Insights and best practices for successfully maintaining a fully remote workforce
TransUnion GCC Africa has transformed its recruitment and employee experience programmes to be hosted entirely online in their ongoing commitment to providing a fully remote work environment. Shivani Ramsaroop, HR Manager for the company, presented some of their best practices for training, providing upskilling opportunities, and financial benefits during the 2023 Top Employers Inspire event. As the moderator, I was encouraged to hear that these initiatives equip employees for remote work and prioritise their essential wellbeing. Some of the highlights from the presentation follow to serve as a guide for other companies aspiring to have a 100% fully remote workforce and the full presentation is available here.
Creating a Personalised Work Experience
Transitioning to a completely remote work environment was a logical step in catering to the diverse needs of their workforce. “With multi-generational talent in the workplace, we can no longer take a one size fits all approach. In the world of HR, talent holds the power. Therefore reinventing our employee experience will always be relevant and top of mind,” Shivani explained. Achieving a seamless transition required a comprehensive approach.
To evaluate their progress with creating a personalised work experience, listening and learning metrics are at the forefront of TransUnion GCC Africa’s talent attraction and management process. The organisation regularly conducts engagement surveys and convenes focus groups, complemented by impact and success measurements. Additionally, they have a dedicated business process re-engineering team that works collaboratively across various company functions. The team’s focus is twofold: first, to map out the customer journey, ensuring a seamless experience. Second, they fine-tune the sourcing experience, eliminating waste.
Talent Acquisition & Performance Management
Various virtual tools are used during the talent acquisition process, which helps prepare potential hires for their new, fully virtual environment. Some of the tools used by the HR team at Transunion include:
- AI-enabled digital video screenings,
- Online skills tests,
- Assessment speed interviews, and
- Online psychometric assessments to test candidate aptitude for a virtual environment.
Once someone is hired, a heavy emphasis is placed on the onboarding process. Shivani described why the company made that decision, “Our talent acquisition and HR teams invest a lot of time with our associates up front to help them understand what working in a virtual environment really means.” In addition to working with the HR team, new employees complete virtual onboarding sessions, which offer the considerable advantage of self-paced learning. A package of equipment is also delivered to the employee’s house including a laptop, accessories, and a secure router. The IT team then guides that individual through the setup process.
TransUnion GCC Africa prioritises personalisation in their performance management approach by fostering open one-on-one conversations. Associates are encouraged to voice what matters most to them, benefiting from a continuous feedback loop, one-on-one coaching sessions, and tailored training plans. Shivani mentioned one notable trend, “We’ve seen a rise in requests from our associates to move to another province either temporarily or permanently. We also approve requests to work internationally, on a temporary basis, to allow associates to spend time with their families. All of this is possible because we operate on a premise of trust and measure outputs.”
Learning & Development
Four pillars guide the company’s learning and development initiatives:
- Sponsored education,
- External training,
- Internal training, and
- Leadership programmes.
The organisation takes pride in covering 100% of the costs for degrees and diplomas that align with the needs and aspirations of their associates. To foster a culture of continuous learning and curiosity, Six Sigma training is a mandatory part of the development initiatives. This training program teaches quality management techniques and problem-solving skills. Having all employees complete the program ensures a consistent approach is applied to quality control issues and general day-to-day troubleshooting when employees encounter challenges while working remotely.
Because the company prioritises the wellbeing of its workforce, a dedicated career coach is available to any associates seeking individual coaching, career guidance, and mentoring. Furthermore, employees have access to financial education tools and the ability to access earned but unpaid income in an emergency before the payroll cycle.
Preventing burnout is critical in a fully remote workplace. To address this issue, all employees have access to a wellness guru, rejuvenating yoga sessions, relaxing guided meditation programmes and are granted two wellness days a year in addition to their annual leave allotment.
Employee Engagement
The last key area of the employee journey Shivani addressed was around how to maintain high levels of engagement among a fully remote workforce. Their philosophy, she explained, is to “create moments that matter both online and in-person for our associates.” An employee-led committee spearheads initiatives to ensure that activities are appealing and engaging. They create initiatives that are not work-related and resonate on a personal level, such as volunteering at soup kitchens or with youth development programmes.
The overarching aim is to provide a platform that fosters a sense of enjoyment, social connection, and collaboration. Through a personalised approach to the work environment and outreach activities, TransUnion GCC Africa is dedicated to helping their employees lead fulfilling lives, on and off the clock.
