In Conversation: Prioritising Training, Coaching and a Flexibility Mindset to Help Retain Workers

“I think the one thing where HR, or people in culture, has immensely evolved over the last years and has become more strategic is in mastering people insights, and through data by getting qualitative data in a much more organised fashion,” says Claire Hoang Sperandio, ICRC‘s deputy Director of Human Resources. “The ability to really truly listen to people’s feedback, I think that’s the key to diversity, equity, and inclusion.”

Considering things shift so fast, listening allows us to understand what is going on and move at the pace of things. Leaders today have to manage the pace of change.

“And you can only really understand that change and adapt to it, by listening to the various signals that you get internally and externally,” adds Claire Hoang Sperandio. Compassionate Leadership, or leadership that is inclusive and compassionate, is one of the significant advances in leadership. 

Cynthia Hansen, Managing Director of the Innovation Foundation, questions whether the humanitarian sector does that better or differently than, for example, the banking sector or more traditional business sectors,

“I think there’s not a lot of difference between people in whatever sector and the triggers of what is important to people and what inspires people is universal. I don’t think we listen to the same things in the private sector,” Claire said. In the private sector, for-profit sector, we listen to shareholders, we listen to clients, we listen to those who have made an investment and who want their return on investments. So they want to profit.

“The people that we listen to in nonprofit, and in my case in humanitarian work, are what we call the people in need the victims of armed conflict. We listen to our donors who give for people, but the drive is people. So I think the big difference between the two is between the two sectors is that we don’t listen, we listen maybe a bit more to cost and profit in one and a bit more on the people's side. Although there’s always a cost component in humanitarian work. And obviously, there’s a people component in the private sector. So there’s, there’s really no black and whites,” Claire continues. 

Helping employees to become successful in their work by prioritising training, coaching, and a flexibility mindset

“What’s interesting to know is what can you do to make sure that people are going to be successful in their jobs,” adds Cynthia. “As you look at people who are coming into the ICRC from other sectors, at what point do you make the call of whether they will succeed, or if it’s time to coach that person towards something else?” 

“There’s an enormous amount of training that is delivered at the ICRC for people to really get into what is the work that we do,” Claire explains. “So it starts with a 10 day induction training that we do in one of our five regions. And, you know, we do simulations where we talk with the military with non stem our groups, where we negotiate situation of abduction, and on the training side, for example, we have a very thorough leadership program that leads to a master’s in humanitarian leadership that we have developed.” We do a lot in terms of coaching as well. “So, we have a network of coaches, pro bono coaches, that other organisations, dedicated to us, and we thank them for their generosity. And then there are the informal actions, say whenever I speak to someone who is asking for advice on how to move from one to the other.”

Claire’s advice is to not try to copy and paste practices because every company has a different culture. “You should tap into the principles that you have, that you have accumulated, that you’ve learned, which are usually very relevant, while adapting to listening to what is going on what is the context and the solution to that very context.” One thing that is really common to everyone is passion. “I think if you have this passion, whatever is your style, I think you’ll connect,” adds Claire. 

Cynthia asks whether we could look at just one thing and make a suggestion for all employers across government, business, civil society, academia could do to change the way they more successfully attract, develop, retain talent. “What would that be?”

“It would be flexibility. Flexibility is really the pattern that we’re seeing. The need for flexibility from staff, from candidates, is so clear,” answers Claire. “And I think obviously, with COVID, this has just heightened the expectations for flexibility in terms of remote working, but flexibility goes way beyond remote working.” This is the now, and the future, is how flexible an employer can be, according to Claire. What sort of flexibility does each of your individuals need? Because it’s different for each person. “Your need for flexibility will differ from my need. Listening to understand a person’s flexibility needs is key.”