After Srettha Thavisin, former president of Sansiri Plc, ventured into politics, the company remained steadfast in its commitment to being a property developer that new generations aspire to work for.
"Nobody at the company feels differently after Mr Srettha's departure, as he firmly established the company's foundation," said Poomipak Julmanichoti, chief of staff at Sansiri. "He was the key person who led us to where we are now."
At Sansiri, each supervisor was trained utilising the current prime minister's DNA to push forward, which has deeply influenced their working methods, Mr Poomipak said.
One significant foundation Mr Srettha established was people transformation, which changed after Sansiri relocated its headquarters in 2020 from the high-rise Siripinyo Building in the Ratchathewi area to a cluster of buildings, each no taller than eight storeys, at Siri Campus in the On Nut area.
PEOPLE TRANSFORMATION
The working environment at the spacious new headquarters significantly enhanced productivity by transitioning from a relatively cramped, multi-level area in a high-rise building to more open and expansive spaces in low-rise buildings.
The main reason collaboration and interaction became more effective is what Mr Poomipak termed "people transformation", starting with the recruitment of the appropriate individuals.
"We needed talent, but it was not easy to find," he said.
"We shifted our focus from talent to those with a hunger for success who were eager to improve themselves and always willing to learn new things."
In the past, Sansiri sought experienced candidates, leading to stiff competition with other large organisations.
The company has begun recruiting fresh graduates and providing training, resulting in a more accessible pool of workers, said Mr Poomipak.
Mr Poomipak says HR staff at Sansiri serve as 'people partners'.
RECRUITING INTERNS
Last year, Sansiri began recruiting recent graduates who previously interned with the company and showed potential to become employees.
The company requires interns to do actual work rather than photocopying or preparing paperwork. When the company discovers an intern has potential, it invites them to join as employees, he said.
"Recruiting former interns is a positive trend, but they may still lack practical experience," Mr Poomipak said.
"Although some interns do not work with us after they graduate, they are familiar with Sansiri after doing real work and can introduce us to others."
Sansiri has cultivated a culture where 20% of the job scope of a supervisor is to mentor younger colleagues, while 80% is dedicated to their core responsibilities, aiming to foster new talent and successors within the organisation, he said.
"Training is seen as a means to cultivate relationships between supervisors and their subordinates," Mr Poomipak said.
"Insights from global organisations reveal turnover happens because of career paths and workload, but the predominant cause is supervisors."
PEOPLE PARTNER
Sansiri utilises human resources (HR) staff as a "people partner", transcending their traditional role of managing welfare, recruitment, training and compensation, he said.
HR staff should function as companions to all within the organisation, fostering staff development.
Out of a total workforce of 5,000, comprising 1,200 employees and the remainder working at its property management subsidiary Plus Property and the prefab factory, Sansiri has 40 HR staff, with half of them serving as people partners.
With the "HR People Partner" strategy, HR staff aim to unlock the potential and strengths of employees through personalised work, delving into the specifics of each department to maximise employee effectiveness, said Mr Poomipak.
This year, HR has aligned with the brand's theme of "You Are Made for Life", where each employee is at the core of organisational development, working together towards a common goal, he said.
When employees work happily and harness their full potential, it influences the successful delivery of high-quality projects and services to customers, said Mr Poomipak.
This extends to the development of residential projects, services, brand-building, and communication through various channels as Sansiri aims to become a top-of-mind brand, he said.
"The key factor contributing to our record revenue and profits is our employees, who share the same goals and work in alignment with the organisation, understanding the internal context and corporate culture, as well as external factors such as the economy and politics," said Mr Poomipak.
AWARDS SEASON
This year Sansiri received four awards, including the property company the younger generation most wants to work for in 2023, he said.
It is also the only company to receive two awards from QGEN, a consultancy specialising in people and organisations.
These awards recognise Sansiri as the top choice for new-generation employees and as a top-five organisation when people think of diversity and inclusion.
"Sansiri doesn't just build homes; we build people to excel and grow alongside the organisation," said Mr Poomipak.
"Our path to success and our record earnings are underpinned by our employees, as they drive the organisation forward."