Now in its 10th edition, People Empowering Business Forum & Awards Gala 2024 aims at acknowledging and celebrating the leaders and their teams who have made exceptional contributions to empowering the work environment and made a significant mark to broader business community. For 2024’s anniversary edition, both the Forum and Awards Gala shine a light to the best-in-class professionals from cross-sectors in the Romanian economy.
This year’s special FORUM & AWARDS GALA event will take place on 26th of November at InterContinental Athénée Palace Bucharest, Le Diplomate Hall.
The event benefits from the support of:
PLATINUM PARTNERS: NXP Semiconductors, Wipro, RetuRO SGR
GOLD PARTNERS: Adrem, Teleperformance, ACCA, Schneider Electric, Distributie Energie Electrica Romania, Vastint Romania, Sphera Group, tbi bank, Michelin Romania, Cognizant Romania, Kinstellar
PARTNERS: Magna Exteriors Craiova, Continental Romania, ICI Bucharest, Tinmar Energy, Stefanini Romania
SUPPORTING PARTNERS: Concordia, BRCC, Cluj IT Cluster, ANIS, Lovering & Partners Business Consultants
MEDIA PARTNERS: Outsourcing Today, Sustainability Today, Automotive Today, Financial Intelligence, Romania Durabila, Economistul, Club Economic, Bursa
The event will conclude 2024’s series of events of The Diplomat-Bucharest with the merited accolades and appreciation for the most important resource of business and society: The People. This year’s Forum & Gala event gives the floor and praise the professionals who went the extra-mile in their workspace and business communities.
EVENT MAIN HOURS:
15:30 – 16:00:Registration &Coffee
16:00 – 16:15: Small Talks with Kinstellar specialists
16:15 – 18:00: LEADERS’ TALKS FORUM
18:00 – 19:00: Networking Cocktail & Gala Dinner
19:00 – 21:00: PEOPLE EMPOWERING BUSINESS AWARDS GALA
16:00 – 16:15: Small Talks with Kinstellar specialists Remus Codreanu – Partner, Kinstellar, Lidia Zarnescu – Managing Associate, Kinstellar and Andrada Popescu – Senior Associate, Kinstellar
16:15 – 18:00 | LEADERS’ TALKS FORUM
Event Moderator: Andreea Păun, Managing Partner, Griffes
SPEAKERS
- Charlotte Foucteau, CEO Teleperformance Greece
- Ilona Lixandru, HR Director, RetuRO SGR
- Ruxandra Lupșa, HR Director, NXP Semiconductors Eastern Europe
- Raluca Dolan , HR Director, Cognizant Romania
- Laura Bușu Boboc, HR Lead at Michelin Corporate & Business Services (CBS) Bucharest
- Lucia Iliescu Brădean, Country HR Manager, Continental România
- Emilia Stroe, HR Director, Sphera Group
- Oana Popa, Health & Wellbeing Lead, Regina Maria
The Forum recaps the fundamentals of a healthy, evolving and meaningful manner of working in a challenging and ever-changing business environment, accompanied and defined by the new technologies. The middle management rise, people analytics, HR tech stack, AI, inclusivity, workplace community, wellbeing and social mentoring are only some of the highlights of 2024. This year has been all about technology, leadership and communication in the common mission to ease and reframe the productivity metrics for more cohesive workspaces and building the employee engagement and a strong employer branding.
In a nutshell, in 2024, the focus is on creating a more cohesive and engaged employee experience. The emphasis on inclusive cultures, skill-building, and social mentoring signals a shift towards a more human-centered and dynamic approach to work.
The forum depicts the insights of leaders over the experience of the past year and what differentiates the standard from performance.
LEADERSHIP & EMPOWEREMENT: PEOPLE CONNECTED & ENGAGED IN THE COMPANY CULTURE
Companies and employees head for a relationship reset where an organizational culture emphasizes empowerment and accountability at all levels and stimulates creativity, innovation, performance and the entrepreneurial mindset. The leaders re-tooled the management strategies to better support the changing needs of their workforce and organizational culture. Those who succeed are the best at engaging teams, people, maintaining connection and instill the presence and availability reaction. Wellbeing, sustainability, DEI and workplace culture are just some of the aspects in the spotlight of 2024. After the experience of previous years, companies and managers adjusted the programs according to people’s needs and expectations, while this year generated some news in the area.
What stays at the foundation of building a strong company culture where people feel valued and empowered to feel engaged in creating and nurturing work performance?
THRIVING & PERFORMING IN THE ONGOING LEARNING REVOLUTION
The continuous learning and organizational agility integration into the DNA of companies has been a powerful trend also in the past years and also 2024. The upskilling and reskilling forms of supporting people to evolve in the company is a long-term strategy and it comes with challenges. Building the sentiment of belonging and managing the risk of exclusion and detachment stays at the core of professional mentoring and coaching. Autonomous learning, besides all the tools provided by companies stays at the foundation of self-development and empowerment. The new work environments and styles evoke even more the gap between generations. While the tech-savvy young generations need counseling, persuasion and motivation to perform, the senior levels need different approaches in addressing the ongoing race with the new technologies and work environments.
Which are the perspectives of reaching performance and personal fulfilment through continuous learning, what tools and methods are trending now?
FUNDAMENTALS OF PERFORMANCE: MEASURING, ADJUSTING, IMPROVING
Measuring success can be tricky and perspective biased. Companies and employees need to address the impact of all measures, initiatives and projects at the financial and operational level. Accountability and taking responsibility are among the most sensitive aspects to be considered. Transparency, empowerment, trust and integrity are the core values for companies and employees. The engagement is an ongoing construction and permanent dialogue between company and employee, yet the process is never easy. Performance is an objective built on a multitude of pillars and there is undoubtedly a direct connection between work empowerment and long-term business success.
Which are the most effective tools to measure performance in a company and what adjustments have been made regarding the measurement methods and tools in the past years?
19:00 – 21:00 PEOPLE EMPOWERING BUSINESS AWARDS GALA
PEOPLE EMPOWERING BUSINESS AWARDS GALA acknowledges those who go above and beyond in fostering an environment of growth, inclusivity, and positive change within the organization. It highlights individuals who lead by example, demonstrating innovation, leadership, and a deep commitment to uplifting others. By honoring these outstanding achievements, the awards not only applaud individual efforts but also reinforce the companies’ and leaders’ commitment to building a supportive and empowering work culture.
