iTnews
  • Home
  • Videos
  • Digital Nation
  • Finance
Digital Nation

Case Study: Intrepid Group uses global travel shutdown to reimagine HR function

By Velvet-Belle Templeman
Tom Duvall
Nov 3 2021 7:00AM

Considers the hybrid work question.

The global travel industry was one of the hardest hit by COVID, and had no choice but buckle down in an attempt to weather the COVID storm.


Digital Nation spoke to Natalie Kidd, chief people and purpose officer at Intrepid Group, to learn about the transformation that the HR function underwent when the pandemic hit.

  • Subscribe to Digital Nation Australia's twice-weekly newsletter

According to Kidd, Intrepid is fundamentally a people-led business that relies on engagement with customers, an activity greatly disrupted with the pandemic.

It was putting people and purpose at the heart of Intrepid’s strategy as well as aligning a global team with the purpose of delivering excellent customer experience that was the foundation of a strategic reimaging for the company, spurred on by the business’s pandemic driven hibernation.

During the past 18 months, Kidd says that she saw a change to Intrepid’s people-process, with the businesses focus likely to look quite different going forward.

“What’s obviously changed is that everybody has gotten used to remote work, and that comes with positives and negatives,” says Kidd.

“People are enjoying working from home, enjoying having less commute time, and enjoying the ability to be a little bit more flexible… however, on the other side, we’re also seeing increased levels of isolation, and increased situations of deteriorating mental health.”

According to Kidd, the culture at Intrepid Group has always been a key focus and is critical to managing the hybrid work question as we emerge from the pandemic.

In managing this shift in work, Kidd believes having communicative and vocal leaders will ensure employee wellbeing remains a priority.

“The absolute key thing is, communicate, communicate, communicate, you can't communicate too much,” says Kidd.

“In that communication, part of it is just showing that vulnerability, seeing that we don't always, particularly in the midst of the pandemic, we don't always have all the answers.”

As the business halted to a stop during COVID, Kidd says that it gave them time to re-evaluate their digital transformation strategy and the evolution of the HR role.

“Moving forward, we want to really move into getting better data and metrics around succession planning and development. As we're rebuilding our workforce, [we can] really be ensuring that we're setting our teams up for success.”

“As a people team or an HR function, we can really set up the structures to best enable that, and support to help do it better, if managers aren't quite sure how to go about it.”

“Having the right people, making sure they're supported and have the right tools that they need, and then have them developing. That's really the critical key for me to achieving our business goals.”

Got a news tip for our journalists? Share it with us anonymously here.
Digital Nation

You just read a Digital Nation story.

There are many others like it. Subscribe to our new weekly Digital Nation e-newsletter for more HR, finance, marketing, risk and emerging technology news and discussions.

SUBSCRIBE
© Digital Nation
Tags:
digitalisationfinancegrowthhrintrepid

Related Articles

  • Riverina Water revamps its ERP Riverina Water revamps its ERP
  • ASIC to upgrade finance ERP with TechOne ASIC to upgrade finance ERP with TechOne
  • Super Retail Group to replace payroll, build HRIM Super Retail Group to replace payroll, build HRIM
  • Transport for NSW expands SAP Ariba usage Transport for NSW expands SAP Ariba usage

Partner Content

Australian organisations must act on security – or risk AI ambitions falling flat
Partner Content Australian organisations must act on security – or risk AI ambitions falling flat
Logicalis APAC CIO Report: The CIO’s 2025 Mandate
Partner Content Logicalis APAC CIO Report: The CIO’s 2025 Mandate
AI Supercharged: How Search is Powering the Future
Partner Content AI Supercharged: How Search is Powering the Future
Machine identity a key priority for organisations’ security strategies: CyberArk
Partner Content Machine identity a key priority for organisations’ security strategies: CyberArk

Sponsored Whitepapers

Leverage Technologies: Industry-Tailored ERP Implementation for Growth and Compliance
Leverage Technologies: Industry-Tailored ERP Implementation for Growth and Compliance
Service Over Signatures: The Truth About No Lock-In IT
Service Over Signatures: The Truth About No Lock-In IT
Wasabi Reveals Hidden Costs and Cloud Storage Shifts in ANZ for 2025
Wasabi Reveals Hidden Costs and Cloud Storage Shifts in ANZ for 2025
Datacom + Microsoft Azure: Turn Ideas Into Impact in Just 4 Weeks
Datacom + Microsoft Azure: Turn Ideas Into Impact in Just 4 Weeks
Protect APIs. Protect Your Business.
Protect APIs. Protect Your Business.

Events

  • Tech in Gov 2025 Tech in Gov 2025
  • Forrester's Technology & Innovation Summit APAC 2025 Forrester's Technology & Innovation Summit APAC 2025
  • Integrate Expo 2025 Integrate Expo 2025
  • Security Exhibition & Conference 2025 Security Exhibition & Conference 2025
  • Digital As Usual Cybersecurity Roadshow: Brisbane edition Digital As Usual Cybersecurity Roadshow: Brisbane edition
Share on Facebook Share on LinkedIn Share on Whatsapp Email A Friend

Most Read Articles

Suncorp is modernising its finance and HR systems

Suncorp is modernising its finance and HR systems

Australia Post starts planning its SAP modernisation

Australia Post starts planning its SAP modernisation

Super Retail Group to replace payroll, build HRIM

Super Retail Group to replace payroll, build HRIM

ASIC to upgrade finance ERP with TechOne

ASIC to upgrade finance ERP with TechOne

techpartner.news logo
Dave Stevens on Brennan's evolution and the need for Aussie tech unity
Dave Stevens on Brennan's evolution and the need for Aussie tech unity
Sydney's ITKnocks on contact centre AI and the slow death of the IVR
Sydney's ITKnocks on contact centre AI and the slow death of the IVR
"It's an exciting time to be part of the health and aged care sector"
"It's an exciting time to be part of the health and aged care sector"
Insicon founder Matt Miller on the coming 'tsunami' of compliance and educating boards about cyber security
Insicon founder Matt Miller on the coming 'tsunami' of compliance and educating boards about cyber security
Orro claims Australia first with managed digital asset discovery service
Orro claims Australia first with managed digital asset discovery service
All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in any form without prior authorisation.
Your use of this website constitutes acceptance of nextmedia's Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions.