Engaging Global Talent Across Borders
In our ever-evolving world, the concept of a global workforce has moved beyond the buzzword to become a cornerstone of success. With teams spanning continents and cultural nuances enriching collaboration, the need to engage and empower this global talent pool has never been greater. Recognising this, companies like Trendyol have embarked on a journey to create an environment where differences are not only recognised, but celebrated; where communication is not just a means to an end, but a conduit for understanding and unity; and where engagement is not a superficial goal, but a driving force for innovation and success. To learn more about this exciting journey, earlier this month we had the pleasure of sitting down with Mandy Koehlke and Krishna Murali to gain valuable insights into their experiences in creating a global work environment that celebrates diversity, promotes effective communication and drives engagement.
Fostering a global work environment
Krishna’s journey with Trendyol’s Category Business team began at the start of the company’s international expansion in 2022, giving him firsthand experience of the importance of engaging global talent. His passion for fostering a work environment that values diversity drives his efforts to cultivate an atmosphere that appreciates and embraces differences.
Reflecting on the early stages of Trendyol’s international journey, Krishna highlights the significance of examining all the touchpoints where talent engages with the company, particularly the recruitment process. “At Trendyol, they have implemented a scorecard approach to ensure fairness and objectivity in recruitment, aiming to provide an unbiased journey for each candidate. This approach has been instrumental in building a diverse talent pool, resulting in a team comprising over 34 nationalities across all locations”, says Krishna.
“We encourage open communication and provide cultural training to improve understanding.”
In addition to fair recruitment practices, Trendyol has consistently focused on implementing decision templates that prioritize data-driven decision-making over personal biases, contributing to a healthy atmosphere where everyone’s unique perspectives are appreciated. “We encourage open communication and provide cultural training to improve understanding. By incorporating these elements, we strive to create an environment where every team member feels valued and heard, contributing to the development of a stronger and more cohesive global team,” adds Krishna.
Effective communication and collaboration
Mandy, the driving force behind the International People & Culture team, joined Trendyol in mid-2022 with the aim of building a strong people culture and engaging talent across all international locations. Her primary goal was to adapt the existing culture at Trendyol to the talent coming from outside Turkey, while still retaining the company’s values. “It has been an exciting journey, we have learned and are learning a lot from each other, which helps us to understand processes better and become better teams every day,” says Mandy. But none of this would be possible without active listening and empathy to build trust and strong relationships across cultures.
According to Mandy, integrating a clear communication framework called the 5C communication principles (Complete, Concise, Credible, Conversational and Correct) has been crucial in facilitating cross-cultural communication. She notes that different cultures have different communication styles, languages and non-verbal cues, and these differences can sometimes lead to misunderstandings within the team. “By aligning our messaging with the 5Cs framework, our teams can ensure that their messages are brief, focused and to the point. It’s a very useful guide,” she adds.
Mandy also emphasizes the crucial role of technology in facilitating seamless communication across different time zones and cultural differences. At Trendyol, teams utilize instant messaging platforms to bridge these gaps and ensure effective communication within the team. In addition, they organise engaging cross-cultural team-building activities that transcend geographical boundaries. “These activities, such as retrospectives, encourage reflection or help to celebrate achievements and foster team spirit,” says Mandy. Beyond work interactions, they organise off-site events within different teams and communities, giving all team members the opportunity to bond socially and gain different cultural experiences. “For example, we recently held a Brazilian festival to learn more about our Brazilian community in Berlin, which was really enlightening and helped foster cross-cultural exchange among our teams,” she points out. All of these initiatives help to strengthen interpersonal relationships and lead to more effective collaboration between Trendyol’s global teams.
Adaptability and inclusivity
When it comes to crafting an overarching People & Culture strategy framework, Trendyol takes a tailored approach by creating roadmaps that cater to the unique needs of each team. Mandy emphasizes the importance of adaptability in execution of this big project, stating, “We prioritize flexibility and avoid rigid approaches to ensure our strategies can be adjusted to meet specific requirements.”
Recognizing the significance of cultural and regional variations, Trendyol understands that what may be effective in one region may not yield the same results in another. Mandy explains, “This is why we design distinct community events for each country, considering factors such as team tenure and cultural needs.”
“We use feedback to fine-tune the approach for better alignment and scalability.”
Pilot testing and feedback play a vital role in implementing these strategies. Mandy explains that before fully running out strategy, Trendyol runs pilot tests in different contexts to gather feedback. “We use these insights to fine-tune the approach for better alignment and scalability,” she points out, citing as an example the recently launched leadership learning cycle and development program, which was piloted and found to be very useful. “In the future, we plan to adapt it for use in other countries, albeit in a slightly modified format to suit their specific needs,” she concludes.
Embrace and accept
During the interview’s closing moments, Krishna places a strong emphasis on the significance of embracing diversity and celebrating differences at Trendyol. He deeply understands the pivotal role that these initiatives play in the growth and development of professionals, as well as in cultivating a sense of unity and belonging. “At Trendyol, we truly recognize and value the importance of not only embracing, but also celebrating our differences,” Krishna declares. He further elaborates, “Instead of viewing diversity as a barrier, we view it as a remarkable opportunity to expand our horizons and enrich our overall experience.”
“When we embrace the different perspectives, ideas and insights of people from different backgrounds, we open up exciting new horizons.”
When asked what advice he would give to individuals considering joining Trendyol, Krishna stresses the importance of accepting and fully embracing the company’s culture. “I genuinely believe that by fully embracing and accepting this culture, individuals have an extraordinary opportunity to tap into the collective wisdom and diverse experience of their colleagues,” he says. He adds: “When we embrace the different perspectives, ideas and insights of people from different backgrounds, we open up exciting new horizons. And that sense of oneness brings us closer together, fostering an inclusive environment where everyone feels valued and connected, no matter where they come from”.
His sentiment resonates deeply and powerfully because it speaks to the incredible potential that lies in embracing the different perspectives of others. Of course, there is still much to learn or improve upon, but by fostering an environment that values and encourages the expression of diverse viewpoints and ideas, Trendyol is indeed striving to create the conditions for personal growth, professional development and a results-oriented ecosystem to flourish. This approach is a good starting point for engaging diverse talent across borders.
