Credit: https://www.thestar.com.my/
WITH the strong notion that people are at the core of its value creation story, TM paves its next era as a human-centred technology company (TechCo) to shape a Digital Malaysia that empowers communities, businesses and the government.
Its aim is to connect its stakeholders to opportunities by providing them with innovative solutions that will help improve their lives and propel them closer to their next goals, and in doing so create a more sustainable world.
TM is staying attuned to the needs of its audience to help shape its every digital decision. To drive the company’s goals and aspirations forward, it relies heavily on the skills and knowledge of its employees, or fondly known as Warga TM.
Change begins at home
TM’s sustainability approach rests upon four pillars, one of them being “Putting People First” to create an inclusive and nurturing work environment that builds employees’ careers and brings out the best of them.
Its work cultural statement #IniCaraKita (#ICK): We Own It, We Grow, We Innovate, and We Care, is instrumental in fostering a workplace where employees are accountable, innovative, and committed to creating sustainable impact for customers, businesses and people.
The four values are part of TM’s 80-20 high performance culture where 80% of an employee’s performance is based on their ability to meet or exceed their job key performance indicators, while 20% is based on their behaviour at work.
TM also conducts regular engagements including townhalls from divisional level to group level to not only ensure that the company’s achievements, challenges and updates are communicated but transparency is practised across all levels. This is in line with its governance pillar of fair and transparent communications.
As it continues to put the needs of its employees at the forefront of its operations and decision-making processes, it conducts its Organisational Health Index (OHI) bi-yearly survey to gauge internal sentiments while offering a platform for Warga TM to provide constructive feedback to the organisation.
Human capital investment and technology adoption
TM’s Digital Way of Work approach looks at a flexible and dynamic work culture across the organisation to foster creativity and teamwork.
In addition, the company promotes a hybrid working arrangement whereby employees work from office three days a week, and two days from anywhere as this contributes to sustainability across several aspects including reducing office space, commuting time, stress, all while promoting work life balance and enhancing their overall well-being at the same time.
To promote seamless communication, productivity and efficiency throughout the organisation, TM invests in the latest tools, resources and cutting-edge technology including artificial intelligence (AI), analytics, robotic process automation (RPA) and agile collaboration applications.
Its field teams across the country are also equipped with digital tools and applications to better serve customers and manage TM’s extensive network for optimal performance.
When it comes to diversity, equity and inclusion, all employees of TM have equal chance and access to career development, upskilling programmes, training and advancement opportunities regardless of their demographic profile.
Warga TM are rewarded according to the philosophy of “pay for performance” based on the outcome of their own performance as well as TM’s overall performance rather than gender, race or physical capabilities.
Fair and competitive compensation and benefits are also ensured, such as annual increment and bonus, compassionate leave, insurance coverage, awards and recognition, medical benefits and more.
TM encourages employees to accumulate experience and cycles of learning through job rotations, thus creating opportunities to be promotion ready.
Upskilling and reskilling employees for a sustainable growth
To sustainably adapt and meet the ever-evolving market and business needs, TM offers on-demand learning such as LinkedIn Learning, Coursera and TM Learn to equip Warga TM with the necessary skills to remain competitive in a demanding market.
In moulding the company’s next generation of leaders, the middle management and non-executives will be nurtured through development programmes that cover topics such as communication, and decision-making to give participants the opportunity to develop their leadership skills through hands-on learning activities, regular feedback and coaching.
Employees as the execution engine of transformation and performance
Apart from upskilling and reskilling its employees, the company aims to inspire and motivate employees by introducing new ways of working that will yield greater performance and efficiency.
Agile@Scale: A new way of working to transform employees from rigid to resilient by working in squads that will expose them to specific ways of work such as sprint planning, daily stand-up huddle, retrospective and more.
Agile@Scale started off with Unifi, and seeing that it was a success, the programme will be extended to other lines of business within the next three years.
ASPIRE: A Women’s Advancement Programme: Recognising the importance of promoting gender diversity and equality in the workplace, TM introduces programmes like ASPIRE that play a critical role in helping women leaders achieve their full potential and contribute to the success of the company.
The first batch of talents have already onboarded the programme, and they will be groomed to grow their professional image and personal branding, explore skills to lead, negotiate and navigate today’s workplace, and gain opportunities to network and connect with peers, mentors and sponsors to enhance future career progression.
Keeping employees’ well-being in check
TM ensures that Warga TM are well taken care of by establishing policies such as no-meeting policy (after 6pm and on Friday mornings), well-being 360 programmes like financial literacy awareness, mental health webinars, “Life Coach” sessions and well-being first aider to provide personalised sessions from mental and physical health coaching to career development and more.
Warga TM as the key success factor of TM
In recognising outstanding performance and contributions to the company’s success, TM believes in sharing the stories of their employees through awards as well as on social media.
The #IniCaraKita Award recognises Warga TM in applying the #ICK behaviours at work, while the Kaizen Award acknowledges those who initiate or enhance internal processes to improve employee experience.
Their hard work and the impact they have created does not go unnoticed as TM promotes their employees’ “Life at TM” stories on social media with the tag #TMCareCrew – a small way of celebrating TM’s everyday heroes.
Staying true as a human-centred TechCo, TM believes in helping everyone realise their aspirations by scaling big ideas, building new businesses and taking better care of our planet.
To do all these, it starts with its people.
References: https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2023/06/30/putting-people-first-nurturing-a-culture-of-growth-and-support
