Exclusive Interview with Dipa Homer, Executive VP, Global HR & Communications, Rheem Manufacturing

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In an exclusive interview with HR.com, Dipa discusses her HR journey at Rheem, emphasizing the evolution of her role in fostering affiliative leadership, navigating global expansion challenges, and embracing HR technology. She highlights strategies for maintaining employee well-being, inclusivity, and adaptability in a rapidly changing landscape.

Excerpts from the interview:

Q: How has your role as CHRO evolved over the past year, and what new challenges have emerged in 2024?

Dipa: My role at Rheem has evolved significantly, focusing on fostering a culture of affiliative and self-aware leadership that helps drive collaboration and innovation. As a team, we’ve placed a strong emphasis on creating an environment where employees feel valued, heard, and empowered to grow both personally and professionally. This approach has been pivotal in aligning our organization’s values with our strategic goals. 

In 2024, one of the emerging challenges has been maintaining a cohesive and inclusive culture as we continue to expand globally and navigate the current job market landscape. Integrating best practices across diverse regions requires a strategic balance of respecting regional differences while promoting a unified vision. Additionally, talent retention has become a key focus. While Rheem has been successful in retaining top talent, we are continuously looking for innovative ways to keep our employees engaged and motivated. This includes investing in professional development, providing opportunities for career advancement, and ensuring a supportive and dynamic work environment. It also means investing in the right technologies to provide HR tools that not only support our people now but drive their careers at Rheem forward, as well.

Navigating these challenges requires transparency, continuous learning, a solid change management program, and adaptive leadership. By staying committed to these principles, we can ensure that Rheem continues to thrive and lead in a dynamic global market.

Q: What guiding principles help you lead HR teams effectively in today’s tech-driven environment?

Dipa: I encourage my team to stay curious and embrace technologies and methodologies to enhance our HR practices. Learning and development is embedded in our culture at Rheem, and it has immensely helped our talent stay abreast of new digital trends. As the HR industry becomes more tech-focused, HR professionals need to be digitally fluent. I advocate for continuous upskilling and training in digital tools and platforms, ensuring our team is well-equipped to navigate and leverage the latest technological advancements.
 
The role of HR is always evolving to ensure it remains a strategic partner to the business. We align our HR strategies with business objectives, ensuring that our tech-driven initiatives support and drive the overall success of the company. This strategic approach allows us to be proactive in addressing workforce needs and adapting to industry changes.

In a tech-driven environment, data is a powerful tool. At Rheem, we’ve ensured we utilize data analytics to inform our decisions, from talent acquisition to performance management. By analyzing trends and patterns, we can make more informed choices that drive better outcomes for both our organization and employees.

Q: Based on the insights from 2024, which HR strategies should organizations continue to embrace, and which should be reconsidered?

Dipa: 

Strategies to Continue Embracing: 

• Employee well-being and development should be an evergreen priority for organizations. Focusing on the holistic well-being of employees, while providing opportunities for continuous learning and growth remains crucial. Investing in the professional and personal development of team members enhances engagement, productivity, and retention.

 

• A diverse and inclusive workplace fosters innovation, improves decision-making, and reflects the values of a modern, forward-thinking organization. Companies should regularly take time to self-reflect and ensure that everyone truly has a seat – and a voice – at the table.

 

• Fostering a larger sense of purpose goes a long way to ensuring employee satisfaction and growth. Rheem’s GoodWorks program is a prime example of how we promote sustainability engagement, alignment, and accountability across our global operations. Through this initiative, Rheem employees are provided with a platform to make a significant impact both within the company and in the broader world. We empower our employee volunteers, known as GoodWorks Explorers, to generate innovative sustainability ideas and collaborate with local sustainability leaders, called GoodWorks Ambassadors. 

Strategies to Reconsider:

• Many organizations are saying goodbye to rigid performance management systems that limit flexibility. Organizations should reconsider these approaches in favor of more continuous, real-time feedback and development-focused performance management to ensure more accurate insights into employees’ contributions.

 

• Finding the right balance between automation and manual processes decreases inefficiency and errors. Decreasing time spent on manual processes allows our HR teams to focus on people. Whether employee engagement and recognition or optimizing workforce planning, HR teams embracing automation technology can realize more strategic and creative ways to meet the organization’s needs.

Q: Can you share an example of a successful change management strategy you implemented recently and its outcomes?

Dipa: We recently launched a change management immersion program. Our goal was to bring the entire organization on the journey to navigate and implement major transformations and small-scale changes that the organization experiences. We relied heavily on our internal customers who were preparing for a global transformation to share where there have been gaps in past projects. Leveraging that core knowledge helped us develop a change management program strategy that included on-demand and live training sessions and an interactive microsite complete with a digitally enhanced online toolkit, all designed to equip us for the future.

Q: Which innovations in HR technology are you most excited about, and why do you think they will be significant?

Dipa: I’m most excited about our latest HR Technology transformation project. We’re rolling out a new global HCM in a phased approach to ensure business continuity as we onboard our teams. This system will enhance the employee experience, giving us more accurate data and deeper engagement and connectivity. Having the right tools and the best people in place provides an organization with a strong foundation as we grow the business and develop the people who make it happen.

Q: What is your success mantra for navigating the complexities of modern HR leadership?

Dipa: My success mantra for navigating the complexities of modern HR leadership revolves around three key principles: self-awareness, people-centric leadership, and adaptability.
 

• Self-Awareness: Understanding my strengths and areas for growth allows me to lead with authenticity and empathy, fostering a more cohesive and motivated team.

 

• People-Centric Leadership: By prioritizing the well-being and development of my team members, we create a collaborative and supportive environment that has resulted in innovation and effectiveness.

 

• Adaptability: Embracing change and staying flexible enables us to navigate the ever-evolving HR landscape, utilizing new technologies and data-driven insights to make informed decisions and remain agile in our approach.

 

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