Themes discussed

1. Strategic talent acquisition: Åsa outlines her approach to establishing consistent recruitment and talent management processes across Sweco's decentralized structure, focusing on behavioral competencies to align performance and culture.
2. Cross-cultural leadership: The challenges of implementing standardized processes across different national and organizational cultures are examined, emphasizing the importance of adaptability.
3. Change management in large organizations: Åsa highlights her experience in driving buy-in from leadership and creating a shared vision for talent management across Sweco’s diverse regions.
4. Behavioral competencies for consistency: The implementation of a competency framework based on psychological principles allows Sweco to objectively assess and develop employees, fostering a cohesive culture and supporting employee growth.

Key takeaways

• Behavioral competencies provide a clear, measurable foundation for aligning recruitment and performance management across large, decentralized organizations.
• Building consensus and gaining leadership buy-in is critical in complex change initiatives, especially in organizations with diverse regional cultures.
• A well-integrated competency framework supports employee retention by promoting personal growth and long-term career development.
• Standardized talent processes help ensure that employees across regions work towards the same strategic goals, while allowing room for local adaptation.

Shownotes

• [00:00] - Introduction: The host introduces Åsa Saltin Meritz and her role as Head of Talent Acquisition at Sweco.
• [01:15] - Åsa's background: Åsa shares her career journey from theater production to HR and talent acquisition.
• [03:20] - Strategic talent acquisition at Sweco: Åsa describes her role in creating and implementing Sweco's talent acquisition and competency frameworks.
• [06:35] - Sweco’s scale and complexity: Åsa explains the unique challenges of managing talent in a large, decentralized organization with over 22,000 employees.
• [09:02] - Developing behavioral competencies: Åsa talks about the competency framework based on validated psychological models, designed to align performance across different regions.
• [12:45] - Cross-cultural Alignment: Åsa discusses balancing Sweco's overarching culture with local variations and managing diverse regional expectations.
• [15:00] - Change management and leadership buy-in: The conversation delves into Åsa’s approach to securing support from leadership teams across Sweco’s global offices.
• [19:21] - Implementation challenges: Åsa shares insights on overcoming challenges when rolling out standardized HR processes and competency models.
• [21:36] - Supporting leadership development: Åsa describes how Sweco’s behavioral competencies also play a role in leadership development and cultural alignment.
• [26:54] - Building a cohesive culture: The episode covers how Sweco’s competency framework reinforces its values, promoting collaboration and a supportive work environment.
• [31:20] - Balancing local autonomy with corporate goals: Åsa reflects on how Sweco's decentralized structure presents both opportunities and challenges for alignment.
• [35:12] - Enhancing employee retention: Åsa explains SWECO’s focus on development opportunities as a strategy for retaining skilled talent.
• [40:05] - Final thoughts: Åsa looks ahead at the future of talent management at Sweco, discussing the ongoing evolution of competency frameworks and employee development.

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