During this episode, Patricia Tavares shared her experience focusing on employee experience and assignees’ wellbeing during the global pandemic. As the Head of Global Mobility for the Americas at Unilever, she is managing one of the most innovative and diverse mobility programs in Latin America. Watch this episode to learn more about a collaborative vision for global mobility, vendor management, and assignee experience.
Karolina: Welcome to AltoVita Mobility Series. I am Karolina Saviova, the COO and co-founder of AltoVita, the cloud-based and global corporate housing platform powering talent mobility at scale. It is my absolute pleasure to welcome Patricia Tavarez, the Global Mobility Manager for the Americas at Unilever.
Unilever is a global consumer goods company with over a hundred thousand employees across 190 locations. It is known for its innovative and employee-centric Global Mobility programs and policies. This is why this session is going to be very much revolving around the topic of employee experience in talent mobility.
Now, Patricia without further ado, would you be able to give us a little bit more information about your role and as well as your own story? Cause you’ve been in the Global Mobility Industry for over 25 years.
Patricia: Yes. Thank you, Karolina. Thank you for the invite. I can even say I have a little bit more of experience than just the 20 years working because I was an expat daughter myself.
so I was actually brought out of Brazil. I came back to Brazil when I was 16, so I went through everything that my assignees go through as a child. and now over 20 years working with Global Mobility, yes and the market. a lot of years in a former company now four years with Unilever. And just following and seeing how everything has changed so much during this period is really, really interesting. But I think we’re going to be talking about it a little bit later, right? So, yeah.
Karolina: Absolutely. Thank you so much. And what actually drove you to the Global Mobility besides your experience living as well as as an expat?
Patricia: So working with HR always called my attention. I like working with people. I am a people person.
And I ended up, working with HR operations in my former job. And within HR operations, I was head of the area. We had a little cell, a small cell that was called Global Mobility. And then I need to say that I was bit by the bug. Once you’re a bit by the Global Mobility bug, you end up staying with it. I always like to say, and paraphrase one of my colleagues that says that Global Mobility is, not a job, it’s a career. So you really love it when you do it. And that’s, I think what really took me to it because, it’s so dynamic. It’s so different. You meet so many people, different countries, different cultures, different things happening. How do you deal with this? How do you deal with that? And I like being, strategic and innovative. So I think it matches with Global Mobility.
Karolina: Absolutely. Well, during this interview, I really mostly want to talk about your experience, and, tips as well for, for Global Mobility. But just to give a short introduction to our listeners, would you be able to tell us a bit more about the Global Mobility structure is in Unilever and particularly the various assignments you’ve been managing?
Patricia: Yes. So, today we report actually to an area that’s called Employee Experience. it’s, it is in, within HR operations. Let’s put it that way but the department is called Employee Experience. And that is how you could see how important Employee Experience is for Unilever. not only for the assignees, but for all, all employees for local employees as ourselves also. we have different kinds of assignments. Today, we work with a long-term assignment called Euronet was just a very specific program to Unilever. it is based on a year on a Euro salary. It is net of taxes, obviously. And we have pay scale, a Euronet pay scale. So everybody that is on the same level within the company and in the Euronet program will be on the same pay scale also. Meaning that if you’re in Africa, in Americas, in Europe or in Asia, you will be on the same pay scale for the same kind of job that’s been done around the world. we have an STA policy. Short Term Assignment policy, which is divided into two types of policies, can be developmental and can be for knowledge sharing.
depends on the type. Normally, it is for single people. but if necessary, it can be for a person with a family also. Especially the knowledge sharing where you have to go for a little bit more time. We have, a unique cul–ah, a unique place within our STA policy, which for the knowledge sharing policies, it is 24 months and not 12 as the most of the STAs are.
and other than that, we have, the local to locals or permanent transfers or international transfers, depending on the company that you work with which are the people that are local in one country, are terminated or resigned in that country and are hired as locals in the other country. it’s a population that is not it. They are mobile but they are not on a on an assignment type let’s say. It’s just they’re move. And then the last, but la la not least we have the UFL P’s, which is the Unilever Future Leader Program, which also has an international rotation within the program. And that is also under global mobility as one of the policies.
Karolina: That’s really fantastic to hear, such a diversity in terms of profiles, assignee types as well and the number of countries you operate in. Also particularly, within your region, which is LATAM. Now, when something, so strange and global, like the COVID-19 pandemic comes into the picture. What were the impacts on the program? And if you could share a bit more about your experience with dealing.
Patricia: Yeah. So I’ll, I’ll share a little bit about how I felt in the beginning, right? When we, started getting, impacted I would say. Because we did see COVID coming through in Asia, right? And back in February, January, even, but nobody thought it was going to get to the size of the pandemic and how it really reached, right? So, in my time, for example, I compared, which was at the time, what I had as a comparison, which was comparing it to H1 the flu H1NH and, and the SARS, right? Which came from Asia, but never really reached us here in LATAM. Never really impacted us. So in my former company, we had all the medication, we had all the vaccing-, the vaccines that had to be taken. We were all prepared and we didn’t have one case. So you know, it was, it was a totally different thing. And when we started talking about COVID-19, I actually compared it to that period. And I was like and then things started growing numbers started growing in, in Italy and Spain and, and the rest of Europe.
And that really caused us to rethink the strategy that we had. So our initial strategy was, Employee Experience first place, Duty of Care, what are we going to do. we reached out to every single one of our assignees. Personally, we spoke to them. We understood what they wanted. Did they want to stay in the host country? Did they want to go back home? Did they need to go to a third country where maybe they had a house and that was in a better condition of the countries that they were in? so our first concern was really about that. And for my region luckily, we in March, we’re not in such a terrible situation still, right?
We are in the peak now. I would say now in July, but back in March, we weren’t that bad here in LATAM. So, we basically had 90% of our assignees or 80% of our assignees stayed in the host country with their families, right? Schools weren’t very much aware either. So did it, they didn’t know that they were going to end this school semester online. Everybody was trying to understand the size of the pandemic, right? so after doing that, we then started understanding with them. things like, with our tax partners, for example, like permanent establishment. Can this person stay in the country for the person that went home? does this person need to report taxes in the third country?
do we have immigration implications? Does it, is the person, perfect, perfectly allowed to work in that country? Like, I might have a visa as a tourist but I might not have a work permit. So can I work in that country? all these, these factors were all analyzed and, we went back to the assignees and explained their situation.
again, like I said, luckily here in LATAM, they decided to stay where they were. and now that we are in a more serious situation here, and that Europe is opening up, Asia is already open. we are seeing it for example, families that are deciding to go back home now, right?
Karolina: Right.
Patricia: For example, a family that would like to go to Spain instead of staying where they are, because Spain is in a better situation than where we are now here in LATAM. So now we’re feeling a little bit of those movements and we are supporting them and understanding their part also because like we said, Duty of Care and Employee Experience for us in first place to make sure that the employee is feeling well, the family is well. And then the deliveries will also come easier and better.
Karolina: Now, thank you so much for sharing this experience. From the wellbeing perspective of the employees, it must have been a stressful situation, particularly when working from home, being isolated and very, from far from your family. How else would you support the assignees to enhance their experience further?
Patricia: So, yes, we, in the beginning, actually, we had a very interesting situation because we started reaching out to them every once in a while. I would say some once a week, others two times a week, and we actually had a few employees coming back to us and saying, “Oh, I’m fine. Don’t worry. I’ll reach out if I need you”, right?
so it was actually interesting to see, that they, we were reaching out so much that they felt overwhelmed. So we actually stepped back a little bit and we said, “Okay, we’re here. You know where to find us”. we started sending out newsletters. so the newsletter goes out and tells them what is happening.
we have, our weekly meetings with our immigration vendors. So they tell us, which is the situation in each country. If any country is opening up, that we know that the person wanted to go into that country. We let them know, right? And then we have a committee. A very strict committee on international travel that has to approve the travel.
So it’s not GM telling the assignee, “okay now you can go in”. You have to have the Receiving Country Manager has to say, “okay, yes, I can receive this person”. Sending Country Manager has to say, “yes, I will release this person”. The Medical Department is involved to see if there is any quarantine that is related. Does it have to be a government quarantine? Or can it be a personal quarantine. Is itself quarantine or is it government related? So all these informations are, are put together on a spreadsheet, goes to this government this crisis committee and for approval. And then the person can travel. So once again, everything we can do to make sure that they’re well and safe.
And then just on the wellbeing part that you asked, some of the countries started out with Mindfulness Sessions. Others started out with Wellbeing Sessions. some, some departments, some countries have, for example, here in Brazil, we had this week, something that I thought was awesome; which was four vice presidents working with our main, cook that is responsible for all the recipes that come from Knorr. And they prepared pasta with mayonnaise, all four of them on teams, which is the tool that we use internally. And everybody was there just watching and everything. So it was a 30-minute session that everybody just really relaxed watching them cook and then eating and trying the food and this and that.
Each one of them at their own house, right? And then we voted on which plate we thought was best-looking, right? So most of the countries are doing these kind of sessions, to relax and to make you relax during the day also. So it’s not like something that you can just go and work, work, work 10 hours a day because you have these sessions during the day. You’re not obliged to participate but it’s interesting to go to and each country is doing their own kind of activity so that you, we’re working on the relaxation also of the assignee.
Karolina: That’s so interesting. Really beautiful. We’ve definitely done it even within our company. So, fitness classes, virtual, exercising. It’s really important for yeah their wellbeing.
Patricia: Yeah, we have, we have a lot of incentives for virtual exercising also because it is one of the best ways to relax, right? At least I think so. So, it is one of the best ways, and we have this yoga sessions, that are either early in the morning or in the afternoon, then you have normal se–.
Yeah. we have a program here in Brazil. That’s called Gym Pass. It’s global, but I don’t know if it’s all in the countries in Europe yet. And this program is offering also virtual classes of every time, every type of activity. So you can do Pilates, you can do fitness, you can do whatever you want. You just schedule your time there and you have a personal trainer. So it’s good to incentivate that and it, and it gives you the balance that you need, right?
Karolina: I know that you as well have an immense knowledge when it comes to the LATAM region. Now, what would be the biggest challenges when it comes to vendor management in particular? And then as well, I know that you actually have a very collaborative and an exciting program called Smile, where you’re working very closely together with the vendors to enhance employee experience. So could you please tell us a bit more about that project?
Patricia: Yeah. So we are very strong on the, on our values, right? And it’s very important for us that our vendors have and agreed with the same values that we have. So like sustainability, employee experience and all these, activities that we go through. We like our vendors to know that they, that they are just aligned with the values that we are, right? So we have this Smile Training. it’s actually called Smile because it is to make everybody smile, right? And we put all the vendors, in a, in a meeting room, if, if possible, right? If not, we do it virtually. But if possible, we put all the vendors in the, in the meeting room we share activities, we do, activities where you have to get to know each other.
So, the last one of the sessions that we had in São Paulo, for example, we put the Immigration Vendors sitting at the same table as the Relocation Vendor because they share documentation from the assignee, right? They both need copies of passports. They both need documentation for school. They both need everything.
So, why didn’t they talk to each other and why didn’t they know each other. And now sitting there at the same table and we make them share, right? So you can’t go in with your team, from your relocation company and the five of you sit in the same table. No, we don’t allow that you have to sit in different tables so that you get to know everybody. And that improved a lot the relationship between the vendors, made it easier communication between the vendors also increased which obviously at the other end made a better improvement of the employee experience because instead of having to share your copy of your passport five times, you only shared it once, because then the rest of the sharing went between them, right?
Obviously, we have to take care with all the documentation that you’re sharing. If you can share it because of all the legislation that you have, different legislations, GDPRs in different countries, but you have to take care of that. so we are aware, but we know what we can share and how we can share, right? And our, our partners are all aligned with us. So we call them our partners and not our vendors because we all partner.
Karolina: Amazing. So what would be the, your future for the Global Mobility once the world starts remobilizi, remobilizing again? And then if you could share your view on how important Global Mobility actually is for business continuity and growth of companies.
Patricia: So, I think Global Mobility is and talent walk hand in hand. And, and this is me thinking, right? I always like to share, so say that we are just as strategic as any other area of HR. We need to be aligned with talent and talent needs to be aligned with us because in companies, as multinationals, you will always need to share the knowledge from one country to the other.
There’s an intercultural exchange that necess, that is necessary when you are in 190 countries as we are, right? you need to understand what’s happening. You have expertise, for example, in just giving you an example in tea, right? Tea plantations in Africa that we will need in other regions of the coun, of the globe, because people in Africa are experts in growing tea that we in here in LATAM for example, are not. So this kind of knowledge sharing will always exist and they will need Global Mobility for that because we need to be aligned with them. We need to give them the comfort and everything, and the services that we offer so that they can move from one country to the other and deliver the same quality of services that they were delivering in their home country.
So, I hear people saying now because of COVID, “Oh my God, everything’s going to stop. Oh! My God, what’s going to happen to us?”. I’m not the least bit lea, least bit concerned. I’m sure that’s going to continue. I’m sure we have a big future ahead of us. Dynamic and innovative, definitely, because we have to be to follow what’s happening, but not stopping. I don’t see, I really don’t see it stopping.
Karolina: Thank you so much for for this world, words I mean. It’s amazing to hear such a positive approach to to Global Mobility and the future ahead of us. And we know that because of your experience and your passion for Global Mobility, you’ve been as well, a mentor.
what would be your tips for, and perhaps career tips, even for Global Mobility practitioners in order to thrive in the industry?
Patricia: Yeah. So I do have a lot of mentee mentorees you’re right. and it’s one of the things that I love doing, right? Because like I told you, I’m a people person since the beginning.
So I do like helping and incentivating and explaining. And even, I have something that is with me, which is, I am a positive person. I always liked to see something positive happening, right? so I, I always have a positive view. And when, normally, when you look for a mentor is because you’re not in a very good shape, right?
You need some guidance, you need some light. So I tried to do that. I try to make people understand what’s happening. Why is this happening with you? what are you seeing that’s different that I’m not seeing? Or let’s try to see it the same way. So for Global Mobility tips, I always say as technological as we are, which makes our lives easier because you have everything on the system. I’m from the time of Global Mobility, when we used to control them on Excel spreadsheets, right? Today, we have systems that do that for us. So it’s not one or two systems that you have, you have a choice, so you can do everything on a system, but never forget that on the other side of the system is a person and a family.
So human touch always. Don’t just say, “Oh, check on the system, go into the portal”. “you can find yourself, follow up there on that with the vendor”. No. You have to be the personal touch. You, you are the contact. So be the contact and make sure that the as- the assignee and the family are comfortable in reaching out to you, right? there are limits. You have to give them limits. For example, you don’t, you won’t answer a phone on a Sunday evening. Unless it’s an emergency, right? But, they have to know that you’re there for them, that you’re available. And and that’s part of your Duty of Care, right? So I even have an example of one of the girls from my team where she got a phone call one evening and she decided to answer, and it was an assignee that was in a different country by herself with an adolescent son, with neurological problems.
And the first person that came into her mind was not the doctor, was the GM advisor, right? So, she spoke, she calmed her down. She contacted the Medical Department in the country. The Medical Department contacted the assignee and then from then on, it was their relationship. But the first person that came to mind was a GM advisor. So I think that that is something that’s really, really important.
Karolina: That’s really fantastic to hear. There definitely needs to be a good balance between technology automation and definitely the human-centric approach to mobility, which is key.
Yeah, I think so too.
Thank you so much, Patricia. This has been really a great discussion, so inspiring for us, and I hope for our listeners too.
So thank you so much again.
Patricia: Thank you for the invite. And I hope I did contribute with a little bit, maybe a positive side.
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AltoVita Talent Mobility Series | Talent Mobility Series – Ep. 3 with Jason Will @Asian Tigers Group | Talent Mobility Series – Ep. 4 with Sheryll Young – Former GM Lead, Shopify |