Rehan Anthonis of Sysco LABS speaks at SHRM Annual Conference – India 2023

Rehan Anthonis, Director of People Operations at Sysco LABS, the global in-house centre for Sysco, the world’s largest foodservice company, was invited to share his insights at the prestigious Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) India’s Annual Conference & Expo 2023. 

The SHRM India Annual Conference & Expo, a premier global event for HR professionals, gathered over 2,000 attendees and featured several expert panels discussing contemporary topics of interest in the people and culture space. Anthonis was invited to be part of the panel discussion, which explored the theme of ‘Driving Diversity, Equity and Inclusion with Data’  and was one of the only two Sri Lankan representatives chosen to speak at this event.

With over 18 years of experience in the human resources and people management space, including talent management, organisational development and business partnering, Anthonis shared his expertise on modern workforce demands and how technology can enable it. 

Speaking to attendees about the importance of investing time in understanding their employees, their motivations and drivers, Anthonis said, “Initially, we must acknowledge that in certain areas of HR practice, empathy takes precedence over data. DEI is one such area where we may face data limitations, due to the sensitive nature of these issues: employees may not readily share their experiences. In such cases, organisations should invest time in truly understanding their people—delving into their backgrounds, behaviours and motivations. Open conversations are key to gaining valuable insights. These learnings together with complementary data can guide stronger strategic decision-making. At Sysco LABS, we encourage candid conversations and urge our colleagues to share feedback. Our aim is to make the workplace a safe space where colleagues can be themselves.”