Vice President of Human Resources

Karina Guaba has dedicated her career to fostering individualized growth and development in the Dominican Republic. After completing graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the renowned Universidad APEC, she spent the better part of a decade creating innovative initiatives that support company's business strategies. In 2000, she became the Human Resources (HR) Manager at Unilever, where she was crucial in the Knorr Bestfood acquisition and strategy alignment for the Caribbean. During her years at Unilever, she honed her skills in enhancing Organizational Development, recruitment and training programs. Eventually joined Grupo Puntacana as the Vice President of HR, where she has spent 20 years revolutionizing the company.

Her efforts have significantly improved regional communities' ability to serve international clients through Human Management Services, transforming quality assurance processes, occupational safety, and health strategies. Guaba understands that happy employees are key to delivering stress-free hospitality. In an era increasingly dominated by robotics, she emphasizes the importance of blending traditional customer service with modern technology.

In this interview, Guaba highlights the impact of strengthening mental health and workplace stability on uplifting employees. Her leadership programs contribute to a client-centric culture by connecting workers with healthy lifestyles.

Unlocking Success with a Culture of Wellbeing

I have been with Grupo Puntacana for twenty years. We define ourselves as transformational pioneers in the tourism sector, specializing in island environments. We are not just building an industry but also a community that can serve international clients while enhancing regional hosting capacities and nurturing the human element essential to our culture.

Our People Strategy at Grupo Puntacana is built on these principles:

• We offer an environment in which all employees can focus on their professional and personal development: WE GUARANTEE SAFE WORK ENVIRONMENTS, suitable for enhancing Performance

• We are responsible for the development of our capabilities to grow integrally. : We believe in self-development; we have made agreements with 1st level Educational Institutions in order to enable the continuous learning of our collaborators.

• Designs of Technological Platforms for easy access to online training available to collaborators: (PUNTACANA ACADEMY)

• We work on compensation and benefits in a personalized and innovative way.

• We believe in FAIR and competitive compensation; we measure its impact and design benefits that adjust to what our collaborators value.

• Our people have exceptional careers: We believe in the Development of Competencies and Skills that allow us to enhance growth within the organization; We train in Leadership and provide opportunities within all the companies that make up the Puntacana group

• We focus on the comprehensive well-being of our people. We work on Wellbeing in a comprehensive way with a strategy that touches on its 4 pillars: emotional, social, physical & financial

• We are inclusive, respect diversity and promote equal opportunities.

• We believe in family behaviors and values.

We believe that financial wellness is integral to overall well-being. To address this, we ensure competitive pay and positions in the market. Mental well-being is prioritized through leadership development, emphasizing self-awareness and self-perception. Our organizational culture values mental health support, respect for human dignity, and privacy.

“In today's competitive world, organizations focus on the humanity of their workforce and employee experiences. The key to sustainable success is creating a purpose-driven organization where people connect with more than just a job.”

Physical well-being is promoted through year-round, in-house projects. Currently, our focus is on cardiovascular health, addressing nutrition and stress factors. We create spaces for social interaction and privacy, offering opportunities for marathons, yoga, and general fitness, all while honoring local culture. We provide a unique experience of happiness, fostering a positive environment for our over 3,000 employees. Monthly, we offer employees spaces to relax and engage in recreational activities.

As a large and widely dispersed company, we prioritize regular communication and bring employees together in a common interactive space. This is essential for breaking post-pandemic fears of physical proximity and fostering a sense of relief and control. We also offer financial well-being support through coaching to help employees manage finances and achieve life goals. For example, personal coaching and gamification can assist employees in planning to purchase a home or send their children to university.

Preserving Mental Health and Stability

Maintaining the mental health and stability of all employees is crucial. Two significant HR trends today focus on improving employee experiences for long-term well-being and recognizing the advantages of artificial intelligence (AI). We see technology not as a substitute for humans but as an aid to help employees make better decisions, save operational resources, and work more efficiently.

Breaking Barriers with Long-term Development

We have numerous success stories and transformational initiatives in social and financial well-being. We are very proud to have 2 Educational Institutions where we provide education for our employees' children: an internationally certified bilingual school and a Spanish unilingual school. Our executives act as mentors, providing additional resources like workbooks, reading materials, and summer camps to support children in need. This helps break the cycle of poverty by enabling children from economically unstable backgrounds to graduate from bilingual schools.

We collaborate with various organizations, local authorities, churches, and international universities like Virginia college of osteopathic medicine, Akron Children Hospital managing a Pediatric Center and a Especial Needs Children Center. Grupo Puntacana also provides school facilities and funding for teaching staff to enhance local educational opportunities. An excellent example is our Polytechnical High School, managed jointly with the state and the Catholic Church, which creates 70 to 100 graduates every year. Virginia Tech is a close partner to this school, providing doctors and technical devices, with over 100 daily health consultations.

For our employees, we developed a remarkable project called Caracolí, a residential compound where over 500 employees have been able to acquire the homes. This social project supports employees in different life stages, helping them secure housing.

Sustainability and Environmental Stewardship

We are committed to sustainability, working with local fishermen to preserve the coral reefs, flora, and marine environment. Fishermen receive training in innovative practices to protect our natural ecosystems. We operate a laboratory to accelerate species development, hosting students from universities like Providence, Rhode Island, and Texas University on the island. Our employees are actively engaged in recycling and waste management initiatives, recycling five to ten percent of resort waste and repurposing all wastewater for our golf course.

The Human Element in Organizational Success

In today's competitive world, organizations focus on the humanity of their workforce and employee experiences. The key to sustainable success is creating a purpose-driven organization where people connect with more than just a job, but a meaningful experience. Organizations are built on human efforts toward common goals, and focusing on purpose ensures long-term success.

A robust strategy begins with individuals and their visions. By prioritizing people and their aspirations, organizations can thrive. Forget about resources and talents as the primary focus; instead, emphasize the humans behind the success. When you prioritize people, organizations naturally succeed.