Meeting of the IOTA Forum on Human Resource Management “Building People-Centric Future-Ready Organisation”

This year's HRM Forum centered on the experiences and perspectives related to cultivating a people-centric culture in tax administrations, aiming to create a fulfilling and productive workplace for all. In today's fast-paced and competitive environment, particularly with the rise of hybrid working models, fostering a people-centric organisational culture has become increasingly vital. This approach places the needs and well-being of employees at the forefront, acknowledging that they are the backbone of any successful organisation. Moreover, it ensures that employees feel valued, respected, and supported, which leads to enhanced job satisfaction, motivation, and productivity.

The Forum facilitated discussions and provided country examples of initiatives aimed at building a people-centric organisational culture within tax administrations. Throughout the event, participants engaged in an interactive platform that included presentations, group activities, and Q&A sessions focused on identifying and implementing various elements of a people-centric culture in tax administrations.

The opening day of the Forum featured speakers from IOTA member countries, including Belgium, Switzerland, and Ukraine. Participants examined the most challenging issues facing IOTA member tax administrations as they aimed to integrate different components of people-centric organisations. Discussions focused on how an effective people-centric organisation can contribute to building successful employer branding strategiesand strengthening corporate values and culture within tax administrations. Representatives from IOTA member countries contributed to this dialogue.

• Switzerland: “Our values – working together. How have socio-political developments influenced values and cooperation in the Swiss Tax Administration?” presented by Phil Abgottspon;
• Ukraine: “Corporate Culture Development in the State Tax Service of Ukraine”, co-presented by Dmytro Tsymbaliuk & Svitlana Savostianyk

The afternoon program featured a presentation “Building Employer Branding Strategies” and a Workshop led by the Belgian delegation, including Joke Bauwens, Inge Mattens & Louise Olivier. They engaged attendees in an interactive quiz game and group discussions, which provided an opportunity to learn about successful employer branding strategies, enhancing the employee and candidate experience, as well as onboarding and mentoring programs in the Belgian Tax Administration. Participants also explored the five key stages of an employee’s journey during the practical group exercise.

 Throughout the second day of the Forum, attendees gained insights into various countries' approaches and initiatives aimed at improving employee experience and engagement at different career stages. Discussions also included strategies for developing leadership skills and fostering resilience to help organizations become more productive and better equipped for future challenges. Representatives from various IOTA member countries also shared their perspectives on the topic:

• Azerbaijan: “HR reforms at STS Azerbaijan: presentation of Reward and Career path projects implemented in 2024” presented by Aytan Karimova;
• France: “The career path project“ presented by Catherine Campinchi; (joined online)
• Croatia: “Effective Onboarding: Building Engaged and Empowered Newcomers” presented by Marija Lončar,
• United Kingdom:  “The whole is greater than the sum of the parts. Developing enterprise leadership capability in HMRC”, presented by Annabelle Simmons Juritz; (joined online)
• Finland: “Leading and managing change resilience with data” presented by Laura Nousiainen

Participants were updated on the latest VITARA Portfolio, presented by Roman Bichevoy, IOTA's Strategy and Institutional Development Manager. They also learned about the recent activities of the OECD FTA Community of Interest on HR and its collaboration with IOTA, presented by Ulrika Lindhoff & Fiona May. Gabriela Tanase & Alexandru Crisan from Romania, along with their IOTA partners, provided insights into one of the latest IOTA Peer-to-Peer Technical Assistance Projects.

The closing day of the Forum particularly addressed the application experience of AI technology and looked at tax administrations’ perspectives on applying artificial intelligence in human resource practices. The plenary sessions featured speakers from the IOTA member Greece along with representatives from Microsoft:

• Greece:  “AI in Tax Administration: Opportunities and Challenges for Gender Equity” presented by Vicky Kolovou;
• Microsoft:  “Navigating the AI Revolution - 8 Learnings from Microsoft HR's Journey”, co-presented by Ingrid Heschl &  Valentina Ion (joined online)

At the end of the event, attendees actively participated in a final panel debate to share lessons learned, see if their expectations had been met, and discuss the main benefits of the 3-day HR-related technical activity.

All the materials, presentations, and photographs are now available online and the event recording will be uploaded to the event’s webpage shortly. The HRM Forum was facilitated by IOTA International Taxation Expert Oksana Stepanenko and supported by IOTA Strategy and Institutional Development Manager Roman Bichevoy.