As the pandemic swept the globe and brought chaos to how employees worked, it also drove unprecedented HR transformation in many organizations. For financial services titan Synchrony, the successful transformation to a flexible hybrid work model hinged on several factors, particularly the rise of a new coaching culture.

In addition to connecting its more than 20,000 employees worldwide with coaching, Synchrony's retooled HR strategy has also included eliminating annual performance reviews as HR prioritizes active listening, says DJ Casto, executive vice president and CHRO.

Related: What a strong coaching culture can do for trust, performance and resilience