Amsted Automotive

Ritu Barkotoky

My current role as Director of People Development at a tier-one automotive supplier enables me to work in some of my favorite areas of Human Resources working directly with the organization’s biggest asset, i.e., people. I lead talent development, acquisition, talent reviews, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs (DEI), performance management and culture initiatives that give me variety to keep myself challenged and find alignment to tie these focus areas to drive organizational and employee success.

Lately, the biggest challenge in this industry has been finding and retaining/engaging the right talent in the right roles. Due to pandemic, there have been shifts in the mindset and work preferences, and employees are open to changing jobs more frequently than before for desired benefits, work culture and several other reasons. Many times, the reason for turnover is not consistent across the organization and it can be difficult to identify a trend to address areas to increase retention through program implementation. Reviewing and analyzing exit interviews, creating focus groups, new hire survey and engagement survey can help further understand what departing/ existing employees want, and new hires need. It can also provide insight into what is working and what is not working or what is out of the organization’s control.

In the company I work at, we have looked at employee engagement through an inclusion lens- how to bring employees together to create a sense of belonging, a feeling of being valued, safe, and supported. Celebrating employees with recognition for a job well done, celebratory luncheons/events, community outreach, volunteer programs, training and development opportunities can go a long way to boost employee morale and increase engagement. Creating the proper communication channels to reach out to all levels of the organization is key in implementing and driving any employee initiative. There are several avenues that can be identified, such as onsite all-employee monthly/quarterly meetings, technology platforms to reach out to remote/global locations, sharing updates, future information, and success. There are employee recognition tools available in HR information systems (HRIS) through which supervisors can provide recognition to their team members and any other project team members.

"In the company I work at, we have looked at employee engagement through inclusion lens- how to bring employees together to create a sense of belonging, feeling of being valued, safe, and supported."

Talent retention is as important as talent acquisition if not more. Otherwise, launching an expensive ATS (Applicant Tracking System) without proper employee retention programs may be inadequate to meet success. There are several effective ATS available in the market nowadays. Even though organizations may put a lot of emphasis on bringing in the best ATS or system, if a plan with sufficient resources to support the launch and post-launch activities is not in place, it will slow down or derail the adoption of the system. The workforce needs to be trained in the correct use of the systems and fundamentals of talent processes to reap the benefits of a sophisticated system.

Training and development play a critical role especially in supervisory positions as they act as the connector between the company and the candidate to share with them the value they can bring to the role as well as what’s in it for them, explaining employee value proposition. In a previous role, I had been able to create a three-tier training program focused on individual contributors, supervisor, and leader development. The ROI for these types of training, even though it may not be directly measured, can still have a positive impact on overall employee productivity, retention, and well-being. Since most organizations have employees at different locations, the use of technology to provide training online or in a hybrid format is an efficient use of time and resources.

We have heard many times that people leave bosses and not organizations. A supervisor who is knowledgeable and comfortable in employee relations, motivation, setting expectations, providing constructive feedback and values employee well-being will aid in meeting overall functional goals through their employees’ success. Most employees come to work to perform well and get meaning out of their job. I believe no one likes to come to work with a mindset that they will try to have a bad day with no productivity at the job. They want to succeed; however, it is up to the organization, HR, teams, and the employee’s direct supervisor to manage expectations and provide development and growth opportunities for the employee to succeed and realize their full potential. Being in HR, we do have the responsibility to bring in the latest knowledge, technology, guidance, and information to the organization so that we can continue to lead and support the organizational growth and development of our employees.