1. Hi, Pieter! On your LinkedIn page your motto says, “In a world where I often hear the expression “it is common sense”, sadly sense is not that common, it is my mission to make sense common again!”. Could you, please, elaborate more on this?
We often assume that common sense is something that everyone shares and understands. Common sense does not refer to a fixed set of rules or facts, but rather a subjective and contextual way of thinking and acting. What seems obvious and reasonable to one person may not be so to another, depending on their background, culture, education, experience, values, and goals. Therefore, striving to make sense common again is to teach people to think about the context of a situation and critically apply their mind when providing the outcome.
2. What inspired you to pursue a career in HR, and what do you find the most fulfilling about your role as Head Global P&O(HR) Service Architecture at Novartis?
I was trained as an electronic engineer and soon discovered that my passion is to enable businesses/people through the application of technology. My career had humble beginnings as an IT (Information Technology) support engineer. I decided to broaden my experience and transitioned to business consulting with a focus on IT service management and governance.
My entry into HR was through a service integration initiative to consolidate learning management systems within Novartis’ HR Function. Due to my background in service management, I got involved in HR service Center of Excellence where I established a new function now known as HR Service Architecture.
To answer what inspires me to pursue a career in HR, I would summarize it as combination of opportunities to leverage modern technologies and deliver better experiences to all employees.
3. How do you ensure that HR services at Novartis are aligned with the company’s overall mission and values?
Each employee’s impact is linked to the company’s objectives and performance and inherently we are all inspired by the company’s purpose and therefore eager to contribute directly or indirectly to the company’s success.
HR Services directly and indirectly impact the company’s vision and purpose. As HR, through design and delivery, we ensure to help enable those that directly deliver on the vision and purpose of the company.
4. What challenges have you faced in your role at Novartis, and how have you overcome them?
I am facing the typical challenges that one would find in any large organization. In my view the biggest challenge is navigating silos (both in thinking and structure). The only way to navigate silos in my experience is not to be discouraged by organizational structures but foster a strong ongoing collaboration/alliance with the right stakeholders through common ground/purpose. Even if the organizational structure is more conducive to collaboration, ongoing effort is always required to maintain cohesiveness.
5. The rise of AI – how do you comment on it as an HR Leader? How will it change an HR landscape?
AI is a powerful tool that will contribute to HR achieving its goals and create value for the organization. The HR Professional, in my view, will interpret a given engagement by providing advice/guidance/consultation within the specific context of the engagement. The HR professional is supported through artificial intelligence by automating repetitive functions, such as answering frequently asked questions or processing payroll, by augmenting functions, such as providing insights and feedback based on data analysis and by amplifying functions, such as creating a more seamless employee experience.
6. How do you see the role of HR Director evolving in the future?
In my view, the future role of the HR Director is to be more strategic, agile, data-driven, empathetic, collaborative and visionary. Evolution is constant and the HR Director has the role to prepare employees to embrace change in their work and workplace.
7. Share your tips on how you keep working on your personal growth as an HR Leader and an individual. Any day-to-day routine?
Be curious and have the courage to explore. Do not be afraid to fail forward. I grow through continuous training, staying informed and, most of all, enriching my experience by translating and applying what I learn into practical outcomes.
I draw inspiration from making a positive impact and learning from others. I use a news aggregator application daily to browse through topics I follow and explore those that interest me and apply to my profession.
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.
