Ebru Yonca Çapa ile Yetenek & Kültür: Şengül Arslan, Şişecam

Thank you. We are glad to be here.

Over the past two years, as an industrial company with 44 production facilities in 14 countries, 21 sales offices, and 24,000 employees selling to 150 countries, we were deeply affected. At the start of the pandemic, we took a clear stance on three areas: first, the health, safety, and job security of our employees and their families; second, the continuity of our operations, because we supply many sectors and are a key exporter; third, supporting our entire ecosystem—suppliers, unions, partners. We implemented flexible and remote work models where possible, navigated different country regulations, and supplemented social support systems with health measures, equipment aid, and vaccination support. This crisis reinforced our social responsibility and ecosystem approach.

Even before the pandemic, we had part-time and flexible work arrangements. Remote work was added. As a manufacturing company, we had no prior remote work experience, but within three days we moved all office workers to remote work. Thanks to our digital transformation investments since 2018, we had no interruptions. Currently, about 60% of office employees work two days remotely per week. We are evaluating permanent models, but for 80% of our staff—production workers—remote work isn’t possible. For sales and IT, different arrangements apply. We are piloting several models, including hybrid and fully remote for certain roles, and expect to finalize the framework by autumn. We’re also considering location-independent work and will test tools for goal-setting and feedback. Regulatory differences across countries complicate things; for example, some EU countries still require physical presence for tax incentives.

Competency development is multi-layered. First, we clearly define current and future competency needs, aligned with job design and organizational structure. It’s not just about internal development; we need an ecosystem approach—combining internal and external resources. That’s why we embarked on an organizational transformation program called 'Roots and Wings' in 2018, moving from a regional to a functional and customer-group-based structure. This accelerates decision-making and digitalization. We are now mapping technical competencies for all functions, and Şişecam Academy is updating all its schools. Every functional vertical now includes a digital horizontal, a customer dimension, and a global perspective. We also partner with universities and offer international certifications and simulations.

Exactly. The functional structure gives us clarity. For example, in supply chain, we aim for excellence and need the right competencies. We are finalizing competency mapping by autumn. We also revised our leadership model: since 2018, we measure potential through learning agility—result agility, people agility, etc.—rather than just past performance. Now we also focus on digital inclusivity and agility. For leadership, we identified three key qualities: inspiring, giving courage, and driving results. Inspiring means having a vision and living it. Courage means daring to step into uncertainty—critical in today’s world—and encouraging others. Driving results now requires connecting people, building bonds, and rallying around a shared purpose, especially in remote settings.

We have several programs. One is our vocational high schools in Turkey and abroad (Bulgaria, Bosnia, Serbia), where students work part-time in our production sites before graduation. Another is our Talent Station program, which has brought in about 300 trainees over five years, with over 1,500 projects completed. It’s a great pipeline. We also have enriched summer internship programs with extensive training and remote learning. An integrated resource management approach allows us to see internal and external talent globally. We also encourage mobility: we want 1% of our workforce in different countries at any time, through expert assignments and rotations, which helps spread culture and critical experience.

Engagement starts with feeling valued. Just as we expect seamless digital experiences from banks or telecoms, we need to provide that internally. Since April 2019, we’ve run an HR transformation program called 'One Team, One Future, One Employee.' We standardized and digitized all HR processes across 14 countries onto a single cloud platform in 11 languages, covering all employees regardless of pay type. This gives employees self-service access to pay, benefits, and services. For well-being, we have physical, social, and financial support programs—financial literacy training, discounts, and a global social activity club managed by employees. We also recognize contributions through reward programs and an idea management system. Despite challenges, we’ve made it colorful—celebrating Women’s Day, Environment Day, and initiatives like 'Protect the Planet.'

First, the future of work and the workplace—automation, digitalization, and the changing concept of work location, model, and division of labor. This is a multi-variable equation involving sociological, psychological, legal, and financial aspects. Second, talent development and reskilling—the speed of change requires rapid acquisition of new competencies through micro-learning, partnerships, and ecosystem approaches. Third, the search for meaning and culture: leadership, organizational design, and behavior will be key. Younger employees want a deeper connection and purpose; they also care deeply about well-being and sustainability. We are entering an era of talent scarcity, so we must create environments where people can thrive.

Thank you for the invitation.