Holden synopsis: There are many upsides to a happier workforce; productivity and motivation are to name a few. Ensuring the happiness and productivity of a workforce during a time of crisis is a difficult challenge for companies, and needs the support of a driven, HR team. Today's podcast discusses leadership skills, conscious decision making and employee motivation with Ashley Winnett- the chief of Human resources for GM Holden Australia. Winnett is widely known for his management skills and capabilities as the executive director of HR for Holden. From shelf stacking at the local supermarket, to winning the 2016 LinkedIn Conscious Business Leadership award, listen to why people call him the Management Maestro. How would you handle a layoff? In 2013, a mass redundancy occurred at Holden which meant that 3000 staff members would lose their jobs. Join Robson and Winnett as they discuss how Holden found positivity in the middle of a crisis. Also listen to how the companies HR team helped employees build resiliency and find new job opportunities after their time with Holden. This episode is perfect for those who want to understand the importance of leadership skills, re-modernising workplace values and HR's role in maintaining the status quo. In this week's podcast listen to:
- What Ashley realised after stacking supermarket shelves, why you need positive thought processes, and getting centred (3:03)
- Managing the 2013 mass redundancies, post-traumatic growth and hitting rock bottom (13:45)
- Maintaining employee motivation, identifying employee fears, and facilitating employee resilience (20:00)
- Creating support networks (24:25)
- The mindset shift (25:30)
- How to keep things new at Holden, diagonal slices and debunking rumours (29:20)
- Flexibility vs. the struggle to maintain connection (33:18)
Credits
Host: Terry Robson
Producer: Charles Hunter
