MAY - 2023HR TECH OUTLOOK9employees, people who already know their colleagues and our culture well. For newer employees, particularly the hundreds who joined us during the pandemic, it has been a challenge to connect with our mission, with managers and with colleagues, some of whom they are only now meeting in person. How are we addressing that? To start, by requesting and ­ importantly -- acting on their feedback. We've already stated to invest more in our onboarding process, especially the technology side of it to reflect this new landscape. Our office. A place to collaborate ­ and define limitsAs we adapt to this new environment, we're also encouraging everyone to come back to the office some of the time. To be active participants in our culture, employees need to experience it ­ to interact with one another and leverage each other's unique talents ­ physically. Only through in person interaction can we really foster the right culture.No one size fits all. For instance, at Swiss Re, from our colleagues in Asia, we've learned it's uncommon to have dedicated working space at home, so they like coming into the office. This holds true across job roles and generations. That's why we leave it to country managers to find the best local solutions with their teams. There may be more remote working in our digital and tech teams, where many employees are asking, "Can I work from anywhere?"As liberating as flexible working has been in some respects, it has also pushed the limits of employees' well-being and work-life balance. One client put it like this: "You've got to have separation. During the heights of the pandemic, it was 24/7". Over the past two years, many people also missed the structure and clarity of getting up in the morning and going to the office every day, then saying, "My workday is over ­ I'm going home now" -- and in fact departing for home. Waiting for talent isn't an optionAnother thing we have done recently at Swiss Re is to take a long-term view on our Talent Acquisition approach. And we are strengthening it further. This is why we `ve appointed a talent acquisition leader. That person's job is to wake up thinking, "Competition for talent is fierce. How will we beat the competition?" and how do we lead our strategic people planning so that Swiss Re has the capabilities we need not only today, but in three, five and ten years? Waiting for the best people to seek us out is no longer enough. As employers, we must provide the best future working models for our employees. That's the purpose of my ongoing collaboration with World Economic Forum (WEF), where the "Good Work Alliance" has brought diverse employers together to discuss how our working models pay tribute to a changing economy and the ever-changing working preferences of different cultures, generations, and personalities. Inclusiveness is critical.As employers, our agility and flexibility will help to set us apart. But ultimately, it's a sense of purpose that will ensure our employees remain committed to our mission -- from whatever location it is they are working from. To be active participants in our culture, employees need to physically experience it ­ to interact with one another and leverage each other's unique talents. Only through in-person interaction can we really foster the right culture
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