As the Vice President Head of People and Risk at Ocean State Job Lot, my role sits with the senior leadership team. My key responsibilities and areas of focus are comprehensive, encompassing all aspects of people, risk management, asset protection, customer service and payroll. Furthermore, I work directly with the CEO to manage the operation.
My primary focus is on building a human-centric workplace culture that truly drives employee engagement, well-being and long-term retention. This involves overseeing the people strategy and integrating risk management across the organization to ensure a safe, supportive and productive environment for all associates.
Creating Human-Centric Workplaces through Daily Practices
A human-centric workplace at Ocean State Job Lot is fundamentally about respect and creating a true sense of belonging. We focus on simple, yet profound, daily practices. For example, our "Bright Idea" program allows associates at all levels to propose ideas for improvement, ensuring their voices are heard and valued, which can also lead to significant business improvements. We also prioritize fair and consistent compensation through competitive pay and best in-class benefits and perks. We invest heavily in our people through comprehensive training and development, ensuring they have the skills needed for their roles and opportunities for growth, which inherently reduces turnover and fosters a more competent workforce. Our approach to asset protection and safety is rooted in respect, aiming to educate rather than simply punish. Even our customer service model emphasizes empathy and fair treatment for both customers and associates, ensuring associates feel supported in difficult situations. Ultimately, it's about making sure every associate feels valued, supported and connected to the company's purpose.
Breaking Through Cultural Barriers for Well-Being
The toughest cultural barriers we've encountered revolve around education and effectively sharing the "why" behind our strategy, especially in terms of tying it directly to business outcomes.
Ultimately, a truly human-centric people management approach is inherently a powerful risk mitigation strategy.
To overcome these, we focused on demonstrating a clear Return on Investment (ROI). We show leaders and the organization how these initiatives lead to tangible results, such as:
• Dollar savings
• Higher engagement scores
• Increased retention rates
• Higher net promoter scores
• Lower absenteeism
When we can clearly illustrate these benefits, it demonstrably drives company performance and everyone can genuinely see and understand the value. Moreover, there's a fundamental understanding that as humans, we all inherently grasp what is truly needed in today's work environment, which helps bridge any initial resistance.
Risk Mitigation through People Management
A critical, often overlooked, risk mitigation tactic is having a leader with full responsibility who can translate strategy into what I call a "whole person approach." This simply means we think about every associate as a complete person, understanding their fundamental needs, much like Maslow's hierarchy.
Specifically, at Ocean State Job Lot, this translates into showing genuine care for our associates and ensuring they have a safe place to work, which is especially vital given the challenging nature of frontline retail today. Our embedded tactics include:
• Robust training on handling difficult customers to equip associates with conflict resolution skills.
• Comprehensive training on working safely, covering physical and environmental hazards.
• Fostering a culture where associates feel they have the courage to raise their hand when commitments are not being met, allowing for proactive problem-solving.
It's clear that data demonstrating a safe work environment directly translates to strong business results. Ultimately, a truly human-centric people management approach is inherently a powerful risk mitigation strategy. By prioritizing well-being and engagement, we significantly reduce various organizational risks. For instance, low turnover directly mitigates recruitment and training costs and the risk of knowledge loss. Empowering associates to speak up, as seen with our "Bright Idea" platform, helps proactively identify and address operational inefficiencies or potential safety hazards before they escalate. Our focus on respect and fair practices underpins functions like asset protection and customer service, reducing risks associated with internal theft or negative customer experiences. In essence, a happy, engaged and respected workforce is a less risky workforce.
Sustaining Culture amid Constant Market Pressures
My advice is centered on a fundamental truth: people are the heart and soul of every company. It's crucial to understand that happy, healthy associates who feel recognized, heard and valued will directly translate to a strong bottom line. This, in itself, is the most powerful driver for a company's success.
To effectively communicate this and gain organizational buy-in, it is essential to tell your story through data that the business can understand. This approach will consistently set you up for success.
