TechHR Pulse Indonesia: Jessyca Sentosa of Kalbe Farma on building a winning EVP

JAKARTA – Kalbe Farma in Indonesia is a company that cares for people throughout their entire life cycle, regardless of their state in life – whether they are expectant mothers or patients who may be terminally ill.

This culture of compassion is part of Kalbe Farma’s framework for its own employer value proposition, according to Jessyca Sentosa, Kalbe Farma’s head of corporate HR, during her case study presentation at TechHR Pulse Indonesia.

“We believe that the employee value proposition is something that is uniquely from the company. It gives the employee a real purpose, a real sense of belonging [about] why you work in that company,” Sentosa said. “This is what we believe is driving our employee engagement.”

When company values, culture and benefits align

A great EVP emerges “when the value, culture and benefits that the company offers align with what is expected – from the employees’ point of view,” she said, highlighting how these three main factors should match the needs and wants of employees.

With 40 subsidiaries in Indonesia and 10 abroad, and two manufacturing sites in Myanmar and Nigeria, Kalbe Farma understands from experience how alignment between company values, culture, and benefits with employee needs, can boost engagement and attract top talent.

In 2017, employee engagement at Kalbe Farma scored 78%. This highlighted the need for clarity on company strategy and individual contributions.

Kalbe Farma incorporated the concept of “Bersama” – translating to “together” – into its programmes and culture to simplify the EVP strategy. The positive impact was felt not only within the company but also across its stakeholder community.

Metrics showed, for example, a 4.61/5 customer satisfaction score with over 100,000 patients reached.

Drawing on this concept of collaboration and togetherness, Sentosa emphasises the importance of trust, integrity, and involving employees in creating EVP initiatives.

How a winning EVP translates to a good employer brand

It’s a symbiotic relationship, according to Sentosa’s view.

“Employees will be more engaged with the company because they know that when they live in the company, when they work in the company, some of their needs will be met,” she said.

“Externally, when we do have a unique employee value proposition, it will go around [and come through] in our employer branding and thus build a brand that attracts top talent,” the HR leader said, stressing the importance of EVP in upholding a company’s brand reputation.

“Good employer branding communicated outside is driven from inside the company. It is what the public will know about Kalbe Farma. It’s like knowing a person [from the] outside,” Sentosa said.

From inside Kalbe Farma, meanwhile, employees “will feel appreciated … so then, they will give the fullest of their attention to the company,” she said.