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Central Retail has united 40,000 employees under this initiative; streamlining processes and strengthening collaboration to deliver transformation that has boosted speed, clarity, and pride across its workforce.
Central Retail Corporation recognised that true growth is not just about expansion, but evolution. Its organisation transformation has focused on simplifying processes, enhancing systems, and introducing automation to make work simpler, while keeping people at the heart of every change.
With teams collaborating more closely, making quicker decisions, and taking greater ownership, the HR team knew they were on the right path.
"Transformation succeeds when structure becomes leaner, responsibilities become clearer, and people find it simpler to do their jobs.," says Panchalee Weeratammawat, Chief People Officer (featured above, in centre).
Guided by the principle of ‘One CRC, One HR Team’, HR encouraged cross-unit collaboration and support, allowing 40,000 employees across 15 business units in Thailand to feel connected, empowered, and future-ready.
Central Retail’s people-centred approach earned recognition at the HR Excellence Awards 2025, Thailand where the company won multiple awards including:
- Gold for Excellence in HR Change Management
- Gold Excellence in Business Transformation
- Gold for Excellence in HR Communication Strategy
- Gold for Excellence in Graduate Recruitment and Development
- Gold for Excellence in Employee Advocacy and Brand Ambassadors
- Gold for Best HR Team
- Gold for HR Leader of the Year (Panchalee Weeratammawat)
- Silver for Excellence in Learning and Development
- Silver for Excellence in In-House Talent Pipeline Strategy
- Silver for Excellence in Women Empowerment Strategy
- Silver for Excellence in Talent Management, Excellence in Talent Acquisition
- Silver for Employer of the Year
- Bronze for Excellence in Agile Talent Mobility
- Overall HREA Winner
Following the awards, Khun Panchalee tells HRO that HR leadership requires resilience and the courage to do what is right, even when it is not easy. Leading with authenticity, empathy, and purpose, she said, allows transformation to be meaningful and sustainable, with progress beginning when actions are guided by people, not just strategy.
Read on for the full interview.
Q Tell us about your inspiring HR initiative – what sparked the idea, and how did you know it was the right path to take?
As Central Retail grew in scale and complexity, we recognised that true growth isn’t just about expansion — it’s about evolution. We needed to become leaner, faster, and more connected to our customers while keeping our people at the heart of every change. Our organisation transformation focused on streamlining processes, enhancing systems, and introducing automation to make work simpler, not harder.
The goal was to build efficiency without losing empathy — to move forward at a pace our people could grow with. When we began seeing stronger collaboration, quicker decisions, and a renewed sense of ownership across teams, we knew we were on the right path. Transformation succeeds when structure becomes leaner, responsibilities become clearer, and people find it simpler to do their jobs.
Q Every journey has its ups and downs – can you share a challenge your team faced and how you worked through it together?
Our biggest challenge was navigating the complexity of a large and diverse organisation — over 40,000 employees across 15 business units in Thailand, spanning multiple generations and facing constant external disruptions. Driving transformation in such a dynamic environment requires deep understanding, empathy, and agility.
The key was unity. As HR, we learned that transformation cannot succeed unless we move as ‘One CRC, One HR Team’. We worked closely across businesses to address issues together. When one unit faced a challenge, others stepped in to help unlock solutions. This spirit of collaboration and support made people feel truly connected and empowered. It turned complexity into synergy, and challenges into progress.
Q What impact has this initiative had on your organisation so far, and what do you hope it inspires in the wider HR community?
Our organisation transformation has delivered both structural and human impact. We’ve seen stronger alignment across functions, faster decision-making, and clearer accountability that have directly improved productivity and cost efficiency. At the same time, the journey has strengthened our people — teams are more confident, connected, and future-ready. By simplifying processes and empowering leaders to make decisions closer to action, we’ve unlocked potential at every level.
The most rewarding outcome is seeing employees take pride in how they contribute to CRC’s success. I hope our story encourages other organisations to see transformation not only as an operational shift, but as an opportunity to build capability, trust, and collective ownership for the future.
Q Looking back, is there a moment, person, or value that kept you and your team motivated throughout the journey?
The strategic direction of ‘One CRC, One HR Team’ has guided us every step of the way. No matter how big the challenges are, we remind ourselves that we must move forward together, support one another, learn from every setback and thrive through those difficulties.
Seeing the diverse teams across 15 business units in Thailand work with shared purpose and pride was profoundly motivating. That unity, built on trust and empathy, keeps us grounded and inspires us to keep pushing forward through never-ending impossible missions. We didn’t just transform the organisation — we strengthened our capability as One Team.
Q If you could offer one golden nugget of wisdom to HR professionals aiming for excellence, what would it be?
Have the resilience and courage to do what’s right, even when it isn’t easy.
True HR leadership is not about quick wins or popularity; it’s about making decisions that create lasting value for people and the organisation.
The path to excellence often requires patience, persistence, and belief in your purpose. When HR leads with authenticity, empathy, and courage, transformation becomes meaningful and sustainable. Remember that progress begins the moment you choose to act with heart, not just with strategy.
Read more interviews on why organisations have won trophies for their HR practices - head over to our Winning Secrets section!
Photos: Provided
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