HRCCCS 2023 Event Agenda

Vote of Thanks: Ms. Karen Piper Housekeeping and Announcements

A Welcome and Networking”, a fun, interactive and engaging session to kick off our conference. Meet new colleagues and reconnect with others who you have met at past CARILEC conferences. This is a session you don’t want to miss!

Theme Synopsis: Adopting a people-centric approach towards organizational development requires that leaders consider how employees would like to work and what inspires them to do their work well. A people-centric approach brings growth, learning and a sense of purpose to the employee experience. It is with this commitment to providing a nurturing and safe environment for employees, thus permitting them to flourish professionally and personally; that organizations can reap several benefits. These include high employee retention, increased employee motivation and productivity, greater commitment to organizational objectives and ultimately higher levels of organizational performance. Achieving a people-centric culture is a continuous process that requires regular and effective communication between leaders, human resources management (HRM), and employees, who in turn channel their outputs to enrich the overall customer experience. Therefore, Corporate Communications, Customer Service, and HRM are all critical dimensions in this approach, with each department playing an integral role in the success of a people-centric organisation. HRM policies and procedures heavily impact employee morale and engagement, which critically influences the customer experience. Likewise, corporate communications informs of the organisation’s identity and culture both internally and externally. The messages transmitted to both audiences can significantly influence employee and customer behaviours. Against this backdrop of achieving a modern and nurturing organisation, CARILEC presents this year’s conference theme: “Putting People at the Center: Compassionate Approaches to HRM, Customer Care & Corporate Communications”, for further discussion, analysis, and exploration.

Dr. Cletus Bertin, Executive Director, CARILEC (Moderator)

Corine La Font, Communications Specialist/Consultant, La Font and Associates

Heidi Skerrit, Training & Development Officer, Antigua Public Utilities Authority (APUA)

Annabelle Brasnell, Corporate Communications Manager, Trinidad & Tobago Electricity Commission (T&TEC)

Paul Moses, Commercial Manager, Dominica Electricity Services Ltd (DOMLEC)

This presentation aims to promote a greater understanding of change by exploring how employees react to organisational changes by examining change and adaptation theories. Communicating change using participatory approaches by focusing on the employees as key stakeholders has been found to be useful in implementing change communications strategies. Moreover, best practices to developing an internal communications strategy confirms using digital media and tools for evaluation and monitoring.

Human Resource Management has evolved into a well-defined field of practice. With 95% of the Fortune 200 having a Chief HR Officer and many boards, an HR sub-committee, there is a clear trend toward ensuring that HR fulfils its crucial mandate of aligning the core HR practices (and the people) to the strategic direction of the business. – effectively putting people at the center. Nevertheless, HR is no longer only about people; it goes to the very core of the organisation by ensuring protection through compliance, connection through engagement and profitability through production. However, unlike finance/accounting or HSE1 , periodic audits seem a rarity for HR, possibly because a globally accepted taxonomy is yet to be defined. Although some organisations conduct internal audits, these are executed mainly by non-HR professionals. Predictably, HR compliance, best practice, functional and strategic audits will become an increasing requirement for the C-Suite and board rooms as companies seek to fortify operations in the face of changing technology and customer behaviour and demand. During this session, we will examine the case for HR audits, including risks and rewards. Examples will focus on recruitment and selection, succession and training and development.

The pandemic threw many companies in a loop. Some are still spinning their wheels trying to figure out how to transition into remote work or flexible work to meet the 21st century and beyond demands while others are determined to not adapt. You know what happens to those who don’t adapt? Transitioning and creating a healthy space for the 21st century employee requires a mindset that’s open to change – change in leadership; change in processes systems, policies as well as expectations and results. How will HR adapt?, How will Corporate Communications adapt?, How will Customer service adapt?

Arthur Lok Jack, Global School of Business Workshop: Sustainability Through Conscious Leadership

Year over year, when HCM professionals are asked which strategy is most important to business success, the number one response is business strategy. It not surprising that the best performing organizations are prioritizing talent decisions and actions above all others to emerge as winners. Key strategies such as Alignment with Business Goals, linking to other Talent Management processes, Promoting a Performance Management culture and Implementing a Quality Assurance for measuring Human Capital Competences provide the foundation to manage strategic talent management practices. The focal point should be adjusted to putting the most important resource at center of strategic design and execution. Talent is your greatest asset and differentiator and is no longer lip service.

This session is not just one to inform, but also to bring the Caribbean Utilities closer together to create synergies and best practices throughout the region. There is no doubt a shift in the industry towards energy transition, more sector resilience, smart grid integration and inter-connection. Therefore, the time is now to ensure we are all prepared to take the journey together.

Learn how to use a free, quick, and easy personality assessment tool to work more effectively with others with similar styles and those with styles you find more challenging. Discover your preferred way of working with others and how others may prefer for you to work with them in different ways. Leave the session with strategies to build stronger teams while increasing employee engagement and productivity. Learning Outcomes

• Build stronger relationships and teams by understanding personality style similarities and differences.
• Learn how to use a quick, free, and easy assessment tool to identify how individuals prefer to engage and work with others.
• Identify strategies to maintain strong relationships with others with similar styles
• Develop effective strategies to work with others whose styles you find more challenging.

How is it being received by your stakeholders? (Internal and external) Is your Communication Strategy in alignment with your Business Strategy/strategic objectives? Are all departments involved in the process and is it representing the brand?

Culture defined: The natural behaviour, belief and values held and passed on as norms. There are three areas of this topic that we shall explore as the communication culture of great leaders. Their communication is 1. Consistent 2. Clear 3 Comprehensive 4. Calculated. Great leaders communicate to earn the respect and cooperation of employees. reduce errors brought about by misunderstanding and unclear directions. The focus; putting people at the center of our communication strategy.

Many Caribbean utilities have grown complacent in their monopoly status. Being an absolute necessity and having zero competition (in most cases) are not the best conditions to drive innovation and efficiency or support effectiveness. The market continues to shift; customers are incessantly demanding more, and the environment is moving to a sleuth of new technologies that give them more options and flexibility. During this workshop, we will explore the strategic importance of customer service to innovation, organisation development, employee engagement and company branding. We will also explore how utilities can maintain front-runner status in what appears to be a noncompetitive environment.

• Human Resource Management Members - Dr. Cletus Bertin, Executive Director, CARILEC
• Corporate Communications Members - Alana Raymond, Marketing & Member Services Manager, CARILEC
• Customer Service Managers Members - Karen Piper, Assistant Manager, Communications & Disaster Management, CARILEC