Jun 14, 2013

Sandrine Bardot: The HR Interview

We're continuing to travel the world of Human Resources! Last week we focused a bit on Asia, now this week we'll look at the Middle East. 

Sandrine Bardot has worked in numerous capacities in a variety of countries. Currently based in Dubai, she has a lengthy resume: Compensation and Benefits expert, serial expatriate, and blogger. And having communicated with her, she also possesses a "joie de vie" that makes the idea of working internationally very attractive!



State your name. rank, and serial number (aka who you are and what you do).

Image of Sandrine BardotMy name is Sandrine Bardot, I am French but I live in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. Until recently I was the Senior Vice-President, Head of Performance & Reward for Mubadala, an investment and development company owned by the government of Abu Dhabi and managing 78 assets, with over 33,000 employees working in multiple industries such as semi-conductors, aerospace, healthcare, aluminium production, satellites, real estate and more in many countries.

I am right now in the process of creating my own boutique Compensation & Benefits consulting firm based in Dubai.

I have spent my whole career in Total Rewards and have had an international spin for most of it. Not only have I had the chance to work for great companies such as Philips, Microsoft, Apple, EADS, Fiat Group and travel the world with them, this is also my 6th expatriation - I’ve lived and worked in Paris, London, Milan, Turin, Rome, Dubai and Abu Dhabi.


How do you help organization reach its strategic objectives?

The role of Performance & Reward is to ensure alignment of the company vision to the output of employees through a strong Performance Management system which includes line of sight and accountability, as well as support in delivering the objectives.

The next step in ensuring this alignment is through pay-for-performance, where the performance at all levels (individual, team, company) is translated into differentiated and meaningful financial outcomes for the employees, such as the merit increases and incentive payout.

Reward is not just financial though, so other elements are also of importance to create a good Employee Value Proposition, such as recognition awards and other benefits.

It’s a very rich field of HR (no pun intended).


You’ve done numerous foreign assignments, mostly in Italy and the Middle East. Talk about what first attracted you to working abroad and how that has evolved over time.

My first international assignment was in Rome, way back in 1999. The position covered South Europe, Middle East and Africa, with employees in more than 50 countries. I took that challenge because it was something new. I wanted to be stretched and see how C&B is done in other countries. My boss was Lebanese but did not speak French, most of the Directors were not Italian, so I would have to speak English all day, which for me was a plus--I was a student for a year in the UK and did not want to lose my language skills.

It also felt “do-able” in the sense that culturally, France and Italy are different, but we do share many common roots and traits so this would not be a totally alien environment.

From there I moved to London to add Northern, Eastern and Central Europe to my portfolio, now having responsibility for the whole EMEA region with employees in 78 countries. Neat!

It was the beginning of an international career which alternated positions in France and abroad.

I believe there two types of expats: those that go for a fixed-term period, for example 2 or 3 years, and see the assignment as part of how to build their career in their organisation. The experience abroad is one step to becoming a senior leader, just like holding a role in Marketing, then Finance, then Operations for example.

The second type of expat is the one that falls in love with being in a different culture, and gets a buzz from being confronted to totally new behaviors and reactions. This kind of expat tends to become a “permanent, professional mover,” either by changing country on a regular basis, or by settling down abroad for good.

I fall into the second category. Even though I came back to work in France at the beginning of my expat career, I was only able to bear it because I was traveling 60 to 70% of the time. I currently don’t see myself returning to my home country to work in a “C&B for France” position in a company that is only operating nationally.

I love being in the UAE, which is a true melting pot of cultures. In my team in my last corporate role, I had a Montreal Canadian with Native American origins, an Indian, an Emirati and a Turk. My previous team in Dubai was 13 employees with 10 nationalities. It’s a superb challenge to manage that and make everyone believe and work in the same direction. And the ways of working of multinationals, local GCC private conglomerates, and government entities are totally different, so I have had to work around that too. It makes for very interesting days!


What advice would you share with a professional wanting to gain international experience?

Just jump! As long as you speak English and are open-minded, you will be fine. And if you don’t like it, it’s fine: when you come back, you’ll have a richer experience anyway.

In particular, I would definitely encourage all US C&B pros to have at least some exposure of how things are done outside the USA. In Europe, we know that things are vastly different from a country to another, it is part of the DNA of our continent, and we are exposed to it on a regular basis when we travel. So we do integrate deep cultural, legal, fiscal and technical differences into our approaches as soon as we get into multi-country approach.


What is the #1 misconception people have about your role or Human Resources in general?How do you overcome that?

Ah, I would say that many tend to see Performance & Reward pros as the “geeks” of HR. We are seen as the Excel kings, who live in their spreadsheets and don’t really understand the “human” side of “Human Resources.” But this is a big misconception.

We are in fact a function which is deeply integrated with many other aspects of HR: talent management (through performance management and promotions /career progression), talent acquisition, payroll, mobility (when it’s not part of C&B already) etc.

And of course we are deeply integrated in employees and managers’ lives. Because who does not care about their pay package and what they can do to try and maximise it? Many of the interactions we have are to sort delicate issues, where there often is no clear solution. Just think of an employee who wants to challenge her performance rating, or the sales manager who distributes sales territories in a way that may create imbalances between his team members etc. No hiding behind spreadsheets there !

On a personal level, one of the misconceptions I had to face in Italy was about my age and gender. I was part of “Giovanni Dirigenti”, which means “Senior Executives of a young age”. “Young” at that organisation was defined as below 55 years-old by the way--the average age in that group was about 47 or 48 years-old, with a an overwhelming majority of males.

My colleague Fabio and I were in our mid-thirties and the youngest in the whole Company. When we were going to events, every time I was presenting myself, the assistants who were checking names at the entrance would hear us speak French (he is a native speaker too), see our age, and immediately turn to me and say “No e` per la sposa !”... “The wife is not invited” !!!

It was always a shock for them to go beyond their assumption and see that a young, foreign, female could be part of that category of senior executives! I now smile when I tell the story, but at the time I hated being put into a stereotype...


How did we meet?

Your blog is one of my favorite in the HR space. I love how you have a true voice and always keep a positive spirit even during your own times of struggles. So I contacted you to connect on LinkedIn and we had a few email conversations.

We haven’t met in person as we live in different continents, but Skype is magic :-)


What made you decide to step into the HR blogging space?

I’ve been working for 19 years. I love Compensation & Benefits. I love teaching and have been told I am actually good at spreading my knowledge. I am a regular speaker at international HR conferences.

There are some excellent Compensation blogs in the US, but as far as I know, no-one blogs on a regular basis about Performance & Reward in EMEA.So it was a natural step for me to fill the gap.

Also, the C&B function is often mistaken for an administrative one in the region where I currently live. I hope that through the blog, I can help educate HR and Compensation people in the region about the true value that C&B can bring to an organization.


What benefits and challenges have you encountered as a result of your social media efforts?

My first challenge was with my former employer. They felt very uncomfortable when I contacted Group Compliance to inform them about my blog, but the social media policy was one paragraph long and did not prevent blogging. I had to show them my privacy disclaimer and “I won’t make money” policies as well as indicate I would not write anything about the company or its secrets... Interesting as discretion and confidentiality are really part of the DNA of C&B !

I have benefited a lot from my blogging experience. I met new people, whether in real life or virtually. I have improved my writing abilities. I have struck media partnerships with some conferences where I was a speaker. I have learned the power of tenacity--writing three posts per week requires a lot of commitment. I have learned to think more about marketing. I am now obsessed with “topics for the blog” and find inspiration in daily life, conversation with friends, reading etc. And obviously I’ve learned some technical skills as well !


What are some of the ways in which you keep up with current business or HR related news and info?

I actually wrote about this topic and where to learn C&B for free! I read a lot of blogs in HR, Compensation and related topics. I am a member of many HR groups and associations and attend webinars (often late at night, when 2pm ET is 11pm in the UAE). I also read traditional books. I listen to podcasts. I attend conferences and networking events to discuss with fellow Compensation pros. I have created alerts in Google on specific keyword strings and read everything that comes up. And recently I embarked on Twitter (although I’m a slow starter on this one) so I also click on links there and discover new things. Finally, we had ideas around lunch and learn sessions within my team so we could get insight from other internal experts from the organisation.


What’s the next challenge for you, professionally speaking?

I love teaching and have been told that I am quite good at it. After 19 years, I still love Compensation & Benefits, but I want to share this knowledge in a different way. In a corporate job like in my career so far, you help a few employees (those from your company) but in a deep way as you get involved in many aspects of their life in the organisation : salary increments, promotions, job grading, new incentives, improved benefits, recognition schemes etc.

I have now led C&B and performance management efforts on a global platform in 2 organisations with activities in multiple industries. Doing it again for another, bigger company does not have much appeal for me at the moment as it feels like “more of the same”

I want to reach more companies and make them realise the value of C&B, especially in the Middle East.

So my next move is to set up my consulting and training company in Dubai and help Western organisations who move to the region for the first time, or established regional companies and government entities who want or need to move from administration to business-focused Performance and Reward.

There are many untapped aspects of C&B--they are not covered by the “big” consultants, and a lot of the smaller consulting firms in the region lack real, in-house experience. Most of them were created by former consultants who may never have actually implemented the programs they designed for their clients and are lacking the “get your hands dirty” background, tips and experience that my career exposed me to.

I think this will be a fun, value-adding way of reaching out to more companies. And hopefully it will help to raise the perceived standard of the function in the region, which I feel is now my battle.

The company is under creation and will be fully operational as of May 2013. Look out for announcements of new services on my blog, Compensation Insider!

I want to take this opportunity to thank you Victorio for inviting me to share some of my experience with your readers. I hope they find it interesting, and a bit different from their day-to-day activities.


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Jun 12, 2013

Finding a Job in HR: Utilizing Experts

As someone who focuses on helping those in the Human Resources profession find jobs, I spend a great amount of my time speaking to candidates. Whether in person or through my blog, I emphasize to job seekers all the different strategies and tactics they should take into consideration or apply in order to increase their chances of career success. I base it on research, as well as my personal experience as a HR/Recruiting professional.

I'm also a job seeker as well. Even though I'm actively consulting, I'm always on the lookout for the right corporate opportunities. My philosophy is work with, not work for, meaning the reputation of the people with whom I conduct business with matter as much as, if not more so, than those of the overall organization. However, that doesn't mean there aren't organizations out there that don't align with that philosophy and I would wish to work with.

The point I'm making is that even when you've secured work, you should never stop actively positioning yourself for the next great HR job opportunity. Continue to review your core competencies, define your value proposition and professional belief system, and build relationships that matter. Much like top athletes continue to build and improve upon their core strengths in order to remain competitive, job seekers should do much the same in terms of their employment fitness.


UTILIZING EXPERTS

Speaking of top athletes, one of the ways in which they strive to be better is by utilizing the expertise of others. Coaches, personal trainers, and other specialists serve to enhance an athlete's skill sets. They do this in several ways, for example by:
  • providing specialized services which can serve to raise a person's performance levels. For example, a sports nutritionist is a person who's focused on diet; using their advanced food and drink knowledge as a way to provide an athlete with a competitive advantage.
  • being able to identify and address barriers to success that the athlete may not be aware of. In baseball, a pitching coach helps pitchers maintain proper form. They do this by spotting inconsistencies in their mechanics, or working with them to ensure the correct pitching form is consistently maintained. 
  • providing incentives and motivation beyond what the athlete is able to do on their own. This can help a person push beyond their normal limitations, potentially raising their baseline performance levels.

HAVING THE RIGHT PEOPLE IN YOUR CORNER

For job seekers, having the right people in your corner gives you additional ways to be better. As with athletes, coaches can provide effective knowledge and tools to help you achieve career success by amplifying your strengths, minimizing weaknesses, and providing the motivation to perform at a high level.

Let's explore several expert relationships a HR job seeker can utilize. They are mentors, a personal board of directors, and professional coaches.


MENTORS

Mentors are those that, whether formally or informally, provide professional guidance to those that are seeking it. In a business setting, mentorship programs often take the form of senior members working with less experienced ones. Depending on its nature, mentorship programs can confer several advantages to a person: opportunity for knowledge transfer; an insider's perspective on how an organization runs, both formally and informally; as an aid to succession planning efforts; as a psychological support system.

For HR job seekers, mentors can help in much the same way as I described above. Professional organizations such as SHRM, ASTD, or CIPD have formal mentorship programs. Informally, you can look to your advocates or other associates for opportunities to create informal mentorships. Be sure to seek out and partner with those that want to actively help you toward your goals.


PERSONAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS

In October of 2010 Priscilla Clarman wrote a Harvard Business Review piece called, Forget Mentors: Employ a Personal Board of Directors. In it she talked about having not one, but several people provide career guidance made better sense in today's rapidly changing business landscape.

"Just like any good board, the people you choose should have different contributions to make to your thinking. You might want to include your boss or a colleague you admire — or both. If you are a senior manager, consider search professionals, academics, or consultants with expertise in your specialty. The people on your board of directors should know more than you about something, be better than you are at something, or offer different points of view. Putting only buddies on your board won't help you grow and develop." ~Priscilla Clarman

While Priscilla makes the case for utilizing a PBoD instead of a mentor, I don't believe you need to have either one over the other. It all depends on your needs in the moment.

I have a PBoD. It's a informal network composed of myself and two other professionals. Both are located in the United States; one is a HR Director based in the South, the other is a Controller on the West Coast. The variety of their experiences and backgrounds helps to provide fresh and diverse perspectives, as well as a mutually beneficial support system. We've helped each other address organizational and personal concerns, in addition to providing a much needed laugh when going through challenging times!

Because multiple people are involved, a personal board of directors amplifies a HR job seeker's ability to learn and grow as a professional. When constructed well, it can provide yet another resource to tap into.


PROFESSIONAL COACH

Much like my sports metaphor, professional coaches are experts at what they do. Depending on the type of services offered, a professional coach can be highly specialized or provide general guidance and support. They can offer services to help you improve in specific business related performance measures, areas which may not fall neatly within a business context (e.g., life coach), or to tackle issues which prevent you from taking your talents to the next level (for example, utilizing a leadership coach in preparation for a move into higher levels of an organization). Depending on the individual, coaches can also provide insight into a particular industry or role.

Professional coaches can help job seekers by providing individualized expertise and services. As with any service provider, make sure that they're capable of performing the services that they claim. Do your research, ask for references, and be clear on what services they will/will not provide, and at what cost.


WHY UTILIZING EXPERTS HELPS HR JOB SEEKERS

Utilizing an expert or experts can help HR job seekers better navigate the job market. Whether a mentor, personal board of directors, or professional coach, having people in a position to help you with strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities can be invaluable.

As with anything related to your job search, it's important to be discriminating. Look to partner with those that are able and willing to help you be better, not just be a cheerleader for you. Also, as with professional athletes, sometimes the work needed to be better at what you do isn't fun. You benefit most by having people in your corner that provide honest (if not always nice) support and advice.


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Jun 10, 2013

Finding a Job in HR: Employment Fitness

Image that says, "I hate to exercise."

I hate to exercise. I know that physical fitness is important yet I'm resistant to the idea of exercising just for the sake of it. Wake up and put on gym clothes. Go to the gym. Avoid eye contact. Work out and get sweaty. Go home and proceed with the rest of the day. Bah!

After many years of trial and error, I realized that what I preferred was to be active. I enjoy doing things! So instead of (resentfully) going to the gym, I now engage in a variety of activities which help me to stay in shape. I play with my kids (and they're young, so that means a fair amount of running around). I purposely get out from behind the computer and take breaks. I make time to reflect on my efforts as well as what's important to me, which aids in my mental health. When meeting with clients in New York City, I try to walk instead of using public transportation. I'm mindful of what I eat, opting for healthy choices when available. Fortunately for me, living in NYC affords me plenty of opportunities to eat that way! These and other changes have contributed to an overall improvement in my physical fitness levels.


EMPLOYMENT FITNESS

I've also made similar adjustments when it comes to my employment fitness. In the past I viewed my career as a discrete activity; it stood apart from my "real" life of family and friends. It's now built into my overall daily activities, not as a separate entity, but as a component of my overarching philosophy on pursuing a life of quality. I work at consistently assessing, adjusting, and improving in areas of my career so that I can be able to meet the demands placed on me by clients, organizations, or other external forces. It's about staying on top of my game and leading the life that I want.

For HR job seekers, this can be a philosophy that you can adopt. Look to integrate your job search activities into your overall daily routine. Below are a few ideas on how to do so.


INTEGRATING YOUR JOB SEARCH INTO YOUR LIFE
  • Go small. One of the barriers to my acceptance of doing any form of exercise was my perception of how I had to do it. I thought that to exercise effectively I had to spend 30 minutes a day, 3 times a week at it. I had to incorporate strength training, cardiovascular work, and flexibility programs. I had to measure out my portions and keep track of my calories. Too much! I was overwhelmed by all of my options. Instead, I focused on small things and only when I was comfortable would add on other activities. For example, I can go all day just drinking coffee. I recognize that this isn't so healthy. What I've done is started drinking more water. Common wisdom says you should drink between six and eight glasses (roughly 48-64 ounces) of water everyday. Too much! So I've started small, looking to drink between four and six glasses. I've also started added a little variety, opting for juice or tea. When it comes to a job search, a similar approach may help to make it more manageable.
  • "Fold" in your job search. In baking, "folding" is a term used for combining a delicate mixture into a heavier textured, thicker mixture in a way that will ensure that both are properly combined. In essence, it's taking two elements and bringing them together in a way that doesn't impact how each works on its own. For HR job seekers, this means "folding" in your job search activities into your larger life activities. The less you can make looking for work feel like "work" the easier it will be to put forth the necessary effort to get what you're looking for.
  • Eliminate office hours. For many job seekers, they view this activity as something that occurs during certain hours. Many align their timetables to the rhythm of business life and at a certain time "clock out" and move onto another part of their day. I would caution against this. First, because of globalization and technology, businesses are increasingly under pressure not to close their operations. While offices may be closed, job search channels (e.g., email, websites, networking events) are available for use practically around the clock. Don't look at job seeking as a 9-5. I will emphasize that I don't mean you should spend all of your time job hunting. This is why the first bullet point emphasized breaking down your search efforts. What I'm promoting is the idea that you should remove artificial barriers from obtaining the career you want.
  • Progress, not perfection. When I first started dating my future partner, she noticed that I couldn't touch my toes. I was highly inflexible and I wanted to change that. However, I would get extremely frustrated with my toe touching efforts and give up. She was patient with me, highlighting the small gains I was making. These frequent moments of encouragement provided further motivation to stick with my efforts. Now I'm proud to say that I can touch my toes! When it comes to finding a job in HR, while it's important to have an overarching goal (which role you want, which company you wish to work for), it can be helpful to celebrate and feed off of the positive energy created from incremental gains.
  • Get your rest. It's important that as you work hard to promote your value proposition to employers, that you take the time to recover from your efforts. Like I mentioned before, I strive to take short breaks from my computer work. Sometimes it's to switch gears, for example, to read a book or get some fresh air. When time permits, I also enjoy a good nap. Fifteen minutes of undisturbed rest tends to refresh me as much as a cup of coffee. And you should know by now how much I love my coffee!

YOUR EMPLOYMENT FITNESS IS IMPORTANT

Job hunting can be daunting and hard work. It's not fun, as well as being physically and emotionally demanding. By figuring out how to integrate your job search into your overall life, you can better improve your employment fitness. Taking care of yourself and your career is important--don't neglect either one!

How do you manage your employment fitness?


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