1. Hi René! Can you tell us a bit about your hobbies or interests outside of work? Do you benefit from them professionally or are they meant solely for your soul?
Sure, and with pleasure. I think that your hobbies or interests outside your work do always impact both your private and your professional life. In my case, I love to run, especially early in the morning as I live quite close to a forest. This truly helps me to set the focus for the day, prepare for difficult discussions etc. On the other side, I meditate every day in the morning to train my mental abilities as well. Training physically when running and mentally when meditating is perfect for me to start the day. Furthermore, I love to cook. Cooking requires good preparation especially when you cook for more than two people and a lot of creativity in case you are running out of ingredients you need.
2. What inspired you to pursue a career in Human Resources?
Let me think as it was 25 years ago when I made that decision. In general, Human Resources is a critical function in any organization, and its importance cannot be overstated. The function truly combines business as well as the people and human aspects. For me personally, I wanted both – managing a business and being responsible for the success of a company and taking care of and supporting the most precious resource in the business – the people. I also like the variety of roles: HR encompasses a wide range of roles, including recruitment, compensation & benefits, employee relations, training and development, talent & organizational development and more. This means that there are many opportunities to find a role that aligns with your interests and strengths. HR is often a fast-paced environment, with constantly changing priorities and new challenges to tackle. For those who enjoy a dynamic work environment, HR can be an exciting and engaging career path. It also plays a critical role in the success of an organization. By recruiting and retaining top talent, developing employee skills and abilities, and fostering a positive work environment, HR drives business results. And finally, as companies increasingly recognize the importance of human capital, the demand for skilled HR professionals continues to grow. This means that there are many opportunities for career growth and advancement within the field.
3. You’ve worked in some pretty unique industries like luxury goods and fashion. What kind of HR challenges did you face in those sectors, and how did you tackle them?
Looking at both industries I can say that the challenges are quite similar. The luxury goods and fashion sectors are highly competitive. Attracting and retaining top talent can be a challenge. With so many brands vying for the same pool of talent, we had to develop out of the box strategies to attract and retain the best employees, including offering competitive salaries and benefits packages, providing opportunities for career growth and development, and creating a positive work environment. We also created a diverse and inclusive work environment that values and respects all employees. This required developing policies and practices that support diversity, providing training and education to employees, and holding managers accountable for promoting diversity and inclusion. Finally, the adaptation of leadership principles was a cornerstone for success. Leading teams was never so challenging as today. It requires a lot of agility and empathy combined with a speedboat mentality.
4. How does IWC Schaffhausen create an engaging and connected workplace culture for its employees?
Creating an engaging and connected workplace culture is important for promoting employee morale, retention, and productivity. We created a shared vision that aligned with IWC Schaffhausen’s mission and values. This helped our teams to feel a sense of belonging and connection to the brand. Furthermore, we have established a new way of communication. We encouraged open communication between employees and the management by implementing regular global e-townhalls. It took a bit of time for people to ask critical questions, but I can say that now our teams are not afraid to ask them and we as management are not afraid to answer them openly. One of the most important projects in terms of networking and connecting people beyond their departments was the introduction of “Mystery Coffee”. This initiative brings people together who don’t know each other. The app matches your interests with another person from another team and this is done globally. It is amazing how many people use it and how much your personal network can increase.
5. Can you let us in on some of the tools you’ve used at IWC Schaffhausen to make internal communication more personal and relatable?
The most helpful tool we used was a simple one – our ears: listening and understanding the communication needs and habits of our people. It was a key driver to adapting internal communication to be more effective. The second tool we used was a knife: cutting down the amount of information and channels used to spread information. Less is more. We reduced the amount of information and set some new guidelines as there is only one news article per day. We simplified the wording. Every editor has only 100 words to describe the message or news. And finally, we use target group-based communication channels. The third one is a chessboard: structuring the information content, flows and channels according to the relevance for our people. And most of all it is about empathy: putting ourselves in internal communication in the shoes of our different target audiences to understand how to communicate with them and what they need.
6. You’ve mentioned the importance of humanizing communication at work. Can you share a story where using a people-centric approach really made a difference?
The most impressive one from my point of view was a project we have run related to connecting our unconnected audience in manufacturing – we called it “connect the unconnected”. Instead of assuming what they might need, we took the time to talk to them to really understand their situation. Based on that and with the support of experts in the field of communication we developed a tailor-made communication toolkit, which fits the needs of our unconnected audience. Before launching it, we asked them to provide feedback, and this included them in the finetuning of these measurements. We ensured to have tools in place which meet the needs of this target group.
7. What are your top tips for engaging with a diverse group of employees, like both blue and white-collar workers?
First of all, put your people at the heart of what you do. This is not an academic exercise. Listen to their needs and observe first. Only take action and implement new things when you know they are of added value for your target group. Ideally include them in the development of these actions. And be inclusive. Use the channels they want to use to spread your news and updates. Use the language they are used to and are capable of. Showcase and reflect both worlds in your communication and finally except that there are differences in the way they work. Don’t try “one size fits all”.
8. Please comment on the exponential rise of AI – will it change the HR landscape and in which way?
Yes, I think it will and we should not be afraid of it – let us embrace the change and the benefits out of it as I can see some in HR. AI can be used to automate the recruitment process, from sourcing candidates to screening resumes and conducting initial interviews. This can save time and improve the quality of hires by using algorithms to identify the best candidates for a given role. AI can be used to analyze employee data, such as performance metrics, to identify trends and patterns that can be used to improve engagement and retention. For example, AI can be used to identify which employees are at risk of leaving and what actions can be taken to prevent them from leaving. AI can be used to develop personalized training and development programs that are tailored to the individual needs and learning styles of each employee. This can improve the effectiveness of training and development programs while reducing costs. Overall, AI has the potential to revolutionize HR by improving efficiency, accuracy, and effectiveness. However, it is important to use AI ethically and responsibly, ensuring that it is used in ways that protect employee privacy and avoid bias and discrimination.
9. As an expert in the HR field, what other trends do you see on the horizon and how do you think they’ll change the way we work?
There are some upcoming trends in my opinion which will change our focus in HR. The gig economy is growing rapidly, with more people working as freelancers, contractors, or temporary workers. HR will need to develop policies and practices to manage these workers, including addressing issues related to compensation, benefits, and employment classification. Climate change and sustainability are becoming more important for organizations, with growing pressure to reduce their environmental impact and address social and environmental issues. HR will need to develop strategies to promote sustainability and social responsibility, including attracting and retaining employees who share these values. And finally, employee well-being and mental health have become a top priority for many organizations, with increasing recognition of the importance of supporting employee health and well-being. HR will need to develop programs and policies to support employee well-being, especially mental health support and the prevention of mental challenges. We need to be more strategic, proactive, and innovative in our approach to managing our workforce. HR will need to adapt to a lot of changes and develop new strategies and practices to ensure that we are able to attract, retain, and manage the workforce in a rapidly changing and unpredictable world.
10. Is there something you always tell people managers? Any personal advice?
I always come back to servant leadership. Servant leaders strive to create a culture of trust, collaboration, and inclusivity. They empower their teams to take ownership of their work and make decisions, while also providing guidance and support as needed. Servant leaders focus on the long-term development of their teams, rather than short-term results or personal recognition. When you serve the needs of others, create a collaborative and supportive environment, and promote the growth and development of your teams, it will help you to create more engaged and motivated teams, while also promoting a culture of trust, inclusivity and excellence.
If you’re looking for new ideas, fresh perspectives and insights on the future of work, then you’ll want to attend HR Vision Events.
