Cloud-based HR: rethinking the future of work

Where's the future of HR? In the cloud, of course

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as non-pandemic market forces, companies are rethinking and simplifying their operations. Human resources is no exception to that. Companies must reshape their HR function to enable more connection, flexibility, and clarity for their workforce, while still maintaining a talent pool that meets their needs. Cloud can help. In this episode of the podcast, David Linthicum and guests, Deloitte’s Andy Peck and Telstra’s Julian Clarke and Darren Fewster, discuss how Telstra has implemented a cloud-based HR system from Workday that enables them to rethink and democratize their workforce and forge deeper connections with their employees, while building a more flexible workforce strategy that has enormous benefits for both employees and management.

It does drive this very different career experience where you as an employee feel that you can own it, but equally you feel like the company actually is caring about you and helping you along the journey.

Julian Clarke is currently Group owner, Next Gen People Practices at Telstra, Australia’s largest telecommunications company. He is passionate about enabling people and organizations to be their best and believe that creating great employee experiences in the workplace leads to great customer experience. Using human centered design, Julian’s group designs, builds and manages HR products across the employee lifecycle – all with aim of enhancing our employees’ experience. He is also the executive lead at Telstra for leadership, employee experience, talent management, performance, and diversity and inclusion.

Darren Fewster is an Executive director in Telstra’s Transformation, Communications and People team. He currently leads Centers of Expertise that include Global Health, Safety and Environment; Employee Digital Experience and Analytics; Industrial Relations and Case Management. Darren joined Telstra in 2004 as a senior lawyer and was appointed as general counsel of the Employment Law team in 2006. He moved from Legal to Human Resources in 2007 during a period of significant organizational change. Prior to Telstra, Darren worked as an employment lawyer advising clients in mining and communication industries. Darren also spent 8 years engaged in government strategic intelligence roles, leading specialist teams investigating organized crime.

Andy Peck specializes in business transformation and works with organizations to help them improve their performance and productivity by aligning what people do and how they work together with the needs and strategies of their organizations. Andy has more than 20 years’ experience with Deloitte providing advice to large organizations across the telecommunication, defense and public sectors. His consulting experience includes strategic workforce management, leadership and culture development, organization development and technology implementation. Andy currently drives the firm’s human capital clients and industry strategy and is a member of the human capital executive team.