental health of its employees, SHG has a team of in-house counsellors and a 24/7 hotline for employees to contact if they require mental health services and resources.

“Offered as part of our Employee Assistance Programme, this service is completely confidential, hence employees are able to seek counselling regarding stress or problems they are facing at work or home, be it with relationships, health or finances,” she said.

SHG is the gold winner for Top Voted Employer in Healthcare and Pharmaceutical category.
MALAYSIA’S exemplary organisations and human resources (HR) practitioners were recognised at the SEEK People & Purpose Awards.