Agility, technology, humanity: Success factors of HR teams

The quote, “When you hand good people possibility, they do great things”, perfectly exemplifies the importance of building strong teams. Choosing the right individuals, fostering collaboration, and nurturing leadership potential create a force capable of tackling any challenge.

HR teams play a vital role in making this a reality. They act as the bridge between employees and management, ensuring employee needs are heard and protected. Recognising and celebrating exceptional HR teams across industries becomes even more crucial in this context

During HR Fest Awards 2024, the prestigious accolade of HR Team of the Year was bestowed upon Singapore Land Group (SingLand). “The award holds immense significance both for SingLand and our HR team,” said Welch Er, Head of Human Resources at SingLand.

Speaking to HRM Magazine Asia, Er called the win a recognition of the organisation’s commitment to fostering a positive work culture, supporting employee growth, and driving organisational success through effective HR strategies. “This award validates our efforts in creating an environment where our employees can thrive. It also energises our team to continue pushing boundaries, innovating HR practices, and championing a culture of growth, inclusivity, and excellence,” she said.

Er identified traits such as the ability to adapt to rapidly changing workplace dynamics as something imperative for great HR teams to have in 2024, as well as HR teams prioritising employee wellbeing, diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. SingLand also looks to utilise and leverage digital technology to streamline processes, all while still maintaining a human touch.

What that looks like at SingLand involves listening to employee feedback, promoting a culture of continuous learning and implementing innovative programmes that support work-life balance and career growth opportunities. All these, as Er explained, are on equal footing as the traditional core HR functions like recruitment, training, performance management, and employee relations which HR has long espoused.

So how does SingLand work to succeed? To hear Er explain it, it starts with developing core values, routines, and habits for the HR teams to go through every day. SingLand’s HR group does this by having regular team meetings, and one-on-one check-ins and adopting processes and platforms to make it easy for employees to reach out with questions or concerns. This is to establish clear channels of communication that are crucial for HR teams to function effectively. The group also leverages collaboration tools and technology to make communication more efficient.

Yet, Er also pointed out that communication was not just about relaying information. “[Good communication] requires active listening, asking the right questions, and communicating clearly with empathy,” she said. “We recognise that these are skills that can be honed and provide training to continually improve our team’s communication skills.” This means that when honed alongside technological tools, efficiency can be achieved without losing a compassionate, human touch.

READ MORE: Fostering a culture of inclusivity and excellence in HR

This is all done in a culture of transparency, one which Er reinforced was significant in any organisation. “By sharing relevant information openly and honestly, we can help build trust and ensure that everyone is on the same page regarding organisational policies, procedures and expectations,” she concluded.