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Meet the 2024 Top Inspiring Workplaces Judges: Jody Ordioni

IW: We’re delighted to be joined by one of our judges for the Top Inspiring Workplaces 2024: Jody Ordioni. Firstly, What does an Inspiring Workplace mean to you?

An IW is a culture of people who are heard, feel valued, and are excited to come to work each day. As someone passionate about culture and building authentic and engaging talent brands, I believe that within an Inspiring Workplace, employees are not merely workers; they are motivated investors committed to their own professional development and their organization’s mission and success.

IW: You’re a judge for the Top Inspiring Workplaces 2024. What do you hope to see in the entries?

I love to learn new things so I see each award submission as an opportunity to learn from the diverse approaches organizations take in fostering engagement and adding quantifiable positive impact to their company’s bottom line. I am particularly hoping to see entries from smaller companies, lesser known companies, highlighting that creating an Inspiring Workplace is achievable regardless of financial constraints.

IW: Following on from that, What are three areas of focus for organizations looking to improve the people experience?

You need to be constantly listening to your employees, keeping your promises and committing to do better.

I recommend that companies looking to improve the people experience focus on these 3 things:

Provide a Personalized Employee Experience: To the extent that you can, customize benefits, career paths, and work arrangements to align with the diverse expectations of a multigenerational workforce.
Add a Tech Stack Pupose-Built for Flexibility: Given the desire for remote/hybrid work, organizations should prioritize the integration of new technologies to support flexible work arrangements and seamless collaboration across different geographies.
Connect Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) from Awareness Through Engagement: Consistent strategies for attracting, retaining, and advancing talent from various backgrounds is essential. This means addressing biases in hiring and managing talent to foster a true sense of trust and belonging for everyone in the workplace at every phase they are in their career or consideration process.

IW: Leadership plays a huge role in everything we’ve just spoken about. What do you think is the most important quality in a leader?

A leader is someone whose has vision and communicates it in understandable yet compelling way. Leaders are people you can always believe in and enthusiastically support.

IW: What’s the best advice you were ever given? Who was it from?

The best advice I was ever given was from Voltaire who told me one day (in French) “Jody, don’t let perfect be the enemy of the good.” That gives me the courage to move forward with ideas that may be imperfect or half-baked, but may also incrementally leave something better than it would have been without me, and better faster than if I had waited.

A Fun ones to end! Favourite film, album, best song to get you motivated at work and best place you’ve ever visited and biggest inspiration:

Favourite film: Pulp Fiction
Favourite Album: Avalon- Roxy Music
Best song to get you motivated at work: Get Lucky: Daft Punk – I dare anyone not to chair dance when it comes on!
Best place you have ever visited: Every beach.
Your biggest inspiration: Every beach.