Engaging and empowering our Associates to enable them to thrive, grow, perform at their best and realize their potential, is essential for long-term success.<\/p>\n
We spoke to Mariana Merino, Head of the Centre of Expertise in the Corporate HR & Kaizen, about the business\u2019s talent-centric ethos and the changing nature of HR in a global market.<\/p>\n
Can you tell us about your career before joining Abdul Latif Jameel in 2021?<\/h2>\n
I\u2019ve always worked in Human Resource (HR) management. \u00a0I started off working for an American multinational in Madrid, Spain, where I\u2019m from, and around 10 years ago I moved to the UAE to work for a multinational construction company.<\/p>\n
I was there for four years, then I moved to a Dubai-based conglomerate for three years, before joining Abdul Latif Jameel<\/a> just over two years ago as Head of the Center of Expertise in the Corporate HR and Kaizen department.<\/p>\n I knew very little about the business, to be honest, other than the name.\u00a0 I was aware it was a multi-nationally active, diversified, family business originally from Saudi Arabia, but that was all.\u00a0 When this role came up and I did some more research, however, I was very impressed with the vision and mission for the business.\u00a0 Specifically, I was attracted by the opportunity to make a difference by shaping the development and operation of HR across Abdul Latif Jameel.<\/p>\n My role has a very wide remit that touches every aspect of the business, and that was very interesting for me. \u00a0There is a clear focus on people and a strong aspiration to be a people-centric organization that lives by our core brand values of Respect, Improve, Pioneer and Empower, but as with most businesses on this scale, there is sometimes a gap between aspiration and reality.\u00a0 My challenges is to design best-in-class and fit-for-purpose policies, processes and programs to help bridge that gap.<\/p>\n The main responsibility of the HR Center of Expertise is to bring some standardization and harmony across all of the business units in the Abdul Latif Jameel network, when it comes to HR best practice.<\/p>\n The Center of Expertise is a team within the Corporate HR & Kaizen function.\u00a0 It consists of different areas that fall within the scope of HR, such as workforce planning, talent acquisition, talent management, talent development, total rewards, digital HR, and HR in mergers or acquisition, (here we support our M&A colleagues in due diligence and post-integration processes).<\/p>\n Across everything we do, our objectives are to create a unified, consistent HR experience for the whole business. \u00a0So, no matter if you\u2019re working for Abdul Latif Jameel Motors Saudi Arabia or China, for Almar Water in Spain, or Abdul Latif Jameel Finance, the experience is consistent from an HR perspective, while at the same time reflecting local cultural nuances, and of course regulatory compliance requirements.<\/p>\n There have been many challenges in this two-year journey so far. \u00a0One of the first was the communication of our vision. \u00a0We wanted to ensure everybody in the business knew what our objectives were and to seek some sort of agreement on what we\u2019re doing and why. \u00a0This has to be the starting point of our journey.\u00a0 Another big one was the infrastructure, putting in place the ecosystem, the technology, the practical systems we need to enable us to achieve our ambitions.<\/p>\n The starting point for the strategy was to look at the history and heritage of Abdul Latif Jameel.\u00a0 We are a business with almost eight decades of achievement behind us, and we needed to understand how we had developed over those years, including lessons learned, best practices, success stories.\u00a0 We also needed to engage with our shareholders and understand their aspirations, the vision, the strategic goal of Abdul Latif Jameel as an organization.<\/p>\n Allied to this, we sought feedback from our Associates, using a variety of channels and tools, including our annual \u2018Cultivate\u2019 surveys.\u00a0 These give us invaluable insights into how we are performing, what can be improved, gaps that need filling.\u00a0 We also looked at what is happening in the global HR sphere more widely, to see what we can learn and draw inspiration from.\u00a0 Having considered all these different inputs when developing our HR strategy, our first step was to put the foundations in place to deliver it. \u00a0We estimate this stage will take two-to-three years to complete.\u00a0 Throughout this time, we are reviewing the strategy every year \u2013 changing, learning, adapting \u2013 as part of our ethos of continuous improvement (or Kaizen).<\/p>\n A big part of our vision is about nurturing a consistent culture right across the business; one that all our people buy into and live by \u2013 because \u2018culture\u2019 is not owned by a department or a team, but by the people themselves. \u00a0This is one of the most important strategic goals for Corporate HR & Kaizen, to instill this common culture across Abdul Latif Jameel network of businesses.<\/p>\n The wider Corporate Human Resources & Kaizen and business unit HR teams at a recent off-site conference in Istanbul, T\u00fcrkiye. Photo Credit \u00a9 Abdul Latif Jameel.<\/p><\/div>\n Kaizen \u2013 or continuous improvement \u2013 is embedded in everything we do.\u00a0 We believe it is a capability that every Associate needs, in order to be successful in their role. \u00a0If you apply a Kaizen approach, you will thrive in your job, because you will be able to assess any situation, identify the \u2018problem\u2019 or gap, design the action you need to address the problem, and then apply it to your situation, and in doing so, learn and grow through this empowerment.<\/p>\n This is embedded in absolutely everything we do, from our values to our competencies \u2013 which we call \u2018learning through reflection\u2019 \u2013 and it is embedded in all areas of our daily work.<\/p>\n We believe in a \u2018bottom-up\u2019 approach, where the people who are actually doing the job are the ones best placed to improve it.<\/p>\n It\u2019s not about big new inventions or reinventing the wheel, but making small and big practical improvements, positive and incremental changes that, when combined, will make a much bigger difference.<\/p>\n One of the biggest challenges we face is the challenge of attracting and retaining talent, which is a problem for virtually every organization around the world. \u00a0Our labor market is no longer local, it is global, and therefore competition for the best candidates is also global.\u00a0 This particularly affects certain industries or skills, for example, technology or engineering positions, or leadership roles.\u00a0 It is very challenging to find suitable talent for these kinds of positions.<\/p>\n The global pandemic was a further complicating factor.\u00a0 People\u2019s expectations of their working environment have changed.\u00a0 We had to upgrade our technology to facilitate remote working, for example, and ensure compliance with local regulations on things like talent mobility.<\/p>\n Cultural diversity is another issue we need to continue making progress on, ensuring Abdul Latif Jameel\u2019s business reflects the diverse communities it operates in \u2013 we have some 65 nationalities working together.<\/p>\n Today\u2019s candidates are at the center of the recruitment process.\u00a0 Applicants are usually much more informed about the company, and since they are more informed, they are also more demanding.\u00a0 How do you convince the best candidates to choose your business and not a competitor?\u00a0 Your value proposition as an employer becomes of paramount importance.\u00a0 That\u2019s where you can explain your vision, engage candidates with your mission and show what makes you different as an employer.\u00a0 Because the demands and expectations of candidates are higher, we need to come up with different strategies to attract the best talent, especially younger people, Generation Z and Millennials.\u00a0 They are much more interested in things like career growth, flexible working, or social responsibility, and the ethics and purpose of the business, than used to be the case.<\/p>\n These issues can make a big difference in their decision-making.<\/p>\n Another big change has been in the use of data in recruitment.\u00a0 The process is much more data-driven today.\u00a0 We have technology, artificial intelligence tools, automation that help us source and filter candidates much more quickly and efficiently.<\/p>\n Yes, I believe we do; at least, that is our aspiration.\u00a0 The way we communicate it to candidates is to explain our HR philosophy of \u2018mutual trust, respect and responsibility\u2019 (between the Associate (employee) and the business itself), which, in turn, aligns with our values of Respect, Improve, Pioneer and Empower.<\/p>\n Giving back to society is a key priority for our shareholders and this sense of shared responsibility is very much embedded in our culture.\u00a0 In addition, the Jameel family also has a number of non-for-profit activities and philanthropies including Community Jameel<\/a>, Community Jameel Saudi<\/a>, Art Jameel<\/a> and Bab Rizq Jameel<\/a>.\u00a0 It is a strong message that we share during our recruitment process.\u00a0 Candidates are often excited when they understand our shareholders\u2019 commitment to making a positive contribution to society . . .\u00a0 or as we say, working towards a more beautiful tomorrow.<\/p>\n It depends on the position, but for young recruits in particular, we have to be aware they may not have the skills required to do every aspect of the job from the very beginning.\u00a0 That\u2019s why we invest in training and development programs to equip our associates with the skills to perform at the level required.\u00a0 From an opportunity perspective, we recognize that attracting young talent gives us access to a larger talent pool of candidates who tend to be more adaptable and more tech savvy \u2013 skills that are a great advantage to a business-like Abdul Latif Jameel as we navigate our own digital transformation.<\/p>\n Building the diversity of our workforce is a key strategic goal.\u00a0 We are currently developing a female leadership development program, for example, to help female associates transition into leadership roles, including tools like coaching and mentoring.\u00a0 As well as helping to strengthen gender representation across the business, this fits with our culture of supporting and developing others.<\/p>\n We are also starting to track and monitor the effectiveness of our programs to measure the outcomes and assess the return on investment.\u00a0 It is still too early to draw any strong conclusions, but we are already seeing some successes and lessons to learn.<\/p>\nWhat attracted you to the opportunity with Abdul Latif Jameel?<\/h2>\n
How does the Center of Expertise fit into this picture?<\/h2>\n
You\u2019ve been in the business for over two years. \u00a0What were the biggest challenges during that time?<\/h2>\n
Part of your role has been to develop and implement the business\u2019s HR strategy. \u00a0How far into that strategy are you?<\/h2>\n
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You are part of the Corporate HR & Kaizen department \u2013 so where does Kaizen fit into this picture?<\/h2>\n
There are significant demographic trends transforming the labor market. \u00a0What are some of the recruitment challenges facing global businesses like Adul Latif Jameel?<\/h2>\n
How have the expectations of candidates changed during the years you\u2019ve worked in HR?<\/h2>\n
Does Abdul Latif Jameel have a strong message around things like social responsibility, diversity and equality?<\/h2>\n
Do you find that today\u2019s candidates have the skills you\u2019re looking for as an employer?<\/h2>\n
How important is it for you to attract and retain a diverse workforce?<\/h2>\n