Market View

Adaptive HR in a Dynamic World: Navigating Diversity, Jurisdiction, and the Modern Workforce

Interview with

Lisa Zangari

Chief People Officer, Livingston International

About Lisa Zangari

Lisa Zangari is the Chief People Officer at Livingston International, a role she has held since November 2022. Based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Lisa is a strategic advisor and senior executive with expertise in various aspects of human resources and organizational effectiveness. Her responsibilities include developing and implementing people strategies that drive results and enhance organizational effectiveness. Lisa has 20 years of senior executive experience, having supported board committees and led HR strategy in the technology and precious metals sectors. Her expertise spans organizational design and effectiveness, succession planning, talent management, change management, and leadership development.

How does your organization navigate the complexities of operating under multiple jurisdictions with varying localization requirements?

I’m a firm believer in meeting the business where it is. We primarily utilize a decentralized model within our HR framework, centralizing certain compliance requirements that are consistent worldwide. Having the necessary HR expertise in each location is crucial, as it provides us with valuable knowledge and insight. We integrate our corporate strategies with the specific needs of each region, supported by technology that enables centralized reporting while respecting the unique characteristics of each location. Our approach to technology is to create an integrated platform that leverages data to make informed decisions. When I first joined, we had a variety of systems, platforms, and SaaS products. Today, we are focused on streamlining with a clear organizational roadmap, ensuring that all technology decisions align with this vision. Another critical consideration is the user experience and interface friendliness, which we prioritize with any technology changes or additions we implement.

Looking ahead, how do you see HR management evolving given the rapid changes in the work environment?

I believe we are at the forefront of a significant transformation curve, and there are several key areas of evolution. First, I believe hybrid work is here to stay with a global workforce, so we need to adapt our programs and processes accordingly. Second, I see a growing emphasis on holistic wellness, shifting from merely offering health and welfare benefits to embracing a comprehensive approach that considers the whole person, their family, and our role as an employer in actively supporting the well-being of our associates. Lastly, and most exciting to me, is the relevance of and our implementation of AI. We have multiple workstreams implementing machine learning and AI in our business processes and from an HR perspective, we will use it initially as our help desk, with many employee relations queries handled through AI. We have been quite progressive in this area, being early adopters of ChatGPT and incorporating AI-powered HR solutions into our tech roadmap. In early 2025, we will have a sophisticated AI powered platform containing all of our policies, guidelines, and talent-related documentation, allowing associates to instantly access any HR-related information they need. It's particularly exciting because our associates will receive immediate responses to their queries at any time, which will enhance associate experience and operational efficiency.

How do you ensure your HR platform remains flexible and adaptive to changing business needs?

While we acknowledge we are not yet where we want to be, we maintain a growth mindset. We continuously assess the insights we can derive and the capabilities of our data and analytics offerings. We assess our systems quarterly to ensure they remain relevant and effective, and seize opportunities to become more efficient or integrate new technology software. As a global company with an ambitious growth strategy, we are poised for significant changes in the coming years, making scalability in HR technology essential. We view technology decisions more holistically now, focusing on how we can integrate effectively and create systems that support our evolving business needs. Our emphasis on user experience aligns with our core objective in people and culture: enhancing the employee experience.

Your organization seems to have made significant progress with AI integration. Could you elaborate on its practical applications?

From a business operations perspective, we are integrating AI into our customs records and requirements processing, implementing a layer that significantly enhances accuracy and reduces errors. Importantly, this technology will not replace our associate team but will enhance their efficiency and streamline their workflows. From an HR perspective, we have found innovative ways to utilize AI. For example, our communications team has adopted an approach where writers create content and then use ChatGPT to explore alternative angles or adjust the tone. In 2024, we completed a project where we used AI to modernize our library of job descriptions, some of which were 15-20 years old, resulting in a completely refreshed, current job description library. We also leveraged the power of AI in our engagement survey process, specifically to gather insights and develop action plans. The success of these use cases has shown us that we are just scratching the surface of AI's potential in HR operations and employee experience enhancement.

Could you share your approach to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) initiatives?

Our DEIB journey began recently and we are making significant strides. My philosophy on DEIB emphasizes that the greatest value for us as an employer comes from fostering inclusion and belonging, with diversity and equity serving as fundamental principles of responsible business and good corporate citizenship. Currently, we are prioritizing inclusion and belonging with full executive support. We have formed a diverse stakeholder committee, led by senior leaders, to define what DEIB means specifically for our organization. The committee has already achieved key milestones, including finalizing our DEIB policy and launching employee resource groups for historically marginalized groups, with the Women in Leadership Group thriving for over a year and a half. Although we do not track detailed diversity statistics, we closely monitor global legislation and best practices to ensure our approach is relevant and effective.

About Livingston International

Livingston International Inc. is a leading customs brokerage and compliance services firm that facilitates international trade across North American borders. Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, the company provides comprehensive services in customs brokerage, compliance consulting, and trade management solutions to ensure efficient and compliant trade operations for businesses. With a strong focus on leveraging technology and expert insights, Livingston International helps streamline the complexities of importing and exporting goods, making it a trusted partner for companies engaged in global trade.