Managing human resources is a challenge in any organisation, but it is all the more challenging when it involves crossing continents and cultures. While the focus is always on business goals, different laws and expectations prevail and have to be met.
“You're dealing with different jurisdictions, different legislation and different cultures. It’s a learning curve not just for the people you’re bringing on board, but also for us,” said Deirdre McConville, vice-president of human resources for Europe and Asia Pacific, at technology solutions provider Presidio.
As a global organisation, Presidio has found that the right strategy is to start with strong shared core values and layer diversity on top of it.
“You have to step back and ensure that while the core values are the same, everyone is comfortable. It’s diversity all the way,” McConville said.
In addition, developments, both socially and in terms of technology, have resulted in major changes in organisational culture that HR departments have had to keep up with.
McConville acknowledged this, saying that Presidio, like other organisations, had had to adapt.
“The HR landscape has changed hugely over the past five years. You need to be open to new ideas and concepts and not fear letting go of the old practices. The tech moves very fast and then there’s remote working.
“Covid completely changed the landscape. We have the hybrid model and it is becoming the norm, though the definition differs from company to company,” she said.
In practice, remote and hybrid working not only changes managers’ expectations, but also means businesses have had to experiment with things such as onboarding remotely.
We’re creating communities where people feel their voices can be heard
This does create challenges, McConville said, but it is up to businesses and their HR departments to meet them.
“Integrating them [new members] into the team is an issue. New people coming in need that on-the-job training and team socialisation, even working within the hybrid model,” she said.
In addition, Presidio has a diversity, equality and inclusion (DEI) function and it has responded to skills shortage with the message that women can be encouraged to apply for roles.
For example, research in the area has found that women are reluctant to apply for a job unless they feel they meet 90 to 95 per cent of the stated criteria, whereas men are more likely to apply if they feel they meet 60 per cent. The lesson for HR departments, McConville said, was to rethink the nature of job vacancy advertisements.
“We know women won’t apply if we put the whole [fully detailed] job spec out there.
“There is still bias in recruitment and we do a lot of unconscious bias training. That has opened the eyes even of HR people, and we have strong anti-harassment and bullying policies,” she said.
Internally, Presidio runs a number of schemes to create a supportive environment for women and ethnic minority staff members.
“We’re creating communities where people feel their voices can be heard,” McConville said.
However, she said, Presidio wanted to ensure staff could see the commitment went to, and came from, senior leadership level.
“It needs to come from the top down. You need inclusive leadership,” she said.
Interestingly, while tech salaries are known to be high, money is not the only factor needed to attract the right candidates.
“You can afford to pay what you can pay [but] you have to look at your benefits, your annual leave, things like maternity leave also. We’re looking at fertility policies also, things we have never looked at before. It’s not always about the money,” she said.
Across industry, she said, HR has driven more humane approaches to the workplace.
“There is definitely a more respectful management style these days, and that’s all down to the policies.”
Moving forward, McConville said, Presidio was committed not only to attracting the right people, but working hard to retain them and raise them up in the organisation.
“We are looking at internships and introducing a graduate programme, and asking what we can do to make that graduate want to stay with us. They need proper coaching and mentorship, and people have to have the time to give it,” she said.