HPE empowers team members to create a positive impact on their community and peers. Hear from Brian Tippens as he discusses social impact and the new workplace.
HPE centers many efforts around building up the employee. As a new intern, I was overwhelmed by where to begin to take advantage of all that was offered. The resources, such as the intern learning series, “Life Inside the Element” trainings and resource group events, are endless and continue to grow. HPE’s Brian Tippens, Chief Sustainability Officer and President of the HPE foundation, offered some grounding insight via a podcast and a follow up interview on the impact of HPE on its team members.
In April, Alex Liu, managing partner of the global management consulting firm Kearney and the host of the Joy@Work podcast, sat down with Brian to discuss social impact and the changing world brought about by a renewed focus on social and environmental sustainability. Brian stressed the importance of integrating company goals and values into every aspect of the business, beginning with people.
With more and more employees choosing to work for companies whose values align with their own, Brian believes priority should be given to building a resilient, proactive culture centered around the company’s core values. With the onset of Covid-19, the team dynamic quickly adapted to the 'next normal'. To help this transition, Brian emphasizes the importance of adapting to the changing workplace to address the whole employee as an individual facing their own fears and apprehension throughout a global crisis. As HPE faces challenges it has never experienced before, team members are able to lean on each other, support their communities, and trust in their people leaders. Facing these challenges begins and ends with a healthy workplace environment for team members.
This transition necessitates strong communication amongst the HPE community. From virtual coffee chats, all team member meetings, and culture day events, to strong top down messaging; the community stays connected through a variety of remote interactions. Brian advises other companies to put culture at the center of everything they do, and work to ensure all stakeholders are aligned on where the business is going and the role they can play. Additionally, he stressed the importance of finding stability when hit with uncertainty and hardships such as a global pandemic and widespread racial injustice.
The three phrases that Brian uses to describe HPE company culture are: transparent, purpose-driven, and people-centered.
Brian underscores the importance of a transparent, purpose-driven, people-centered company culture. This involves strong communication on the decisions of the company, going the extra mile to focus on people, and putting culture at the center of all we do. Building this strong infrastructure allows people and leaders to pivot to the next big issue at hand. The pandemic exposed many gaps in company strategy, yet HPE was quick to realize that an engaged workforce directly correlates to better business outcomes.
Even now, as India faces an uptick in cases and a slow supply of vaccines, HPE works hard to be supportive of its own employees and the country at large. There are plenty of ways for the HPE community to learn more about how the company makes an impact and how you can make an individual impact. To echo Brian’s words, creating strong social impact goes beyond providing the best products and employing a talented workforce, it requires aligning with business drivers to see where the most impact can be made by HPE as a company.
Now, as we adapt to the ‘next normal’, it is culture, people, and company values that will drive us forward into whatever the next workplace will look like. One of those initiatives to better the new workplace was recently announced by the HPE Office of Operations, Legal, and Administrative Affairs (OLAA). Beginning July 21st, we will have Joyful Wednesday sessions involving dance lessons and other social activities to energize the edge-to-office experience. These are expected to continue monthly and can be adapted to a virtual or in-person work environment.
To hear more from Brian listen to the full Joy@Work podcast episode here.
Authored by Ramy Berenblum: 
Stay connected with Ramy via linkedin.com/in/ramy-berenblum
HPE Editor
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Editor-in-chief for the HPE Advancing Life & Work blog.
