Behind every steepling success lies a team that brings expertise, experience, energy, and passion to make the impossible possible
Words by Aarti Govekar
At Turner, our people come first. We build some of the world’s most iconic and complex projects, but behind every structure that defines a skyline lies a team of remarkable people who bring their expertise, experience, energy, and passion to make the impossible possible. This culture and mindset makes this organization so special. They are our most valuable asset, and every project we deliver is a tribute to their capability, commitment, and character.
Moving Beyond Policy: Building Organizational Resilience
Working in an industry that operates under intense environment, accelerated schedule, complex stakeholder dynamics, and unpredictable challenges, an HR must go far beyond policies or procedures. Our role is to build resilience within individuals across the organization.
At Turner, this is achieved through consistent and proactive engagement with our workforce. The Human Resources function operates not as a back-office operation, but as a strategic partner embedded on the ground. We actively work to understand the rhythm and pulse of our teams across various sites and operations. This close proximity enables HR to identify potential issues and risks before they can escalate, thereby ensuring timely intervention and resolution. Crucially, this strategic presence also allows us to recognize and celebrate the daily achievements and incremental successes that might otherwise go unnoticed.
We are fortunate to inherit a strong cultural foundation from our parent company in the U.S. — something we proudly call the “Turner Blue Blood.” It represents more than just identity; it’s a shared belief in Active Caring, empathy, and inclusion. It’s about looking out for one another — knowing that someone’s wellbeing or sense of safety directly impacts the quality and success of a project.
Attracting and Retaining World-Class Talent
Turner’s success is entirely dependent on world-class talent from engineers to field teams. Our HR mission is twofold: first, we employ a robust talent acquisition process focused on alignment to find people who share our core values of teamwork and integrity, going beyond paper qualifications. Second, and more importantly, we focus on retention by cultivating a culture of belonging, often called the “Turner Family.”
We maintain a genuine, literal open-door policy, ensuring every employee feels heard, supported, and valued, which motivates them to give their best. This commitment to seeing and including every person defines our equitable culture. Furthermore, we implement strategic Succession Planning to identify and develop high-potential individuals, ensuring clear growth paths and future-proofing our leadership while supporting our employees’ long-term professional success.
Building a Culture Where Every Voice Matters
On a complex project site, even one voice not being heard can have consequences — for safety, for coordination, for morale. Inclusion here isn’t just a value; it’s a necessity.
One initiative I’m particularly proud of is our Creating the Right Environment sessions. These are held on every project site, where the team itself defines what kind of workplace they want to build together. These conversations allow people to open up, express concerns, and co-create the culture they wish to experience.
We also follow the Last Planner System, which ensures that information and accountability flow down to every level, even the most junior team member on site. I love how this system reinforces the idea that every person matters and that inclusion isn’t just about representation, but about participation.
The Human Factor Behind Project Success
If we were to pinpoint the single human factor, transcending technical expertise, that guarantees success on large, complex projects, it would undoubtedly be collaboration.
While technical brilliance is non-negotiable, without true collaboration, it remains potential rather than tangible results. Our projects thrive because they are built on a foundation of mutual trust, powered by open communication, and unified by a shared purpose among all team members.
Our core values – Teamwork, Integrity, and Commitment are not just aspirational; they are the bedrock that guides our daily work and decision-making processes.
As HR professionals, we deliberately integrate these traits into the fabric of the organization through targeted leadership development, personalized coaching, and continuous, constructive dialogue.
Our goal is to foster an environment where our people feel empowered to take initiative, lead their teams with genuine empathy, and uphold mutual accountability with the highest degree of respect and professionalism. This deliberate focus ensures our values translate directly into impactful, human-centered performance.
The Future of Work: Intelligent, Lean, and Human
The construction industry is evolving rapidly, and so must we. I’m a strong believer in blending human intelligence with digital intelligence. We promote a lean culture — minimizing waste, optimizing time, and enhancing productivity — while also embracing innovation.
Innovation and future development are fundamentally driven by continuous progress in technology. Following our successful partnership, we have rolled out the OpenAI Enterprise licensed version to ensure every Turner employee has access.
To maximize the benefits of this technology, we have launched a dedicated internal AI initiative. This effort focuses on identifying practical applications and providing guidance to help every individual within Turner harness the power of AI effectively.
The key term we use in Turner is not AI but IA that is intelligence augmented. We embrace AI and automation, we never lose sight of what makes Turner truly strong — our people. Technology is an enabler; our culture is the engine.
In the End
At the heart of every Turner project is a simple truth: people build projects, and culture builds people. My role, and that of my HR team, is to nurture that culture — one that’s inclusive, resilient, and deeply human.
Walking through a finished project, the pride on our team’s faces tells the whole story: our buildings are held together not just by materials, but by trust, care, and collaboration. This human connection is what makes Turner truly iconic.
The author is Head HR Turner International India
