We focus on self-authored objectives aligned with organizational goals: Novartis' CPO

Steven Baert, the Chief People & Organization Officer of Novartis, talks about the impact of COVID-19 on the healthcare industry, how the company is adapting to the new normal including how they are managing the performance of their employees and rewarding them amid this crisis, in an interaction with People Matters

- Mastufa Ahmed

The new working model amid the COVID-19 pandemic is forcing organizations to rethink the rewards and well-being of employees. But how are top organizations doing it? What strategies and frameworks are they using to assess employees’ performance? To find out more about this, we have an interaction with Steven Baert, who is the Chief People & Organization Officer of Novartis.

Baert joined Novartis in 2006 as Head of Human Resources Global Functions in Switzerland and served in this role until 2008. He has held other leadership positions at Novartis, including Head of Human Resources for Emerging Growth Markets within Novartis Pharmaceuticals from 2008 to 2009; Head of Human Resources for the United States and Canada within Novartis Pharmaceuticals from 2009 to 2012; and Global Head of Human Resources for Novartis Oncology from 2012 to 2014. Prior to joining Novartis, he held HR positions at Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. and Unilever. Baert serves on the board of WeSeeHope charity USA, and from 2015 to 2018, he represented Novartis on the board of GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare Holdings Ltd.

Here are the excerpts of the interview.

How do you see the impact of coronavirus pandemic on the healthcare sector?

I’m extremely proud of the way Novartis has mobilized on multiple fronts to support the global pandemic response at this time of crisis, including leveraging our R&D capabilities, clinical trial expertise, and philanthropic aid.