HR Fabrika held its first conference with the theme - Set factory settings to Life Friendly Firm. Over 130 HR experts from more than 100 companies attended this HR event with the desire to hear about a new concept that brings benefits for both the employee and the employer. The Life Friendly Firm concept has been developed for almost three years and is the result of research into the needs of employees and employers in modern business conditions, which, among other things, foresees shorter working hours of 6 hours or work 4 days a week of 8 hours, depending on the job description itself. The LFF concept also envisages creating a "puzzle" team composition, better evaluation of candidates during the recruitment process itself, but also better communication from management to employees and clear communication of expectations from both sides.
First Part of the Conference: Presentations by Sandra Äupurdija and Maja VuÄiÄ
Maja VuÄiÄ on Communication and Productivity
Maja VuÄiÄ explained that during her research she came across interesting data, and one of them is that an employee works an average of 6.5 hours a day, that is, those are the hours he spends at his workplace. If we take into account that during this time the employee touches the smartphone 2,617 times and is additionally distracted several times by colleagues, his effective work is reduced to below 6 hours. That is why it is necessary to create a better organization where employees will focus on their work during the six-hour working time, and for the same productivity and earnings, they will have two more hours during the day that they can devote to their private duties. In addition, Maja explained that one of the biggest flaws in communication is that managers are afraid to convey information to top management and that top management therefore does not have clear information about what exactly is happening on the ground and how their customers react. Using her examples during cooperation with several companies, she proved that information travels from an employee to top management in an average of two and a half months.
Sandra Äupurdija on HR Processes and Absenteeism
On the other hand, one of the important things in HR processes is certainly the management of employee absences and their clear planning, which must be as precise as possible in order to plan every process in the company and to make it easier to find replacements for employees who cannot be in the work process. Sandra Äupurdija, who has been dealing with the topic of absenteeism for almost a decade, pointed out that each employee is not at his workplace on average for about 75 days a year. This includes:
- Annual vacation days
- Paid leave
- Sick leave
- Public holidays
- Individual absences
This calculation surprised those present but also gave a topic for reflection as to how much absenteeism planning is important for the HR function, but also for line management. Commenting on the selection process, Sandra pointed out that the process of serious selection and "onboarding" of employees is one of the most important things, as a basis for all further HR processes in the company. The employee selection process must include serious testing or even completed assessment centers, because with this way of working, we have the opportunity to choose the right employee for our team, because otherwise the costs of a bad candidate selection can amount to 200% of his annual salary.
Second Part of the Conference: Panel Discussion
Panel Participants
- Aleksandra Dutina: HR Director of Carlsberg Company
- Milena JakÅ”iÄ Papac: Partner at the KaranoviÄ & Partners law firm
- Maja VuÄiÄ: Consultant and co-designer of the LFF Concept
Key Topics Discussed
- Immediate Implementation of LFF Concepts: Panelists explored which aspects can be implemented quickly and which require more time.
- Legal and Practical Challenges: Milena addressed the legal implications and necessary changes for full implementation.
- Importance of Communication and Feedback: Aleksandra highlighted the importance of communication, feedback, and development plans.
- Middle Management Support: Both Aleksandra and Maja emphasized the critical role of middle management, stressing the need for clear development plans and continuous support.
- Success Metrics: Aleksandra defined success as having employees in the right roles with a positive work atmosphere built on trust and clear communication.
New HR Factory Project: O.U.R. HR
During the conference, the attendees were presented with a new HR Factory project called O.U.R. HR, which will start working as early as May and which will represent the Organization of the United Work of HR professionals. The aim of this project is to:
- Set up quality HR solutions
- Implement good practices from the country and abroad
- Host HR gatherings, trainings, and meetings
The ultimate goal of the O.U.R. HR project is to ensure client satisfaction by fostering satisfied and engaged employees.
