As a result, not only do customers prefer to do business with Scotiabank, but the company鈥檚 own employees see Scotiabank as an employer of choice too, according to Barb Mason, group head and chief human resources officer at Scotiabank.

Empowering Employees with Better Learning Experiences

Should employers hire candidates with a strong desire to learn, or try to nurture this quality in all its employees? According to Mason, it鈥檚 a bit of both. Too often, employees aren鈥檛 afforded the opportunity to learn on the job and grow their skill set 鈥� especially women and people of color.

鈥淔or us, it is all about ensuring that we have systemically equitable processes in the bank to allow everyone to have the same opportunities and understand what they need to do to be able to get these opportunities,鈥� Mason said.

Scotiabank embraces equitable hiring processes that set a standard for equity for the rest of the employee life cycle. This begins with diverse interview teams who strive to ask unbiased interview questions and follow other best practices for inclusive recruitment.

From the start, Scotiabank lets its employees know it is dedicated to providing next-level learning and skill-building experiences. Throughout the recruitment and interview process, HR leaders open the door to a world of on-the-job learning for candidates. With a modern learning experience similar to employees鈥� favorite video streaming services, Scotiabank鈥檚 workforce can tap into on-demand learning and training built on Blend by TalenTeam powered by聽.

Creating the Highest Performing Workforce to Date

Mason knows that learning doesn鈥檛 do any employees 鈥� or the business 鈥� any good if people don鈥檛 know how to access learning resources. In addition to making these resources readily available to employees as part of the company鈥檚 next-generation HR experience, Scotiabank also readily provides opportunities for experiential learning for directors and above.

During hypothetical scenarios, employees have the chance to tackle new tasks set at a level above their current role at Scotiabank. For instance, a mid-level bank officer may have to resolve a simulated customer challenge that is usually handled by a senior officer. Employees get to learn new skills on the fly, and the company gets to see employees鈥� aptitude for performing in a new role. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not a pass or fail,鈥� said Mason. 鈥淚t鈥檚 an experience.鈥�

Meanwhile, the Scotia Inspire program, enabled by聽, empowers women in senior positions to participate in mentoring and sponsorship for the next level of women at Scotiabank. This begins at the very top, with women in the executive suite enabling leaders to mentor women in every other role across the business.

鈥淲e now have the highest caliber performance of women that we鈥檝e ever had in the history of the organization, and I don鈥檛 see that ever changing,鈥� said Mason.

To learn more,聽聽in an episode of Forward with Adam Grant.

Carolyn Judge Phillip is vice president of Corporate Marketing for 51风流SuccessFactors.

Just ask TELUS, a leading communications and information technology company with $16 billion in annual revenue and 15.2 million customer connections spanning wireless, data, IP, voice, television, entertainment, video and security, healthcare, and agriculture. TELUS connects people to what matters most to improve lives and build a better future 鈥� and it starts with supporting and enabling its employees.

TELUS鈥� employees have long depended on the company鈥檚 technology, devices, and services to work from home 鈥� well before remote work became all the rage. Since 2006, TELUS鈥� employees have enjoyed flexible work arrangements, with approximately 75% of its Canadian workforce spending a portion of time working remotely.

In response to the global health pandemic, 95% of TELUS employees work from home, including 99% of domestic call center employees. As a result, the company has achieved higher levels of workplace satisfaction and productivity, as employees are empowered to find new ways to fit work into their evolving lives.

Just as TELUS was ahead of its time with its flexible work styles, the company is proving to be a pioneer in supporting employee well-being.

According to Sandy McIntosh, TELUS鈥� executive vice president, People and Culture, and chief human resources officer, 鈥渨ithout a robust people strategy, you won鈥檛 have a business that will thrive or succeed.鈥�

Under McIntosh鈥檚 leadership, well-being has become an ongoing cultural commitment and business imperative. TELUS has developed a strategy that recognizes the whole person and includes five interlocking dimensions that align with emerging industry best practices from the National Standard for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace, the Mental Health Commission of Canada, and the World Health Organization:

1. Physical: The company offers physical fitness and well-being centers, as well as virtual fitness classes and apps, virtual care solutions, nutritional counseling, health coaching, and more. TELUS also hosts biannual well-being challenges for employees and household family members to promote healthy habits.
2. Psychological: TELUS understands its employees are all somewhere on the well-being continuum and that each person鈥檚 situation is dynamic. The company offers industry-leading benefits coverage for mental health support and 24/7 support to mental health counselors and therapists through its Employee and Family Assistance Program and virtual care. In 2020, TELUS launched custom mental health training for leaders and over 90% have completed it. In May 2021, the company extended the reach by introducing similar training to all employees.
3. Social: TELUS creates opportunities to connect employees at work, home, and in the community through initiatives like TELUS Days of Giving, as well as supportive resources, collaboration tools, and employee resource groups that offer mentoring, networking, peer support, volunteering, and coaching.
4. Environmental:聽TELUS helps employees maintain healthy workspaces at home and in offices. In fact, TELUS is reimagining its offices for the future of work with work styles and well-being top of mind, offering a mix of private and collaborative spaces to support whitespace and brainstorming.
5. Financial: TELUS supports all aspects of its employees鈥� financial well-being, offering competitive salaries and benefits and financial literacy resources, including a financial well-being hub where employees can find tools to help them reach their financial and life goals.

鈥淥ur job as leaders is to come at well-being from all five dimensions because well-being is not just mental and it’s not just physical,鈥� said McIntosh. 鈥淟eaders have a responsibility to make sure that employees understand their financial situation, that the environment is appropriate, and their social connections are healthy. If you understand all of that and keep pressing the gas on all levers, you create a magical place where people want to be,鈥� McIntosh explained.

For TELUS, it鈥檚 deeper than providing technology and tools. The company is working to create a common language, build leadership competencies and practices, and use data insights to shift mindsets and behaviors.

聽provides TELUS with the technology to create a company culture dedicated to flexible work that in turn supports employee well-being. With cloud-based tools, employees can tap into engaging, individualized experiences. The company knows that a better employee experience will empower the workforce to provide better experiences to customers.

Very rarely does a superior or business leader say an employee must give up the things they love. But McIntosh says that employees often feel this way, especially after they have been promoted or move into a new role. Employees who quit a beloved hobby or stop exercising because they feel they don鈥檛 have the time may soon see the rest of their lives 鈥� including their performance at work 鈥� begin to free-fall.

鈥淣obody explicitly says to you, 鈥楽top doing these things,鈥欌�� said McIntosh. 鈥淏ut also, unfortunately, nobody explicitly says to you, 鈥楰eep doing these things.鈥� We have to, as leaders, overtly come out and say, 鈥業s your self-care in check?鈥欌��

Making Good on a Commitment to Employee Well-Being

At TELUS, team member well-being initiatives aren鈥檛 designed to simply make the company look good. Rather, they exist to make employees feel good and perform at their best.

鈥淲e鈥檙e really focused on helping leaders understand we don’t mean fluffy stuff,鈥� said McIntosh. 鈥淲e don’t mean every Friday we’re having a pizza party. We mean that you understand that you’re leading other human beings.鈥�

Take, for example, one TELUS benefit that provides employees, including their dependents, with up to CAD5,000 per year to spend on psychologists, psychotherapists, and social workers 鈥� a benefit unmatched by its peers. TELUS also enables its team members to connect with registered mental health clinicians through a range of virtual care solutions and provides a free, unlimited subscription to the leading mental fitness app Calm.

鈥淗uman beings are complex, and we need to look at all five dimensions and put all of these ingredients together,鈥� said McIntosh.

To learn more,聽聽in an episode of Forward with Adam Grant.

Carolyn Judge Phillip is VP of Corporate Marketing for 51风流SuccessFactors.

The last two years have required us all to make big changes to the way we do everything, especially how we work. Amid all the uncertainty, one thing is clear: after where we鈥檝e been, we have to look Forward and change work for good.

That鈥檚 why we鈥檙e working with another incredible host, Adam Grant. As his generation鈥檚 leading organizational psychologist and the host of , Grant is ideally suited to help our listeners find inspiration and glean best practices from the companies that are thriving in the new normal.

Conversations You Won鈥檛 Hear Anywhere Else

In the eight episodes of Forward, we give you the chance to learn how leading companies are grappling with trending issues.

In the launch episode, Thurston talks to Chandra Sanders, program director of RISE at The Mom Project, an online community that provides career resources for female professionals. There has never been a better 鈥渏ob description鈥� of what it takes to be a mom and what that means for the companies that hire them.

Thurston also talks to Grace Zuncic, chief people and culture officer at Chobani, which has taken a pioneering stance on the most difficult issues impacting employee wellness. Says Zuncic: 鈥淲e started to implement some programs, do things differently, and take a new mindset to how we approached mental health, various inequities, and long-term policies.鈥�

In the follow-on episodes, Grant will explore an important truth: the way organizations approach their people and the experiences they have at work ultimately impacts the bottom line.

In conversation with Sandy McIntosh, executive vice president, people and culture and chief human resources officer at TELUS, Grant will explore how leading with flexibility and compassion supports well-being. One takeaway: sometimes the way to get the best results is to acknowledge that you don鈥檛 have all the answers.

You鈥檒l hear Jen Fisher, chief well-being officer at Deloitte US, declare to Grant that it鈥檚 possible to beat burnout at scale. Fisher also talks about how it was her own experience beating burnout that not only lead her to this discovery but also to the job she has now.

Grant talks to Amanda Rajkumar, executive board member, Global Human Resources, People, and Culture, at adidas, about a topic that鈥檚 especially relevant now: what it takes to have difficult conversations to drive real, meaningful change about diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Finally, Grant and Barb Mason, group head and chief human resources officer at Scotiabank, discuss how a new approach to learning and development might lead to long-term success in diversity, equity, and inclusion.

We are privileged to partner with these leaders on helping to make work better for all. We are inspired every day by the work they do. We thank our customers for sharing their strategies and stories in the episodes of Forward.

Catch every episode of the 51风流original series
Forward at .

Carolyn Judge Phillip is vice president of Corporate Marketing for 51风流SuccessFactors.

How are these parents being welcomed back and supported during a time when they are managing great change in both their personal and professional lives?

Here are the stories of two women who work for large, international companies. In describing their personal experiences of returning to work after maternity leave, they show how other employers and managers can best support their people in similar situations.

Rebecca knew that 2020 would include major life changes. She had accepted a new role at her tech company and was expecting her second child in March. But like with everything else in 2020, things didn鈥檛 go as planned. Her baby arrived six weeks early and stayed in the neonatal intensive care unit for weeks. Then, a few days after her baby was released from the hospital, the world shut down for the pandemic.

Her husband still went to his job each day as an essential worker while she faced the demands of a toddler and newborn at home. In addition, given the global economic slowdown, she was anxious about her job security while she was on leave. 鈥淚t was really scary,鈥� she said. 鈥淢y face and my name were not in the mix.鈥�

Employees returning to work after a major life event are at risk of burnout, a loss in productivity, or leaving the workforce. But new parents who are returning to the workforce during a pandemic were, and still are, in particularly uncharted territory. One of the most important things HR leaders can do is listen and seek to understand these parents as they return to work 鈥� whether it鈥檚 from home or the office.

鈥淢y manager at the time was always reassuring me that I needed to focus on my family,鈥� she said. 鈥淗er constant reassurance was really helpful.鈥�

It鈥檚 critical that organizations have visibility into the changing needs of all employees as they adjust to new ways of working. Listening to employee concerns and getting insights into their well-being means you can improve the employee experience, a critical part of business continuity.

For managers to lead people effectively today, they need more insights about employees, says Christine Andrukonis, the founder of Notion Consulting and an expert in helping leaders change behavior.

鈥淚 like to say that 50% of the work is about the work itself and 50% of the work is about the people and what鈥檚 happening behind-the-scenes for the people involved in the work,鈥� she explained to . 鈥淎nd leaders have to have that mindset. Until they can appreciate that half of this success relies on the human beings and what鈥檚 going on with them, it鈥檚 going to be really hard to optimize everything at 100%.鈥�

Managers in particular can do more to provide resources and support. Here are four ways to start.

Set Expectations and Manage Communication

With childcare availability and schools in flux, many new parents are also in a critical phase of bonding with their newborns.

After Rebecca returned to work, she said one of the biggest challenges was the sustained level of expectation to deliver. For example, despite the company鈥檚 generous offer of an extended 10 days of paid time off, she said she couldn鈥檛 take PTO days in light of her growing workload.

鈥淲hen the pandemic first hit, I didn’t feel any reset of expectations. Part of this is potentially just on me and my work ethic,鈥� she said. 鈥淵ou can offer all the time off in the world, but if the expectations on delivery don’t change, I can’t use that time.鈥�

While paid time off and flexible leave policies are incredibly important, employees need ongoing discussions with managers to make the most of those offerings. Otherwise, company-wide e-mail communication and brochures do little to help new parents.

鈥淢anagement conversations are really important, because those are the ones that feel real,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hey’re tangible to you as an employee.鈥�

To provide companies with tools to help ensure employees have the emotional and mental health support to navigate constant change, Thrive Global and 51风流published the guide, 鈥�.鈥� Managers and leaders can learn about improving their communication, expectation setting, and workload management for all workforces 鈥� including remote, on-site, and hybrid.

Support Caretakers and New Moms in Career Transitions

After Michele, a marketing and event planning executive, returned to work in the summer, she had to recalibrate her skills when conferences turned into virtual events. She received a major first assignment upon her return.

鈥淭he good news is that I love the fact that they trusted me,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he bad news is that babies are quite demanding.鈥�

Since giving birth to her second child in early March, Michele was juggling breastfeeding a newborn as she worked remotely. While her company offered a one-month transition period through part-time hours, her workload wasn鈥檛 commensurate with a part-time schedule.

鈥淭hat benefit is great, but the truth is I was working full-time,鈥� she said, adding that she often took early calls with colleagues in Europe while also communicating with her local team.

Managers should have conversations to evaluate if and how they can ease employees back into the workforce to ensure a manageable workload. Many high performers don鈥檛 want to turn down a career-advancing opportunity, but managers can do their part to help set boundaries toward longer-term goals. For example, they can assign high-visibility opportunities in a later phase of post-leave return, so boundaries don鈥檛 limit employees鈥� careers.

To make sure caretakers have more opportunities in the workplace, many companies are trying to identify learning and development opportunities that challenge the employee, allowing them to gain new skills and grow.

Sustain Personal Mental and Physical Health

In typical times, caring for a newborn can be an isolating experience. With social distancing measures in place, many feel grief and frustration that they can鈥檛 share this milestone with others. Michele said that having her second baby during this health crisis highlighted this void.

鈥淭hey say it takes a village to raise a child,鈥� she said. 鈥淲hat鈥檚 different today is everybody is scared. I don’t expect anyone to come and bring me a lasagna just because I gave birth. But at the same time, I don鈥檛 have the same social interactions compared to what I had with my first.鈥�

Some psychologists are concerned that , which can begin anytime within the first year after birth. According to the , before the pandemic about 10% of pregnant women and 13% of women who had just given birth experienced a mental health disorder, primarily depression. Companies can support these employees by offering resources that allow them to seek help, including virtual appointments for addressing physical and mental health.

Many employees can benefit from professional or virtual coaching for stress management, emotional support, and actionable guidance. And, especially for new parents, employers should provide clear communication about these benefits.

In addition, . can help employees create a manageable budget and pay down debt. With less to worry about when it comes to personal finances, employees have the opportunity to be at their best and most productive.

Advance Learning and Career Development Initiatives

For many new parents, returning to the workplace can remind them of their first day in the office as they face new people and ways of working. Employers can help provide a smoother transition through mentorship platforms and introductions to key team members.

And it鈥檚 important that . 鈥淯p is not the only way to grow in one鈥檚 career,鈥� Terrence Seamon, an executive career transition consultant at The Ayers Group, .

Mentors can share learning programs to help guide their mentees, and employers can support frequent dialogue and feedback. A can provide smart recommendations for people on whom to connect with to help them develop.

Through a , employees can create a plan to help tackle issues specific to them, whether it鈥檚 returning to work after having a baby or getting up to speed on any changes that occurred in their particular area of work. Some s deliver an immersive learning experience to help employees achieve their goals.

Support and Understand Employees

During any challenge, people must be the priority for businesses. But generous benefits for new parents could make little impact on employees if companies and managers aren鈥檛 listening as well. As Rebecca put it, in her return to work she 鈥渁ctually felt really supported but not understood.鈥� It鈥檚 important that your people know that, in the face of uncertainty, they will remain the backbone of business continuity.

鈥淚f you鈥檙e going to offer a benefit from a corporate level, you need to ensure that a manager can truly work with a team to let them take advantage of those benefits,鈥� Michele said. 鈥淵ou know, walk the talk.鈥�

For new parents, recognition can go a long way. 鈥淚f they know that you are going the extra mile,鈥� Michele said, 鈥渏ust send a quick email saying, 鈥榃e see what you’re going through, and we appreciate you.鈥欌��

to offer support to working parents when they need it most so they can get back to best and experience wins in their personal and professional lives.

Carolyn Judge Phillip is vice president of Corporate Marketing for 51风流SuccessFactors.

During this one-day virtual event, attendees will learn how putting employees and their experiences first leads to better business results. Creating great employee experiences means helping people do and be their best. It means offering better training, education, resources, and tools, combined with a new focus on their health and well-being and recommitting to diversity, equity, and inclusion. In the end, this means an organization is also doing and being its best.

Attendees will explore the ways human experience management (HXM) solutions from 51风流can help HR professionals, business leaders, and everyday employees to experience wins by reimagining the user experience, upskilling and reskilling the workforce, and shifting the workplace paradigm.

Event highlights include Viola Davis, who will join as a keynote speaker and share her historic career, the future of women and minorities in Hollywood and beyond, and what it takes to live and work with purpose, along with guest speaker , the best-selling author of several books about business, work, creativity, and behavior, including When, A Whole New Mind, Drive, and To Sell is Human. Pink was named the sixth most influential management thinker in the world by the London-based Thinkers 50 and has been a contributing editor at Fast Company and WIRED.

51风流SuccessFactors customers from around the world will share stories of agility, resilience, and putting people at the center of business. Participants will include Kathleen Hogan, chief people officer and executive vice president, Human Resources, Microsoft; Mar铆a Jos茅 Villanueva, chief human resources officer, Mariposa Corporation; Jamie Mackenzie, HR Process, Data and Technology Leader, Cargill, Inc.

During the main keynote, leaders from 51风流SuccessFactors will share the latest product innovations driving the brand鈥檚 bold vision centered on . There will also be insightful customer stories and leadership-focused segments to discuss HR professionals鈥� most pressing challenges.

鈥淏usiness has changed significantly in the year since we announced human experience management, but employee experience is more relevant and important than ever,鈥� said 51风流SuccessFactors President Jill Popelka. 鈥淔rom pivoting entire supply chains to retraining employees, the thread that makes organizations successful is that they continue to put their people ahead of everything. 51风流SuccessFactors HXM solutions enable HR leaders to build resilient organizations that keep employees agile, productive, and supported 鈥� especially in times of change.鈥�

Following the keynote, attendees can dive into breakout sessions featuring road maps, demos, hands-on labs, customer panels, meet the product experts, and customer roundtables. Sessions will be organized across four tracks:

• Adapting Talent Needs During Times of Change and Beyond
• Managing and Paying Your Workforce with Agility
• How 51风流SuccessFactors Technology Supports HXM
• Thought Leadership and Industry Trends

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For more information, visit the and follow the event hashtag #SuccessConnect.

Carolyn Judge Phillip is vice president of Corporate Marketing for 51风流SuccessFactors.

He will share lessons of leadership during crisis, the importance of empathy and compassion, the value of unleashing people鈥檚 talent, and using their potential to help others.

An immigrant from Spain to the U.S., Andre虂s is a world-renowned chef. He helped popularize tapas in the U.S. with more than 30 restaurants that span from fine dining to food halls. His business leadership has demonstrated how a culture of innovation and creativity not only leads to personal and organizational success, but to a better tomorrow for society. In 2010, he founded World Central Kitchen, a non-profit organization that provides innovative solutions to end hunger and poverty.

Currently, WCK is working in more than a hundred cities across the globe to provide during the COVID-19 pandemic 鈥� delivering more than 10 million meals to date 鈥� while partnering with local restaurants to help some of the hardest hit employees and businesses. Andre虂s will discuss his experience during this crisis and why 鈥�.鈥�

is a one-day global digital experience that will take place on June 17, 2020. Human resources (HR) and business professionals can tune in to hear from thought leaders on how they are navigating these unprecedented times, discover the latest innovations in human experience management (HXM), and share best practices.

The main broadcast will be hosted by , founder and CEO of and in-arena host of the . , economist and best-selling author, will also join the event to discuss what to expect in a post-pandemic world. Following the broadcast, there will be four breakout sessions, including Andre虂s鈥� broadcast.

鈥淭he last few months have been full of change for all of us, and it has been inspiring to see HR leaders come together and take charge of change,鈥� 51风流SuccessFactors President Jill Popelka said. 鈥淭here are two things that have proven constant across diverse industries and regions: innovation within HR is thriving, and human connection continues to be a top priority.鈥�

The will take a place on June 17, followed by four breakout sessions:

• Compassion in the Face of Change, Featuring Jose虂 Andre虂s ()
• Realign Resources During This Time of Change and Beyond ()
• Power Business Continuity in the New Normal ()
• Reskill Your Workforce to Adapt to Rapidly Changing Priorities ()

Watch and follow the event hashtags #SAPPHIRENOW and #SuccessConnect.

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Carolyn Judge Phillip is vice president of corporate marketing, 51风流SuccessFactors.