Learn more about the innovative programs and approaches of companies ranked on this year’s HR100.
By Debbie Bolla
“HR plays a crucial role in business transformation and creating a space where employees can dream big and contribute to shared success,” says Jacqui Canney, chief people and AI enablement officer for ServiceNow, one of the top-ranked companies on this year’s HR100 list. And what Canney says captures why HRO Today annually celebrates the top 100 HR departments because simply put: HR makes a difference in organizational success.
The HR100 is an annual ranking of HR departments across eight areas: workplace culture, employee benefits, diversity and inclusion, employee development and talent management, human resources innovation, leadership development, talent acquisition, and employer brand. Performance in these core categories is aggregated, forming an index that provides a reasonable score for overall HR excellence.
But when HR leaders are asked what it takes to make this list, it comes down to one word: culture.
“Our culture is what defines Hewlett Packard Enterprise as a company: how we act, how we treat others, and how we conduct business,” says Dan Domenech, interim chief people officer for the company. “We have several programs at both global and local levels that encourage our workforce to connect and learn from each other through supportive benefits and an inclusive culture. Our HR team works hard to help team members understand and take advantage of our many programs.”
Recent research from SHRM supports how critical culture is to productivity and retention, as 83% of those who rate their workplace culture as good or excellent are motivated to produce high-quality work. The survey also found finds that more than eight in 10 employees at organizations with a positive culture say they’re likely to recommend their organization to peers.
The HR team at ADP also strives to build an inclusive culture that aligns with its values. “Our goal is to create an empowering and inclusive environment where each associate can do their best work every day,” explains Paul Boland, CHRO for ADP. “Our global HR team is focused on recruiting, hiring, and retaining the best talent, colleagues who work together each day, in a culture where every team member feels a high sense of belonging. It begins with living by our value that ‘Each Person Counts’ and our initiatives support this belief. When our culture and values are felt within, then that is what is experienced by our candidates and clients, making this a very powerful combination.”
Employees and their needs are the main building blocks of Synchrony’s workplace culture. “An exceptional employee experience is critical to business success. Our people-centric culture provides flexibility, skills development, and continuous coaching to help employees achieve their career goals and business success,” says Claudine Hoverson, chief talent officer for the company.
For ServiceNow, its people strategy is built on three key pillars: people-led, data-driven, and AI-powered. “We’re dedicated to building a strong, supportive culture that helps our employees thrive, and we’re always thinking about how we can elevate our employee experience,” reports Canney. “This recognition is a testament to our commitment to putting people first and delivering our ‘“People Pact,’” our promise to help everyone do their best work, live their best life, and fulfill our purpose together.”
83% of those who rate their workplace culture as good or excellent are motivated to produce high-quality work.
Shining a Light on Top HR Initiatives
To be an exceptional HR department, offering the right combination of unique and sought-after benefits that support the employee experience is key. Research from Aflac finds that 83% of organizations believe benefits packages have a positive impact on worker productivity and 84% think it helps in recruiting top talent. The ways of working have changed tremendously in the last few years, and with that, so have the expectations of workers.
For Synchrony, a priority was developing a hybrid work offering that hit all the marks, with more than 85% of employees seeking a work-from-home option. The company’s new model allows all employees, including hourly employees who represent the majority of its workforce, to work from home, in the office, or both.
“Our hybrid work model is built on trust and adaptability. Flexibility and choice empower employees to perform their best, and as a result of these changes we implemented, we have seen higher employee engagement, greater productivity, and low turnover,” says Hoverson. “We have also seen how these changes have given us a competitive advantage in the market, as our job applications have increased by 30%.”
But Synchrony was very strategic with its approach, understanding that the shift to hybrid is one that requires thought, care, and attention. They opted for frequent manager-employee coaching conversations in lieu of outdated annual performance reviews to encourage open communication. Leaders were also trained to be experts in real-time coaching.
“This built trust through listening and guidance, setting clear business goals and expectations, and creating a continuous feedback loop that empowers our employees to develop and grow and drive peak performance,” explains Hoverson.
In fact, this approach has encouraged collaboration in a hybrid work environment, with 92% of Synchrony employees reporting their manager provides constructive feedback and that helps deliver on performance expectations.
Domenech says HPE is focused on providing a wide range of benefits that support all facets of their employees’ lives.
“One of the most impactful initiatives has been our parental leave policy, which gives all parents at least six months of paid time off for biological and adopted children. We also offer several options to ramp back into full-time work, such as returning to work in a part time capacity and eventually building up to full time,” he explains. “We are pleased to offer this benefit to team members and acknowledge how special this time is for families.”
In addition to this, HPE recently launched an unlimited PTO policy for full-time employees in U.S. locations. This along with its annual end-of-the-year company shutdown, “Wellness Fridays,” and company holidays provides employees amble time to recharge. HPE also recognizes the importance of well-being through its “Mental Health Awareness Week” and employee access to mental health tools such as Headspace.
As an AI-first company, Canney says ServiceNow is taking AI to the new level for its more than 26,000 employees. HR has played a critical role in integrating AI into everyday work and making it a seamless process and true competitive advantage.
“From hosting an AI Day to ongoing AI learning for every employee, we see this as an opportunity to unleash a human renaissance, where AI frees people of the tedious tasks and allows them to focus on creative, innovative, high-impact work,” she explains. “We’re also on the path of agentic AI in our own HR function, enabling us to streamline processes and tasks so our HR teams can focus on strategy.”
ADP is investing in the future of employee through training and development programs. “We offer many tangible benefits that have a positive impact on our people, from learning and growth opportunities gained through career and leadership development programs, to encouraging weekly check-ins between our managers and their people which builds engagement and connections,” explains Boland.
The company also sees the value in providing a wide variety of financial, health, and wellness benefits including a global employee assistance program and volunteer opportunities.
Employee Feedback Shaping the Future
Today’s leading companies listen to their employees and act on their feedback. Achievers’ research finds that acting on feedback increases trust in company leaders by 75% more than just gathering feedback. Today’s workers want to have a voice and feel heard.
“One of main reasons for our great culture is the fact that we listen to our team members,” says Domenech. In fact, HPE has an annual survey called “Voice of the Workforce” and data collected from this global feedback program is leveraged to drive real change at the organization.
“We find that team members are most engaged when their opinions are heard, and the teams implementing changes find it easiest to move forward when they know exactly what team members are looking for. We have also found that team members are more likely to stay at HPE when they have ample career growth opportunities and feel supported as a whole person.”
Hoverson says that being open to ongoing feedback helps the company stay agile. “The Synchrony leadership team observed early that by applying our approach of continuous feedback and design thinking principles with our customers and business partners to the employee experience, the company has cultivated a unique high-performing, employee-centric culture that is at the heart of our business growth,” she explains.
And a diversity of thought is often key to success in an ever-evolving business environment. “We actively seek people with different perspectives and experiences. We listen, learn, and evolve—because the best ideas come from our people. This approach helps us attract and retain top talent, fuel our growth, and strengthen our shared sense of purpose,” says Canney.
