How HR Can Contribute to Long-Term Business Success

Interview with: Maricel Giorgioni, Chief People Officer, Aspen Medical

“Our entire organisation works towards becoming an employer of choice, not just HR. It all comes back to good leadership, understanding what matters to our people, and being genuine with our approach. Not doing things simply to tick a box,” says Maricel Giorgioni, Chief People Officer, Aspen Medical.

Giorgioni was taking part in a panel discussion at the Marcus Evans HR Summit 2024.

Aspen Medical was named on the 2023 AFR BOSS Best Places to Work List for the third year in a row. What makes you stand out?

What makes Aspen Medical stand out is our people, our purpose, and our culture. We are fortunate to have talented and highly skilled individuals in our team who are committed to our purpose, which is to deliver quality and safe healthcare wherever our customers need us.

We also have a diverse workforce and supportive workplace. The organisation embraces differences and encourages everyone to come to work as their authentic self. We provide meaningful employment opportunities to our team and pathways to career development.

What obstacles did you face on this journey? How did you overcome them?

Healthcare is one of the most challeng-ing and yet purposeful sectors. Like any other sector, creating and maintaining a great workplace culture can be challeng-ing due to rapid change, technological
advancement, and workforce shortage, which results in high stress and burn-out.

It takes an exceptional team effort. We have a genuinely dedicated leadership team, from our CEO to our executives, who all share the same strategic objective. Our entire organisation works towards becoming an employer of choice, not just HR. It all comes back to good leadership, understanding what matters to our people, and being genuine with our approach. Not doing things simply to tick a box.

Our human capital management framework focuses on culture, performance, and compliance, which are the foundation of everything we do in our department. Within that framework, we have identified key strategies for delivering initiatives that matter to our colleagues.

We adapted the motivation drivers from the AFR BOSS survey in our retention strategy, which are purpose, mastery, and autonomy, and added recognition as we felt that this was missing. Our people strategies are all written in a way that is purposeful and deliberate. We listen to our colleagues’ feedback, identify where to improve, and act on them.

Why is the traditional approach to employee compensation and re-wards in need of a change?

The workforce landscape has changed. Tangible and intangible motivating factors are now different. People are looking for a better work-life balance and flexibility at work. Our approach needs to be tailored to what matters to our workforce. It’s all about our people.

We offer benefits and compensation that are meaningful to them. Because of diversity, there is no one-size-fits-all approach.

What makes people feel really valued, appreciated, supported, engaged?

The key is to be genuine with your approach. Take time to understand what matters to your team, acknowledge the areas the organisation needs to im-prove, and be committed to acting on them.

What trends should HR leaders prepare their organisation for? You mentioned the workforce is shrinking.

The workforce shortage is evident in every sector. We must be equipped to reskill our workforce, redesign jobs and utilise technology to increase efficiency. Instead of being rigid and process-driven, we can create a more efficient process where people spend time and effort designing and innovating where they can hone their skills rather than performing administrative tasks.

What role does HR play in achieving long-term retention?

HR has evolved from an administrative role to a strategic function. People are the heart of the business, and HR should focus on how they can be part of the bigger picture, and contribute to strategic discussions and long-term business results.

Find out more about the next HR Summit