A panel discussion at the 2019 Vietnam HR Awards Forum held in HCM City on Thursday. — Photo courtesy of Talentnet

HCM CITY — A group of 21 CEOs and visionary thought leaders from leading local and regional organisations attended the 2019 Vietnam HR Awards Forum in HCM City on Thursday (November 21) to discuss breakthrough business strategies and emerging HR trends in the new era and building future-ready and digital-fit organisations.

With the theme 'Entering Tomorrow Today', the forum provided businesses with strategic visions, future-fit insights, and real-life strategies to steer on the right path towards the future.

Delegates said technology is advancing at a rapid rate but would never replace humans, but the need for an agile workforce has become important.

In this context, ensuring optimal performance by human resources is set to be one of the biggest challenges to managers, they said.

Raymund Chua, former managing director of Heraeus Asia Pacific, said: “It is very important to focus on the people because people are the unique resource you have. Machines and system you can buy, but you cannot buy people.

“You must continue growing your local talents at the organisational level and national level; do not depend too much on foreign human capital.”

Tiêu Yến Trinh, CEO of Talentnet Corporation, the forum organiser, said: “There is no doubt that human capital is one of the most valuable components of any business, and investment in human resource becomes a necessary step ensuring business success and prosperity.

“Business leaders and HR professionals need to truly understand, support and accompany each other in the process of planning and managing human resource in order to create an engaging and transparent working environment.”

She also spoke about three factors in attracting and retaining talent: attractive salary, bonus and rewards; opportunity to develop their career in the company; and the company’s unique story or purpose that inspires employees to have a lifelong commitment to work for it.

The forum included discussion sessions delving into the insights and skill sets every leader needs to be future-ready and succeed in this age of disruption.

Winners of the 2018 Vietnam HR Awards spoke about how they are reinventing their business models and processes to take advantage of new possibilities and create an agile, thriving workforce to leap forward.

Nguyễn Trung Chính, acting editor-in-chief of the Lao động và Xã hội (Labour and Social Affairs) newspaper, said: “Thanks to multi-dimensional perspectives and success stories unearthed through the lens of visionary CEOs, I believe that business leaders, HR strategists and practitioners would definitely leave invigorated, inspired, ready to tackle any challenges, build a solid foundation for an agile workforce, and get a head-start on tomorrow.

Trinh from the Talentnet Corporation said: “Through the 2019 Vietnam HR Awards Forum, we look forward to promoting relationships between business leaders and HR and enhancing linkages between business strategies and people development, which adds to long-term corporate value and sustainable success.”

The forum was hosted by Talentnet in association with the Lao động và Xã hội newspaper. — VNS