20,000 employees promoted by Enterprise last year. Formula for developing future leaders ‘Change careers without changing companies’ emphasized.

20,000 employees promoted by Enterprise last year. Formula for developing future leaders 'Change careers without changing companies' emphasized.

Developing Existing Talent: Insights from Shelley Roither, Enterprise Holdings’ SVP of Global Human Resources

Sit down with any HR leader right now, and they’ll likely tell you their number one challenge is developing existing talent. Thanks to the persistently tight labor market, promoting from within has become essential to talent strategy. In an interview with Fortune, Shelley Roither, Enterprise Holdings’ senior vice president of global human resources, shared valuable insights on how employers can prepare current talent to funnel into the leadership pipeline at the early-career stage. The goal, according to Roither, is for employees to have multiple careers throughout the organization. And so far, it’s working, as the rental car company promoted about 20,000 employees last year.

A Corporate Lattice: Nurturing Talent at Enterprise

At Enterprise, their approach is to intentionally provide a corporate lattice, allowing employees to move in various directions within the organization, diversifying their experiences along the way. This philosophy resonates with Shelley Roither, who joined Enterprise as a corporate lawyer but took advantage of developmental opportunities to learn about the business’ different divisions. Today, she has the privilege of overseeing human resources globally.

The Management Training Program: Cultivating Future Leaders

Enterprise’s management training program plays a crucial role in identifying and nurturing future leaders. According to Roither, every employee hired into the program is viewed as a potential leader. The program focuses on developing business management and customer service skills, and interestingly, almost all operational leaders, including CEO Chrissy Taylor, have completed it. This emphasizes the company’s belief in career progression without the need to switch companies. By investing in talent and internal mobility, Enterprise aims to retain employees for extended periods.

Gen Z and Purpose-Driven Work

With the entrance of Generation Z into the workforce, it is essential for organizations to adapt to their preferences. Roither highlights how this new generation seeks to work for purpose-driven organizations where their roles make a difference in the world and their communities. Enterprise has been intentional in aligning with this mindset by emphasizing their commitment to supporting purpose-driven activities. They recently introduced “My Purpose. My Time.,” granting every employee a day of paid time off to engage in activities that give them a sense of purpose.

Record Retention and Equitable Evaluation

Enterprise’s focus on connecting, celebrating, and supporting employees has resulted in record-level retention, especially following the challenges brought about by the pandemic. The company’s “promote-from-within” philosophy provides substantial opportunities for growth, change, and recognition. Additionally, they drive equity by evaluating performance through a unique lens. While many companies face the issue of leaders hoarding talent, Enterprise actively encourages employee promotion. To move up the ladder, employees must demonstrate their ability to develop others and successfully promote their team members.

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Around the HR Table

In this section, we highlight some of the most important HR news and insights:

– A.I. not the biggest employment threat: According to an HSBC report, sluggish economic growth, supply shortages, and rising costs appear to be more concerning than artificial intelligence. CNBC

– Slack users can mute coworkers’ messages: Good news for those tired of continuous Slack notifications. Users will soon have the option to mute their coworkers’ messages. Fast Company

– Fair treatment for gig workers: Gig workers hired for A.I. data-related tasks often experience unfair working conditions. Time

– Generational differences in online meetings: Gen Z and millennial employees are more likely to report feeling left out during online meetings, while older employees experience this less frequently. Insider

Watercooler Moments

In this section, we offer some intriguing points from Fortune’s own content:

– Navigating company shake-ups: How higher-ups respond to employee concerns during company shake-ups can significantly impact the success of the transition. —Lila MacLellan

– The constraint of hybrid work: Even a single mandatory day of in-person work can compel employees to revolve their lives around the office, making hybrid work more constraining than it may seem. —Jane Thier

– Siesta time: Amid extreme heat, the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre suggests that businesses adjust their working schedules, enabling workers to rest during the hottest hours of the day. —Peter Vanham, Nicholas Gordon

Amber Burton
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[@amberbburton](https://twitter.com/amberbburton)

Reporter’s Notebook: The most compelling data, quotes, and insights from the field.

While some CEOs call employees back to the office in the name of productivity, others are coming down on the other side of the debate, calling the move largely performative. “The people who trust remote workers the least are the people who personally struggle being productive when working remotely the most,” tweeted Chris Herd, CEO of employee management platform Firstbase.

Call and response: Huge company shake-ups can be jarring for employees, but how higher-ups respond to staff concerns can make or break their path forward. —Lila MacLellan

Office to live, or live to office? Hybrid work is more constraining than some might think. Even one mandatory day of in-person work forces employees to center their entire lives around the office. —Jane Thier

Siesta time. The Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre asked businesses to shift their working schedules and make time for workers to rest during the hottest hours of the day due to extreme heat. —Peter Vanham, Nicholas Gordon