Award for innovative HR projects in Switzerland launched - submission deadline now open

The transformation from an employer market to a candidate market, new platforms, the way new employees are recruited and retained, or the prevailing shortage of skilled workers are all challenging Swiss companies and their HR departments. This also includes new technologies such as artificial intelligence, chatbots or augmented reality. In order to survive in this fast-moving environment, organizations must constantly realign themselves and at the same time integrate innovation, creativity and the courage to do the unusual into everyday HR.

Recognize forward-looking HR projects

Against this backdrop, HR experts from Deloitte Switzerland, SAP Switzerland, NZZ and the University of St. Gallen, are launching an award for innovative HR projects and initiatives in Switzerland. Its primary goal: to identify and spotlight individuals and teams who are pioneering new and creative HR projects, and to promote exchange among HR professionals. The means to this end: the inHR Awards ("innovative HR"), which will be presented once a year in the future for outstanding HR achievements. "With the inHR award, we want to give a face to the working world of tomorrow and, above all, a platform to the creative and innovative people who are doing pioneering work in the HR sector. Because there are many of them! But this requires a new definition of what it means to shape the future of work. Some, but not all, companies are already addressing the challenges and opportunities that the working world of tomorrow holds. It is important to recognize these forward-looking initiatives in this context," says Matthias Thalmann, Partner in Human Capital Consulting, Deloitte Switzerland. And Enrico Palumbo, HR Director and Member of the Executive Board, SAP (Switzerland) AG, adds: "The current developments are exciting and challenging: digitization is not only changing business models and processes, but is also having an impact on how we understand leadership and what employees expect from talent management. Those who make a difference here with fresh ideas and new approaches deserve to be in the spotlight."

Three categories

The inHR awards are presented in three categories:

• Talent, Diversity & Inclusion honors ideas, measures and projects for future-oriented talent management,
• New work distinguishes practices, processes, and programs that reshape work, the work environment, and collaboration,
• HR (R)Evolution distinguishes approaches and initiatives that expand and redefine the role and self-image of human resources.

Prof. Dr. Antoinette Weibel, Director at the Research Institute for Work and Working Environments, University of St. Gallen expresses the following about the motives of the new award: "We want to honor the everyday HR heroes. HR teams that have the courage to push open the door to the future of work. Whether they are driving inclusion, supporting agile working or cutting the old braids of an industrialized HR programmatic. Above all, we are looking for HR teams that boldly rethink HR management, because we are convinced that Resourceful Humans need the right framework to flourish."

Expert knowledge from consulting, technology, research and communication

A jury judges the projects entered according to four criteria. In addition to the degree of innovation of a submitted project, its benefits for the organization and its relevance for wider circles are assessed on the one hand, and its concrete implementation and accompanying accompanying measures on the other. The description and presentation of the entered project form the fourth criterion. The jury consists of the circle of initiators. Thus, expert knowledge from consulting, technology, research and communication is represented in the jury. Petra Feigl-Fässler, Head of HR and Member of the Executive Board, NZZ Media Group: "We need confident HR teams that use innovative and effective approaches to help shape the working environment in their companies in such a way that employees and organizations face change positively, meet requirements and can develop their full potential. The inHR award will recognize these teams while providing a platform for other HR teams to learn and develop ideas."

Application deadline until July 31, 2018 - Award ceremony in October

HR projects from companies and organizations based in Switzerland are eligible for the competition. The application period runs from now until July 31, 2018. Application forms and further information about the inHR award are available at www.inhraward.ch. The inHR awards ceremony will take place on October 25, 2018 in Zurich. In addition to the award ceremony, the event will focus on networking among guests and learning from each other. The prizes awaiting the winning teams are also in this spirit. In addition to a joint impulse day for exchanges with topic experts, each winning team will receive a customized design thinking workshop to discuss organization-specific challenges and issues.

Source: Deloitte