Kuala lumpur: Winning employees' trust and sense of purpose is the first step to organisational transformation, says former Group Chief Human Capital Officer Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG) Datuk Dr Mohd Khalis Abdul Rahim.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Mohd Khalis, drawing from his experience in organisational transformation, said many change initiatives fail because organisations focus on restructuring, processes, and performance metrics before rebuilding employees' emotional connection with their workplace. He emphasized that organisations should first restore employees' sense of meaning, purpose, and pride, especially when financial resources are limited and monetary incentives are not an option.
Mohd Khalis stated, "You are trying to motivate an organisation to get out of the slumber and be a high-performing organisation in a short period of time without having any money to incentivise people. What can you give them? You can give them care and pride. Tell them we are in this together, we sink and swim together." He added that giving employees back their meaning, purpose, and pride is essential for organisational movement and success.
He further explained during the Closing Wisdom Exchange session at the 2nd Wisdom Malaysia Conference 2026 that only after winning employees' hearts and souls should organisations embark on transformation plans and business recovery strategies. Mohd Khalis also highlighted the importance of effective leadership, which requires managers to consistently communicate with employees instead of waiting for formal appraisal sessions.
Additionally, transformation leaders should avoid relying entirely on consultant-driven frameworks and instead understand the realities faced by employees on the ground through direct engagement. Organised by Kerjaya One PLT, the conference serves as a platform for current and former industry leaders to share their knowledge, experience, and insights with leaders, emerging leaders, and professionals. The event features learning sessions on leadership, discernment skills, and transformation case studies, as well as question-and-answer and networking sessions to enable participants to gain practical insights from the speakers.