Team energy as an asset: Kazakh HR leaders seek new sources of growth

Almaty welcomes warmth and dynamism in November. This charged, businesslike atmosphere became the perfect backdrop for the HR NEXT Forum, which took place on November 7 at the Narxoz Business School. Moderating this conference was a logical continuation of the work of Stayf co-founder Maxim Zhurilo: for over 10 years, he has been helping companies transform team energy into a strategic resource.

The forum confirmed a trend we observe worldwide: the focus of successful companies is shifting from process optimization to managing people's energy. This is no longer an HR trend, but a business imperative.

The theme "Reboot. Energy within the company" set the tone for a deep and practical discussion. Speakers from ForteBank, Beeline, and VEON shared not textbook postulates, but real cases and pain points:

• Sources of strength: where do organizations and their employees draw energy for a leap?
• Wellbeing vs. productivity: how to turn team care from a cost item into a systematic driver of performance?
• Resilience to change: what truly helps maintain employees' resource state in conditions of permanent turbulence?

"For me, as someone immersed in the topic of corporate energy, such a discussion is invaluable," shares Maxim Zhurilo. "It was clear that the audience was not waiting for ready-made answers but was ready to seek out non-obvious solutions together. The atmosphere was genuinely warm and professional."

The visit to Almaty was an eye-opener for us. The Kazakh market has made a powerful leap in the last 15 years. Local companies demonstrate not only economic growth but also a mature understanding of a simple truth: in the modern economy, the main asset is energized, healthy, and productive employees.

Investments in team energy are increasingly seen here not as a benefit but as a strategic necessity for sustainable development and innovation.

Participation in the HR NEXT Forum is an important signal for us. We saw a community of progressive HR leaders who think in terms of the future and are ready to implement the best global practices.

Our mission at Stayf is to help companies create a culture where people's energy becomes a measurable competitive advantage. We are confident that our approach, backed by research from the Wellbeing Research Centre at the University of Oxford, will be organically in demand in Kazakhstan. We are ready to share scientifically-based methodologies and work with Kazakh colleagues to create an environment where people do not burn out but unlock their potential, directly impacting business results.

Kazakhstan has proven that it is ready for such solutions. If you are looking for a systematic approach to managing the wellbeing, energy, and productivity of your employees, let’s discuss how the Stayf platform can help your company.