Andrea Ferrara is Senior Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer for PepsiCo Beverages North America (PBNA).
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The last three years of disruption and uncertainty have shifted expectations for corporate employees and frontline associates alike, cementing the employee experience at the center of every decision we make as an organization.
From greater flexibility to opportunities for career advancement to a prioritization of well-being, HR leaders are facing a new mandate when it comes to addressing our employees’ needs in a more holistic, impactful way. Intentionally addressing these needs across demographics, generations and functions helps ensure employees feel cared for and equipped to build a strong career. This is especially important for our frontline workers who make, move and sell our products and serve as the backbone of our success and growth.
In operationalizing this commitment to the employee experience, I believe HR leaders must focus on building a culture of care, connection and career development that can empower all employees, no matter their role. Here are three practical ways to accomplish this goal.
Embrace A Human-Centric Mindset
If we want to offer solutions that meet our talent’s unique needs and circumstances, we need to make data-supported decisions. It's similar to the way companies use consumer insights to fuel everything from marketing to innovation. But implementing this approach will require instilling a new mindset across all our teams—one that prioritizes authenticity, transparency and, what I like to call a culture of active listening.
What this means is evolving from periodic touchpoints with employees to always-on opportunities that help us stay better attuned to what our workforce needs at any given moment. While organizational health surveys can serve as a clear North Star for understanding employees’ unique pain points—especially in times of turbulence and uncertainty—more frequent touchpoints demonstrate a willingness to partner with employees to make their everyday lives more manageable and fulfilling.
This can happen in a number of ways. One common strategy is having 1:1 conversations with employees and people managers. These discussions can help ensure you're constantly personalizing the employee experience, whether someone needs additional support during the onboarding process or is experiencing a transitional period. It’s the intentional, high-touch interactions that make all the difference and provide the inputs we need to best support employees on their unique career journeys.
Create A Sense Of Belonging And Recognition
Feeling connected is critical for elevating the overall employee experience. According to the American Psychological Association’s 2023 Work in America Survey, 20% of employees reported that they don't feel a sense of belonging at work. That number jumps to 25% for frontline workers.
I think promoting a culture of belonging starts with making a large, matrixed organization feel small. At a high level, this could look like spotlighting workers and celebrating their individual contributions to create a shared sense of community and purpose. For example, timed with Women’s History Month in March, my team at PepsiCo activated a national employee recognition program celebrating dozens of frontline women associates who've had a significant impact on their teams.
Creating a sense of belonging can also be achieved in the smaller moments and interactions. Try simply taking the time to ensure a team member knows how their role affects the organization's bigger picture and success.
Equip Employees To Transform Their Careers And Livelihood
Providing talent a competitive advantage to transform their careers and livelihoods is more important than ever. I strongly believe in the concept of building leaders from within, and that starts at the frontline. This may look like implementing professional development and upskilling programs, establishing a strong network of mentorship or just instilling a growth mindset for rising stars across the organization. A key strategy my team uses is arming frontline managers with the tools to ask the right questions and better understand their associates' goals.
Looking ahead, I challenge HR leaders to approach the employee experience with the same imperative we dedicate to being consumer-centric. I believe taking these small steps to ensure employees feel cared for, supported and that they belong can transform company culture and growth for the better.
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