HR Reps From Top Companies Share Their Wellness Goals (and Secrets) for Success in 2023
Can we all agree that last year one hell of a year?
From the COVID-19 pandemic and working from home to the Great Resignation and wage inflation, workplaces around the world have shifted in unexpected ways. It’s no secret that HR representatives everywhere had to adapt and come up with creative ways to face these challenges, such as recession proof your employee benefits plan.
That’s why we wanted to take the time to stop and reflect on this crazy year and set our sights on the year ahead. We’ve rounded up all the best HR reps from leading companies worldwide to share their resolutions, tips for work/life balance, and goals in all things wellness and HR.
So without further ado, here are some of the awesome ways that HR reps around the world are planning to take on 2022!
Reinvest in Wellness
Dana Aharon
Global VP HR, Sorbet
It’s no secret that COVID-19 changed the world in many aspects, especially in the workplace. As an HR professional, one of the more powerful changes that I’ve noticed is what employees are looking for in their work environment.
If before the pandemic employees were looking to work for a company where their presence could have a positive impact on the world and people around them, today they are looking for the same, as well as a healthy work-life balance and company culture.
As employers, there are some pitfalls of unlimited paid time off, and we are not only encouraged, but expected to take employees’ personal lives into consideration when trying to build a healthy work environment. We need to take their families, hobbies and personal time into account in order to find the right balance and a way to make it all work. That’s why my New Year’s resolution this year is to incentivize our employees to take time off throughout the year and to fully disconnect when not online.
As the first step in making this goal come true, starting now, Sorbet employees will be able to take one day off at a time without getting it approved by their manager. You can also read our tips for employee retention. We encourage our employees to take the necessary time off to recharge and so if they need to take a mental health day, or a day off for any reason, they have our immediate approval.
It's our responsibility as HR professionals to make sure that we are not burning our employees to the ground. To encourage them to take time and invest it in themselves, their children and their wellbeing. I can confidently assure you, all sides will benefit. :)
Trust and Transparency
Nirit Peled-Muntz
CPO, Hibob
As I look back over the last year, I am reminded of how strong our company culture is, and how it guided us through such a different world of work. Trust and transparency are part of the company’s DNA, and we made sure these principles stood with us through the year.
We trusted our people to work from home (WFH) as they continued to get the job done, and they trusted us to look out for their safety and wellbeing while continuing to work as individuals, as a team, and as a company.
Moving into the new year, trust and transparency will continue to lead our efforts as we gear up for hyper-growth and double the amount of people we have today. We will continue connecting and communicating with our people, really listening and acting upon feedback. For example, we learned from our people surveys that WFH has many pros, but it also has an impact on the work-life balance and sense of belonging. We are going to address that next year with our new hybrid work model that will bring us together face to face a few days per week and allow us to interact as a company. We also have plans to give our people one long weekend at the beginning of each quarter to rest, refresh, and revive their mental health.
As part of our mission, we will evoke a strong sense of belonging to all people through our DEI&B (diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging) initiatives. We will continue to invest and build inclusive leadership teams, as the new year unfolds, and we prepare for what lies ahead, we will lean on our strong company culture to carry us forward.
Take Advantage of Technology
Sigal GillMore
Chief People Officer, Similarweb
One of our biggest challenges for 2022 is designing an HR organization that truly meets the unique and changing needs of our people.
In 2021, we saw COVID transform the way we work, and it forced us to reevaluate what it is we value.
Employees all over the world made it clear that what matters to them most is the freedom to create value within the company, and the flexibility to have a life outside of it.
Still, companies are trying to catch up to where their employees are.
It is clear that today, more than ever, we need to develop a people-centric approach. It is important that we listen to what people want, and find a way to balance it against the conflicting market expectations of efficiency, productivity and profit.
One way we will address this challenge going into 2022, and what I advise other HR leaders to do as well, is to look for technological solutions, and encourage leadership changes, to design solutions for this new world.
We can use technology to solve the problems of productive execution, in a constantly changing virtual working environment. And we must teach our leadership to show empathy, and lead the way in the adoption of new practices, so we can create a workplace that employees thrive in, and are able to do their best work.
Focus on Potential
Moran Barebie
VP of HR, GlassesUSA.com
Until recently, the B2C industry in the Israeli market was considered a "niche"; especially one that was in-house, data-driven, full-service, global and constantly scaling.
When in a state of hyper growth, with limited qualified candidates out there, you have to adjust your search and be creative, not to mention develop a deep understanding of their needs and capabilities.
When we approach a new role in need of recruitment, we start with understanding the actual role and its specific needs. Our in-house recruiting managers also act as HRBP's (Human Resource Business Partners), assisting the departments to grow in the right direction. This is the best way to achieve trust and to establish a coherent, well-infused, cooperative, successful team.
The change of focus from qualifications to potential initially started in the HR team, long before COVID-19, and slowly but surely made its way to the recruiting managers.
When the pandemic hit, we were already recruiting talents based on potential, charisma and passion rather than a "grocery list''.
We can now see that the shift in focus was the best thing we did as a company. We are giving amazing talents an opportunity to grow with us, reach new heights, and fulfil their full potential. By doing so, we were able to grow both lifetime value (LTV) and performance.
My New Year's resolution is to help more unqualified candidates, those without the perfect work experience, but with the passion and potential to learn and grow get a chance to shine their creative and analytical skills so they don't have to live from paycheck to paycheck. There is nothing more gratifying than finding that special gem in a sea of CV’s.
Come Together
Noa Menko,
VP of HR, BLEND
With over 150 employees in eight different cities worldwide, BLEND is truly a global company.
As part of our expansion in the past two years, we opened new offices in Shanghai, Hong Kong, Los Angeles, London, and Atlanta, in addition to our existing offices in Tel Aviv, Kyiv, and Bucharest.
As a localization company, we place special emphasis on cultural and local HR aspects as well as work-life balance expectations.
COVID's "work from home" situation and different time zones make it difficult for us to strengthen a sense of belonging and togetherness among our employees and improve their financial wellness.
Towards 2022 we'd like to have more one-on-one time and make sure to celebrate small and big milestones together, even if we are not together in person. All-hands company meetings will also be given more attention this year, and we hope to bring everyone together at least once in Israel (if possible). We remove cross-border barriers for our customers on a daily basis, so it is only natural that we should do the same for our employees.
Create Bonding Opportunities
Sharon Naller
HR Specialist, Veev
Throughout 2021, we were definitely faced with some HR challenges that we had to overcome. I noticed that many new employees were struggling to make friends outside of their teams. Despite all of the fun activities we arranged, none of them seemed to be creating the real connections we had been hoping they would create. I believe that the lack of connection resulted in a couple of employees resigning, as they just didn’t feel at home.
In addition, I noticed that many employees actually needed a reminder to leave the office at a reasonable hour and to take breaks throughout the day.
In the last few months, I started to spend less money on fancy food and decorations and more money and time on thinking about activities that would better engage our employees and get them more familiar with people outside of their immediate teams.
We’re trying to create opportunities for people to bond, such as: eating lunches together (rather than in front of their laptops), initiating meditation sessions, hosting small, ongoing competitions (between different teams), arranging a heritage day in which the employees could share their family stories with everyone else, and various volunteering opportunities.
These bi-weekly activities are not only helping to create friendships and social relationships between people that didn't have any social connections outside of their organic teams, but it is also giving our employees the necessary time they need to recharge and avoid burnout. My New Year’s resolution going into 2022 is to continue to focus on creating a welcoming work environment by encouraging healthy relationships and bonding between teams.
Learn to Adapt
Yael Goren
VP HR, nsKnox
The main thing that COVID-19 has taught me in my career is that while it’s nice to plan ahead, sometimes, not everything you have planned is going to work out the way you expect it to! Your plans might not always stay relevant, and that’s okay.
I believe that the companies that shone the brightest during this pandemic were the ones that had the ability, and mainly the flexible mindset, to adapt in the face of change.
So, my resolution (and tip) for 2022 is: to create a plan that can fit in various situations and learn to make adjustments as you go. Remember, the plan is just a base for an execution that comes from the actual needs "on the ground" - the employees themselves.
This is especially true in small startups where successful companies are built with your special and individual group of people. They have all the answers, just be intuitive, listen, and adapt accordingly. Here's to a year of PEOPLE. :)
Appreciation and Growth
Dana Barzilay
CHRO, Cyberbit
2021 was a unique year from every perspective. It was a year where we adopted new work habits and hybrid work environments, balancing professional challenges and personal life.
We are facing fierce competition as recruiting efforts are intensifying and encompassing much of our time. Yet, through all of this, we must continue to create a workplace that sets us apart from the rest and attracts new employees.
My resolution for the new year regarding these goals is based on two principals where we will invest more of our resources. First, to touch the hearts of our employees and make them feel that they are seen and heard; that we stand along with them and know what is important to them. To let them know that we respect their desires and their time, and that we see what makes them unique and special.
And second, with this understanding, we will build a work environment and place for our employees where they can grow professionally and personally, have a major impact, and make a difference. Give our employees a chance to play a key role in influencing our product, processes, and the organization as a whole.
Our employees invest so much of themselves in their work and because of this, we are committed to giving back to them, to empowering them, to recognizing their unique needs, and making sure we address them.
Are You Ready for 2022?
Now that you’ve read about all of the amazing wellness initiatives that HR reps have put into place for the upcoming year, it’s your turn!
Think about how you can reinvest in wellness and improve your work-life balance going into the new year.
Need some ideas? Check out The Palate for tons of employee wellness inspiration.
Wishing you a happy and sweet New Year from all of us at Sorbet!