Michaud says the biggest challenge is that there are so many initiatives the company wants to tackle that choosing an individual focus can sometimes be difficult. “We have to create one HR agenda.”
Paynter agrees that change is important, but several LEGO values remain constant. In fact, she has been with LEGO Systems for more than 19 years, and during her tenure, she has had the opportunity to experience different areas of the company.
She says that professional development of employees is very important and that The LEGO Group’s success stems from three things: the quality of its products, its highly talented staff and the company’s unwavering vision.
In fact, Paynter’s current role is on the leadership development side, and her team develops initiatives that HR business partners will roll out around the world. Paynter’s entire team sits in Billund, where she visits once a month, and she runs
most of her meetings through Microsoft Lync, an online meeting and video conferencing tool.
She says she loves her job because the company’s HR function is so integrated with the business. And the company places a lot of value on the work-life balance of its employees. A yearly survey called the Pulse Survey — in which 98 percent of
employees participate — is administered so that the company can understand employee motivation, satisfaction and ways to simplify processes.
Michaud says that the CEO of The LEGO Group takes the survey results very seriously. In fact, Jørgen Vig Knudstorp goes to leadership forums to present the results and discuss ways to improve.
Indeed, according to the HR team, the commonalities within the organization are that The LEGO Group has a high-performing culture, smart people and employees committed to not letting their colleagues down.
Walton says that at LEGO Systems, collaboration and teamwork become “play.” In fact, a lot of fun happens when colleagues collaborate. Each meeting room in the Enfield location contains a bowl of LEGO bricks, and the bricks often facilitate solutions.
“Sometimes there’s a problem that seems insurmountable,” says Michaud. “But we begin playing with the bricks and the innovation begins to flow. Suddenly we have a solution. It really
happens.”
In addition, Paynter and Walton say that cultural awareness training takes place to help new employees understand The LEGO Group’s culture. Paynter says her group uses GlobeSmart, web-based software that provides professionals with an extensive database on how to effectively conduct business with people in countries around the world. There can indeed be a difference in communications styles between American and Danish cultures, and Paynter says there are many nuances.
“For example, the Danes are very direct in their communications styles,” Paynter states. For those who aren’t used to the culture, the directness can be mistaken for rudeness. This is why cultural awareness training is so critical.
Walton says that on-the-ground experience around the world is vital. “There’s nothing like experiencing the culture,” she says. “You need to understand the local culture and put that into context with the global LEGO Group culture.”
Aspects that remain unwavering globally, however, are the key values of the company. “We talk the same language in terms of collaboration and teamwork,” Walton says. “People development is very important to us. And a standardized competency
framework helps us to find additional commonalities.”
Cultural differences and global values are important, but what about legal compliance in various jurisdictions? How do you reconcile those differences across the organization?