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From redefining HR’s strategic value to navigating digital disruption and generational divides, the second edition of the conference highlighted strategies that will take Indonesia’s workforce forward in the years ahead.
As the world of work continues to evolve, HR professionals are facing increasing pressure to shift from traditional support roles to becoming proactive, strategic contributors. In Indonesia, organisations are confronting a unique set of challenges, including critical skills shortages, changing workforce expectations, and the integration of emerging technologies such as AI into people strategies.
At the same time, demographic changes, economic fluctuations, and the rise of purpose-driven employment are influencing how businesses attract, develop, and retain talent. Employees today expect more than just a payslip. They are looking for flexibility, psychological safety, career growth, and alignment with their values. The role of HR is expanding to address these expectations while still meeting business outcomes.
On Tuesday, 20 May 2025, more than 100 HR leaders and 15 speakers gathered at Park Hyatt Jakarta for Transform Talent Indonesia 2025. Hosted by Human Resources Online, this high-level, one-day conference brought together experts from across industries to discuss how organisations in Indonesia can navigate the future of work through innovation, inclusion, and strategic talent development.
Speakers from companies such as Takeda, Bank Mandiri, L’Oréal, Samator Group, and more led discussions on topics ranging from AI-powered hiring and succession planning to multi-generational engagement and sustainable upskilling strategies.
Each session offered practical takeaways for HR professionals looking to transform their people function and lead their organisations into the future.
Highlights of the event are summarised below:
The HR revolution: Embracing an era of transformation
Ulya Himmawati, Head of HR at Takeda Innovative Medicines, opened the event by discussing the evolving role of HR in an era of talent transformation. She emphasised Takeda's values-based approach, with a strong focus on mental health and patient-centric care. Despite high unemployment rates in Indonesia, securing the right talent remains a significant challenge.
Himmawati highlighted the necessity for HR to transition from a "superfunction" to a business architect. This involves implementing HR business partnering models and utilising digital platforms for talent development and employee wellbeing. She also addressed the importance of respecting generational differences and ensuring inclusive practices within the workforce.
Delving deeper into HR's evolution, she noted how the function has shifted (and must continue to shift) from one that is traditionally focused on administrative tasks such as hiring, onboarding, and payroll to become a strategic partner that drives organisational growth. This includes possessing strong business acumen, being agile and adaptable to rapid changes, and maintaining a people-centric approach even with technological integration.
Additionally, she affirmed, HR functions need to be aligned, embrace innovation, and adapt global strategies to local contexts.
The hunt for the elusive: Finding the right person with the right skills
The first panel discussion of the day explored change management and recruitment strategies, in which the panellists underscored the importance of adaptability, curiosity, and cultural fit in candidates. A key point was the growing need for digital skills, with Indonesia projected to require 35mn digital workers by 2030.
As highlighted, corporate education plays a crucial role in bridging existing skill gaps, and leadership flexibility and cultural awareness are paramount. The discussion also touched upon the complexities of balancing cognitive biases in recruitment and the potential of AI tools to enhance hiring processes. This aside, early investment in talent development and effective talent branding was identified as essential for attracting and retaining top talent.
Practical action points brought up by the panel included implementing AI tools for internal interviews to familiarise HR teams and employees with the technology. The speakers also urged companies to focus on creating inspiration, values, and entrepreneurial opportunities to attract and retain the younger generation and involve themselves in the educational stage to address skill gaps.
The panel comprised:
- Justin Tan, Country Director, Head of Adecco Indonesia, Adecco Indonesia
- Dedev Parulian, HR Director Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and Timor Leste, ofi
- Votivia Mardinna, Senior Vice President of Human Capital Performance and Remuneration, Bank Mandiri (Persero)
- Moderator: Laura Magdalena, Head of People Experience, Paxel
Matching expectations with reality: Talent management strategies for the new way of work
In a mini keynote, Yanuar Kurniawan, People Development and Learning Director at L'Oréal, shared insights into the beauty brand's talent management strategies, pointing out a strong emphasis on work-life balance — one that encourages employees to disconnect during non-working hours and to fully respect leave. As an example, Kurniawan shared, guidelines are in place to cap meetings at 45 minutes, as well as conduct regular reviews on their relevance.
On the learning and benefits front, the company also provides:
- Growth and development programmes, including personalised learning through its new internal learning platform.
- Flexible benefits that aim to cater to various employee needs, leading to increased engagement and reduced turnover.
- Intrinsic motivation through skill-based one-on-one conversations, where employees can discuss goals, wellbeing, and aspirations.
Above all, psychological safety is largely promoted within the organisation, wherein employees are encouraged to voice concerns without fear of reprisal. This, the speaker highlighted, has been linked to improved business results.
HR's role as a Business Partner: Driving performance improvements through people
The second panel discussion was moderated by Westley, Head, Strategic Human Capital, KPN Plantations. It featured Susan Fanning, Head of Wellbeing Solutions, Aon, Rina Faqih, Group Director of HRGA, Great Giant Foods, and Joko Utomo, Senior Group Head Human Capital, InJourney Hospitality, focusing on the evolving role of HR as a strategic business partner. They highlighted the critical need for HR to align with overall business objectives and to leverage data-driven decision-making. The panellists stressed the transformation of HR from administrative roles to actively driving business success.
Practical examples showcased the positive impact of wellbeing strategies and employee engagement surveys on business growth. The discussion underscored the importance of HR professionals being competent, empathetic, and communicative, utilising technology to enhance human interaction rather than replace it. HR's role in cost efficiency, employee motivation, and organisational awareness is also vital for effective decision-making and maintaining a positive company culture.
A key takeaway was that HR must speak the language of business, not just HR terminology, to earn a seat at the decision-making table. They also discussed methods for communicating performance feedback effectively, such as the "hamburger method" — start with a positive comment, address area of improvement, end with encouragement; and how HR must explain both the potential gains and risks associated with cost-cutting decisions.
When talent meets tech: Who really decides who gets the job?
Christine Sterk, Chief Business Officer, Pulsifi, presented a case study on the rapid growth and impact of AI on HR and business processes. She noted that a significant percentage of HR leaders and Gen Z professionals in Singapore are already using AI tools, with millions of people globally using ChatGPT weekly.
Sterk emphasised the necessity of balancing AI's efficiency with human biases, using AI to enhance decision-making and mitigate human errors. Crucially, she highlighted the importance of training AI algorithms correctly and using multiple data inputs to ensure fairness and accuracy in hiring.
As the speaker affirmed, while AI should be used responsibly with human checks, it's not a complete solution. To this effect, she pointed out that AI can struggle with "not normal" expressions, and may not work well in certain instances to limited training data, thus being unable to inherently detect potential, empathy, or life context.
Therefore, she noted, relying solely on AI for hiring risks missing creative, diverse, and high-potential individuals who may not fit a "perfect candidate" profile on paper. As such, she encourages holistic and mindful use of AI to ensure the impact on hiring is both effective and reliable.
Getting succession right: Bridging analytics and people science to optimise talent development
In her session, Ishita Goel, Director of Global Human Capital Analytics, Aon, explored how integrating analytics and people science can optimise talent development and succession planning. She emphasised that succession planning is a critical yet complex priority for chief people officers and organisations, requiring a balance between quantitative data and qualitative insight. Analytics, she noted, can offer objective benchmarks, reduce decision-making bias, track skills, and monitor workforce trends such as turnover.
Goel also stressed the importance of HR professionals having a foundational understanding of AI and emerging technical skills to support the development of an AI-empowered culture. Effective succession planning, she said, must take into account generational differences in expectations and leadership styles. She identified a healthy turnover rate as 12–15%—any lower could signal stagnation, while a higher rate risks the loss of institutional knowledge. Indonesia, for instance, experiences an attrition rate of around 17–18%.
Among the challenges in succession planning, she pointed to personal biases, internal politics, and the tendency to plan around individuals rather than roles—an approach that can limit organisational agility. Drawing lessons from companies such as Apple, Disney, and GE, she illustrated the stark contrast between strong and weak succession strategies.
Singapore's approach was also highlighted as a model of stable leadership transitions rooted in capability and integrity, with differentiated rewards to attract and retain top talent.
From demographic dilemma to dividend: Managing a multi-generational workforce
As we approached the end of the day, Alfa Haga Rachmady, Vice President of Human Capital Strategic Planning at Hutama Karya (Persero), took the crowd through a case study on the challenges and opportunities of managing a multi-generational workforce. He outlined the dual pressures organisations face — external market volatility and internal generational tensions, while also revealing noteworthy trends identified in a recent workforce suvey: Baby Boomers reported high career ambition, millennials experienced the highest levels of burnout, and Gen Z, defying stereotypes, expressed a preference for more in-person engagement.
To effectively engage talent across all age groups, Alfa emphasised the need for comprehensive, tailored strategies. These included customised wellbeing initiatives such as subsidised on-site childcare and holistic programmes addressing mental wellness, nutrition, and financial literacy. Rather than applying one-size-fits-all solutions, the company introduced non-linear career pathways, allowing employees to choose between technical and leadership tracks, supported by targeted learning opportunities and reverse mentoring schemes.
Rachmady also highlighted the importance of cultural investment, with dedicated budgets for bonding initiatives. Examples included company trips, monthly birthday celebrations, Friday mini-games, and intergenerational bonding sessions—all designed to encourage cross-generational collaboration and cohesion.
Winning the long game: Building a sustainable upskilling plan for future-ready talent
Wrapping up #TransformTalentID was a fireside chat featuring James W. Sasongko, Chief of People and Organisation Transformation at Samator Group, and moderator Wahyu Wibowo, Chief of Human Resources and Compliance Officer, Indonesia Eximbank. Together, the leaders explored what it takes to build a sustainable upskilling strategy. He pointed to key challenges, particularly around optimising human capital in remote areas, and stressed the importance of aligning training with business needs to reduce turnover. Technology, especially AI, plays a pivotal role in enhancing training delivery and communication across the organisation’s widespread footprint.
Sasongko advocated for a global approach to learning that retains local relevance and prioritises hands-on experience. Over the past four years, Samator Group has integrated AI into its operations to standardise learning philosophies and support a distributed workforce. These AI tools are now embedded in individual development plans, real-time progress tracking, and multilingual communication—ensuring training is both accessible and impactful.
One pressing challenge he highlighted is the link between job rotation and attrition, with some employees reluctant to face discomfort or unfamiliar roles. For Sasongko, the ideal talent is not just intelligent but also bold—willing to "jump over the fire fence," embodying adaptability, courage, and resilience.
In contrast to regulated industries, Samator Group evaluates learning investments with a sharp focus on cost-efficiency and measurable performance gains within 3–6 months. The company has since evolved from ineffective online training during the COVID-19 period to a more hybrid approach, featuring specialised training sites and frequent feedback loops to drive continuous improvement.
Preparing HR for the future
From the sessions at Transform Talent Indonesia 2025, it is clear that HR's role has evolved from administration to strategic business partnership. Organisations must now strategically manage talent to drive outcomes. This means leveraging technology like AI, nurturing a people-centric approach, fostering diverse talent, and continuously upskilling the workforce to build agile, future-ready teams.
Human Resources Online would like to thank all speakers, moderators, panellists, and attendees for being valuable contributors to this event.
We would also like to extend our gratitude to our sponsors & partners for making this conference possible:
PLATINUM SPONSOR
Aon
GOLD SPONSOR
Pulsifi
SILVER SPONSOR
Adecco
EXHIBITORS
Elsa Business
VIA VINCERE
EVENT PARTNER
Pigeonhole Live
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