THE IMPORTANCE OF OPEN COMMUNICATION
Jane Riddell, COO and president of Canada’s largest health club
company, GoodLife Fitness, likewise emphasizes challenges of
the “extremely rapid” pace of change affecting all workplaces. At
GoodLife, the nearly 14,000 front-facing staff (known as “associates”)
are critical to attracting and retaining the 1.4 million
members who are the lifeblood of the company, so the HR connection
is immediate and vital.
“I rely on my HR staff to keep me really informed about what
our workforce is saying and what’s important to them,” said
Riddell. “They are a strategic partner for us and they are drivers of
change, because they bring that human perspective. They give us
cover feature
that comfort in knowing that our associates have a voice and are at
the heart of the changes we are making.”
She says that HR’s role as a strategic partner is growing:
“We’re finding engagement is such a critical piece to our success.
Engagement is that discretionary 10 per cent that we all have to
give, and it’s that 10 per cent that makes a difference between a
good company and a great company.”
Staying in touch with all the generations is an increasingly
important component of the HR role, as well.
“I think HR will have a bigger role in succession planning and
leadership development,” said Riddell. “In our company, every area
has a slightly different culture, a different language; they have to
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