Wholesale Vila Nova

Helmar Fernandes

Organizational Growth Advisor

Helmar Fernandes is an HR professional with over 20 years of experience, including 15 years in leadership roles as an HR generalist across various industries. He holds a degree in Business Administration, an international specialization in Human Resources from Carlson School of Management University of Minnesota, and a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt certification.

Currently, Fernandes serves as the Head of People at Group Vila Nova, one of the top 10 wholesale companies in Brazil. In this role, he is responsible for the people strategy across five companies within the Group. He leads a team of over 20 professionals across HR, payroll and personnel administration and facilities, supporting more than 1,500 employees.

Fostering Connection through Storytelling

With a legacy of 96 years, the company is in a phase of significant growth, investing in new ventures with a focus on sustainable growth and innovation.

We value open, honest and transparent communication. Leveraging storytelling to promote our culture has proven to be an excellent strategy to keep everyone on the same page. Recently, we revised the entire business ideology, transitioning from the traditional model of mission, vision, and values to a more straightforward approach based on mission, purpose, and principles. To communicate this new ideology, there was no better way than sharing our 96-year journey and connecting it with our vision for the future of the group’s businesses. I personally visited every company unit to ensure that this message was conveyed in a way that allowed each employee to connect their role to the larger purpose of the organization. We also built a new institutional video to tell this story in a few minutes, which will be available in our websites and social networks. 

Technology-Driven Strategies for Innovation and Employee Engagement

We are deeply connected to the future. Even before the pandemic, we were prepared to embrace a B2B e-commerce strategy. In HR, we utilize top-tier recruitment and selection tools, along with BI systems for data management about our employees. More recently, we implemented an engagement platform designed to support the employee journey at every stage. This platform leverages gamification, celebrations, surveys, feedback management, performance evaluations, grievance channels, and other features to help us engage with all of our audiences effectively. We also encourage every employee to dive into the world of innovation through a program that rewards innovative initiatives suggested by any employee that can be implemented within the business. 

“As HR professionals, we need to serve as a bridge between business strategy and the aspirations of each individual within the organization. Empathy and resilience are essential”

Employer Branding Through Purpose, Culture and Reputation

Building a strong employer brand is essential to attracting the best talent in the market. That’s why we clearly communicate our purpose and encourage every employee to act as an ambassador for our culture. Employer branding is still an emerging topic in Brazil, and we aim to lead the way by maintaining a strong presence on social media and fostering innovation across all areas. But we also know that employer branding is not an idea that you sell in your public channels. Our reputation is our greatest asset, and the way we care for our people is the message we want to share publicly to inspire the best talent in the market to join our team.

Creating a Culture of Feedback and Leadership Excellence

When I joined this group 10 months ago, I knew I faced the challenge of fostering a culture of constant and constructive feedback among our leaders. We are currently developing our leaders to ensure they align expectations and provide consistent feedback to each and Every employee. Through the digital platform we implemented, leaders can document one-on-one meetings, feedback sessions, and performance evaluations all in one place, allowing us to track this journey in real time. This year, we will launch a leadership development program that reinforces this focus and provides deeper insights into building transparent relationships through continuous feedback.

Shaping HR's Role as a Strategic Driver for Business Success

Increasingly, HR is shifting from being a support area to becoming a strategic driver for business success. In my Opinion, for those starting in the HR field, two key approaches will make a difference in their roles.

The first is to understand how to turn data into actionable insights. Mastering people analytics tools will be a significant advantage in this area. By deeply analyzing data and combining demographic and statistical information, we can better predict behaviors and scenarios that help align and engage people around a shared purpose.

The second approach is maintaining a human-centered perspective, considering people in all their dimensions—not just as employees. Supporting their physical, mental, and financial well-being enables them to become the best versions of themselves, both personally and professionally. This, in turn, fosters growth and purpose.

As HR professionals, we need to serve as a bridge between business strategy and the aspirations of each individual within the organization. Empathy and resilience are essential, and when combined with a sense of ownership and strategic thinking, they create a skill set that allows HR professionals to stand out and make a meaningful impact on the lives of the people that we reach through our work.