José Rodríguez
Global Senior HR Director
Mobileum
Episode 390
The Global HR Paradox: Why Cultural Respect Trumps Uniformity
Current chapter: Covering monthly expenses is the number one concern for employees in 2024
Built By PeopleNovember 11, 2024 · 18:09
Thesis
“Effective HR leadership in a globalized world hinges on deeply understanding and respecting diverse cultures, adapting strategies to individual employee needs, and fostering an environment of tolerance and belonging.”
Show notes
Navigating Multicultural Leadership in HR: Insights from Jose Rodrigues In this episode of the Built by People podcast, host dives deep with Jose Rodrigues, Global Senior HR Director at Mobilium. Jose shares his 20-year adventurous career journey through different industries and roles, emphasizing his unique non-linear HR path. He highlights his substantial international experience, having worked across multiple countries including Angola, and discusses the complexities of managing and leading diverse, multicultural teams. Additionally, Jose offers strategies for enhancing employee experience, such as flexible benefits and adapting onboarding processes to regional cultures. His advice for HR leaders focuses on the importance of listening, attention to detail, and anticipation in today’s fast-paced and ever-changing world. 00:00 Introduction to the Built by People Podcast 00:16 Sponsorship Message from Predige 00:44 Meet Jose Rodrigues: Career Journey and Pivotal Moments 05:45 International Experiences and Leading Diverse Teams 08:01 Challenges and Strategies in Multicultural Leadership 12:14 Enhancing Employee Experience in Multicultural Environments 16:55 Parting Advice for HR Executives 18:01 Conclusion and Farewell
What you'll take away
- 1To effectively lead multicultural teams, it's crucial to understand and respect their unique cultures, values, work styles, and personal lives, rather than expecting them to conform.
- 2Overcome communication and operational barriers (like language differences in written communication or varying weekend schedules) through tolerance, clear communication, and proactive anticipation of challenges.
- 3Implement 'flex benefits' platforms, allowing employees to choose benefits that align with their personal needs and cultural values, thereby enhancing their overall experience and sense of ownership.
- 4Foster a strong sense of belonging and cultural pride in diverse teams by organizing creative online events and in-office celebrations that honor employees' cultural backgrounds.
- 5Modern HR executives must prioritize active listening, pay meticulous attention to detail, and anticipate future challenges to navigate the rapidly changing world of work effectively.
What most organizations get wrong
In José's words
“I'm not the typical HR guy. So, and because I don't have this like a typical HR career, so I, I have been working in several different industries, uh, different kind of business and, but also different kind of functions.”
This highlights a non-traditional career path that provided diverse experiences, shaping a unique HR perspective.
“When you are working with the multicultural teams and you need to understand them, you need to understand where they are coming from or where they are. So not just if they are in different locations, not just the time zones, but everything that is around them.”
This emphasizes the holistic approach required to lead diverse teams, going beyond logistics to cultural understanding.
“I am a big defender of flex benefits. So what we do in some countries that we give a certain amount in a flex benefits platform and then the person can invest that money or can use that money wherever they want. Because what is important for me, maybe it's not important for you.”
This quote champions personalized benefits as a key strategy to respect individual needs and enhance employee experience.
“We did, for example, we did some special events connected to the countries where they were coming from. So like, for example, I had one colleague from Morocco. We did a Morocco day and we did Morocco food, music. We created the environment in the office so they can feel at home.”
This provides a concrete, low-budget example of how to celebrate diverse cultures and foster inclusion within an organization.
“I think good advice would be we have two ears and one mouth. So it's an old proverb that we need to listen much more, need to pay attention to details and anticipate.”
This concise advice summarizes the core principles of effective leadership in a fast-changing HR landscape: listening, attention to detail, and foresight.
The problems this episode addresses
- •Companies struggle to effectively lead and manage multicultural teams due to a lack of understanding of diverse cultural values, work styles, and personal lives.
- •Communication breakdowns occur in global teams, especially in written form, due to varied cultural norms around directness vs. politeness, leading to potential conflict and misunderstanding.
- •Organizations face challenges in adapting standard HR processes, like onboarding and benefits, to be culturally relevant and impactful across different regions and employee demographics.
- •HR teams find it difficult to maintain employee engagement and foster a strong sense of belonging for remote and hybrid teams in multicultural environments.
- •Designing compensation and benefits that are universally valued and respected across a diverse workforce remains a significant hurdle, often leading to dissatisfaction if not personalized.
In this episode
Covering monthly expenses is the number one concern for employees in 2024
Built by People
José Rodríguez is Global Senior HR Director at Mobilium
Jose Rodríguez on His Career Journey
How do you lead and manage diverse teams effectively in your work
The Importance of Multicultural Teams
There are challenges in working with multicultural teams and different regions of the world
The Challenges of Working With Multicultural Teams
How can organizations leverage employee experience in a multicultural environment to engage and retain talent
Employee Experience in a Multicultural Environment
Edward: Remote or hybrid working is the best option for many companies
How to manage a remote team with a traditional office?
José Torres offers some parting advice for HR executives today
How to Lead People: Built by People
Topics covered
Organizations and entities mentioned
Full transcript
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