Home Credit Indonesia

Wiwik Wahyuni

In an interview with Manage HR, Wiwik Wahyuni, chief human resources officer, Home Credit Indonesia, emphasizes the importance of talent management and digital transformation in the HR industry.

How does a regular day at the office look like for you?

Our company operates in the financial services industry, which is still young both in our country and the region. This industry is closely tied to marketplaces and e-commerce. Over the past decade, we have witnessed the rise of many unicorns in this sector, although we have not attained that status ourselves. As a relatively new industry, we prioritize innovation and creativity while maintaining a strong business mindset. Our workforce primarily consists of millennials and Gen Z, who thrive in an environment of ambiguity and fast-paced movement.

Despite being a Gen X individual and one of the oldest members of the organization, I consider myself dynamic and capable to connect with the younger generations. This quality allows me to effectively collaborate and adapt within the organization.

What are the challenges you regularly face?

Our rapid growth has presented challenges in terms of establishing a solid foundation. When I joined five years ago, the company had a largely junior staff, but we soon realized the need to build a strong organizational structure.

Looking ahead, there are many major challenges we face within the industry. Talent acquisition and retention are key concerns, particularly in Indonesia's tight labor market, where employee expectations, especially among the younger generation, are rapidly evolving. We must constantly reevaluate our recruitment strategies and place a strong focus on retaining top talent.

DEI has become a major focus for organizations. As the HR lead, I continuously assess our approaches to recruitment, onboarding, and talent development to create a more inclusive and equitable working environment.

Remote work and hybrid models have also emerged as important considerations. While face-to-face collaboration is valuable, the expectation for flexible work arrangements has become a norm, requiring careful management of both talent and organizational expectations.

At the same time, digital transformation has become critical to our success. It is essential for HR to adopt advanced technologies like AI and ML, to increase efficiency in recruitment and employee engagement. Cloud-based HR systems are proving to be crucial for administrative task management and reducing manual work.

Lastly, employee well-being is a significant focus, regardless of age. The high expectations and fast-paced nature of our work can lead to increased stress levels. It is vital for the company to prioritize mental well-being and provide support through work-life balance initiatives and wellness programs.

Are you optimistic about any emerging technologies in the industry?

When I joined the company, I envisioned consolidating all our systems onto a single platform to address our challenges. However, as the existing systems were not interconnected, I faced the task of integrating them to establish a unified data set. This went beyond simple email communication and required interface development. Despite the initial complexity, I am pleased to say that we have achieved success in this endeavor.

One notable project was the digitalization of our hiring and onboarding processes. We now generate vacancies through our applicant tracking system and seamlessly connect them to our HRIS. This integration enables us to easily access job descriptions and eliminates the need for separate hiring positions. We have implemented mobile applications for onboarding, contract signing, and approval processes. This streamlined approach is particularly beneficial when hiring a large number of employees, such as the 700 individuals we recruit for our phone lines each week. The digitalization efforts in this area have proven to be crucial.

Could you provide insights on any project that was beneficial to your employees or clients?

One project that I am particularly proud of, which I believe will have a significant industry-wide impact, is the establishment of our Data Science Academy. As a technology-dependent company, data science plays a crucial role in our operations.

As Indonesia's proficiency in analytics and related fields is not as strong as countries like India—which makes it challenging to bring in external talent—we developed a comprehensive program within our Data Science Academy to address this gap. It is aimed at empowering fresh graduates with the necessary technical skills in a structured manner. This endeavor aligns with our Corporate Social Impact (CSI) program, as we strive to make a positive difference beyond our immediate needs.

Is there any advice that you would like to give to the boarding professionals in your space?

In our organization, adaptability and flexibility are essential traits for HR professionals. It is crucial to maintain a current mindset, be humble, and embrace learning opportunities in a fast-paced environment with high expectations. The ability to adapt, learn, and respond quickly, while comfortably navigating ambiguity, is necessary for excelling in this industry.

I also emphasize the need to broaden knowledge and skills, rather than just deepening them. It's no longer sufficient to focus on learning a few things. HR professionals must also be versatile enough to take on various tasks and responsibilities. Finally, they also have to manage their work schedule with a high degree of flexibility which can help them garner the desired recognition from the organization.