Jean is part of a team that develops talent strategies to build a culture of ambition, agility and diversity. She is also involved in talent acquisition strategies and operations, where she finds ways to bring the best out of her collaborators.
Outside of her busy work schedule, she finds time to squeeze in weekly salsa and tennis sessions, make sourdough and chocolate from scratch, or enjoy a good book with coffee. We caught up with her to get her thoughts on working at GIC.
Why did you decide to join GIC?
To me, an ideal career is one which is purposeful with opportunities to discover my strengths and make an impact on people and communities. In my last interview before joining GIC, the department head shared with me some of the projects the HR team was planning. The bold and forward-thinking ideas spoke to me, particularly when they were focused on enabling people, which I’ve realised is the organisation’s biggest asset.
Before joining GIC, I assumed it was a bureaucratic organisation with a “serious” culture given its stature, but I was proven wrong. I still recall every interview I had, all of which left me with a deep impression of the commitment and care the individuals have towards their roles.
What does your typical workday look like?
Back when we were working in the office, my days would be filled with energizer activities such as coffee catch-ups with friends from other floors, where we’d get to chill out in a different office space (each pantry is unique), mid-day gym classes, or early evening workout sessions at the office gym! And of course, depending on what project I was working on, it’ll include many huddles – I always insist we do it in one of the more “fun” and open spaces around the office, apart from the usual meeting rooms.
My days are quite different now that we’re primarily working from home (WFH), but I love that I get to take my dog out for evening walks, spend time with family over meals, and sneak in a lunch workout – things I didn’t get to do as much before but now really value.
What do you like most about working here?
Flexibility and autonomy on multiple fronts! I like that if we have an idea we want to pursue as part of our role, we can raise it as a project, and most of the time we’re given the opportunity to experiment with rollouts. And, of course, I believe it is becoming increasingly important for me to be able to have a flexible work schedule in terms of where and when I work.
One of my favourite experiences was participating in With Love, GIC, where I ran an internal social media campaign with my fellow GIC mates to raise funds for an animal welfare organization. GIC would match donations up to a certain amount for projects under this initiative, which we thought was a great way to encourage everyone to do better in our communities! Part of the campaign involved colleagues from all global offices sharing a photo or memory of themselves and their pet, and I believe people had a good time getting to know one another through their furry friends.
How would you describe the learning & development culture at GIC?
It’s been quite a journey! Not only have I learned and grown in my role, but I also value the opportunities for exposure that have come my way. After nearly three years in my first role, which was primarily focused on rewards, I was given the opportunity to transition into a dual role – I am now working with two teams, Talent & Organisation Strategies, which focuses on culture and engagement, and the Talent Acquisition team, where I work on refining our talent attraction and hiring model.
What you should know before joining GIC
Reach out to someone at GIC to learn more about the function or role you’re interested in. Speaking with someone will help you understand more about the common concerns that people have: what it’s really like to work here, whether they’d enjoy the role… So, my advice is to go on LinkedIn and connect with a GICian.
Aside from that, I believe it is worth asking what truly matters to you! In all honesty, I didn’t think working for a purpose-driven company was that important to me, but since starting at GIC, I’ve realised how important it is to work for a company that allows me to feel connected to something bigger than myself.