Three key points for nurturing talent in IT teams, fostering an inclusive work environment and creating value for clients around the world: Empathy, cultural change and a strong sense of belonging.
Improving the business climate, reducing staff turnover, developing people and the organization: These are the key aspects that Global Technologies, CRIF’s IT division, is working on. It aims to deliver value to the business and clients, driving corporate digital transformation by supporting the planning, development and management of end-to-end solutions and the adoption of state-of-the-art technologies and methodologies. Through the People Engagement function, CRIF Global Technologies aims to invest more and more in people, knowing that they can make a difference in a company that aims to excel in the market. “This ongoing commitment and these investments lead to winning results. Low staff turnover is one of the indicators of the success of the initiatives carried out together with IT colleagues,” explains Antonio Baldino, CRIF Global Technologies People Engagement Director.
“We strongly believe in listening; we don’t manage people in a hands-off way or simply by assigning tasks: We are interested in knowing what they think, we want them to contribute to developing ideas and to tell us what works and what doesn’t. My function alone, without the feedback of the people around me, couldn’t contribute to the growth of the company.” A common saying in CRIF’s internal communications is “IT evolves with you”. “It’s a play on words that emphasizes the central role of people in the growth and innovation process,” continues Baldino, proposing a path based on three key elements to cultivate an inclusive and value-driven work environment: “Adopt management based on empathy, encourage cultural change and promote a strong sense of belonging to the team.”
Empathy takes center stage
An important concept for CRIF and its Global Technologies division is empathy-based management. Empathy-based management – as Baldino explains – can influence the business climate and affect the success of projects. The approach places empathy at the heart of the team’s relationships. This method of communication, listening and interaction aims to make people feel at ease, as part of a safe environment, where managers act as a coach and mentor to their team. This not only improves employee wellbeing, but also fosters a corporate culture of trust and collaboration. “We’re a modern company, where the hierarchy is now blurred; it’s not uncommon to find a senior director speaking to a new member of staff in the corridor,” comments Baldino. “This is now the norm in CRIF, just like in other modern companies. As an IT division, we work extensively on the team, on sharing goals and values, on motivation, collaboration and multiculturalism. This is important for CRIF, as our teams are made up of professionals from Italy, India, Poland, the USA and beyond. People need to feel part of a team where they can fully express themselves. For this to happen, they need to have managers and colleagues who know them and listen to them actively and responsively. The manager as a coach, therefore, not a boss.”
Cultural Change
In recent years, there has been increasing talk of cultural change, of the need to work on people’s attitudes, to prepare them for change or to understand diversity. This is a complex process, requiring a strong mix of leadership, clear communication and careful observation of dynamics. “It’s important to involve all levels of the organization and create an environment in which individuals feel encouraged to express their opinions and adopt new practices to achieve increasingly challenging goals,” Baldino explains. “I think it’s difficult to evolve or innovate if you’re not ready for change. People often stick to what they know, what they’ve always done.” So why change? Because when you think outside the box, there’s only one answer, “Why not?" says Baldino. “We need to broaden our view, not taking anything for granted and aspiring to be the best, especially in a technological world that moves at high speed, with the risk of being overtaken in the market. If we hadn’t worked consistently on these issues,” Baldino explains, “we would never have been able to manage the pandemic, when the way of working changed significantly and those who didn’t adapt in time lost staff and therefore knowledge. For example, remote working also meant having to think about and set up virtual informal meet-ups to maintain and strengthen the human and empathic relationship.”
The team is everything
While a group is made up of people who simply work together, without any real connection or common goal, a team goes beyond this and is more than a sum of its parts. It works synergistically, overcoming challenges and celebrating successes together. This requires investment in active listening, mutual trust and the optimization of individual skills. “Without doubt, the team is everything,” confirms Baldino. “A team means strength, cohesion, a sense of belonging, a desire to achieve goals together, mutual support and shared goals.” In CRIF’s IT team, there is a strong interdependence between roles, “An inevitable but, nonetheless, a very constructive trend,” explains Baldino. “For example, in open plan offices there are no workstations dedicated to a specific group. System engineers, software developers and software architects can all sit at the same table. This also contributes to creating the team, because discussions are more natural and there are no divisions. The ability to build human rather than just professional relationships also reduces misunderstandings and conflict.”
Driving transformation
CRIF operates in 37 countries, across four continents, with over 6,400 professionals and multicultural teams. “With more than 1,500 IT professionals around the world,” Baldino explains, “we have a unique perspective on how technologies and the business evolve together and how to respond to digital transformation and market needs. It’s a journey we embark on proactively with our colleagues to support the more than 10,000 banks and financial institutions, more than 600 insurance companies, 90,000 businesses and one million consumers we serve globally.” CRIF is a business partner and travel companion in an ever-evolving physical and digital ecosystem. “Together with the directors of the various CRIF Global Technologies functions, we pay a lot of attention to putting people at the center of projects. This awareness – which is also a challenge – enabled us to successfully navigate the three-year period from 2020 to 2023, characterized by accelerated recruitment in the global IT world, where people living in Italy or Poland were hired by US companies in fully remote working mode.”
CRIF is marked by a strong corporate culture. “Important values,” continues Baldino, “that we share with the HR department’s vision, such as a specific focus on people, a targeted remuneration and professional development policy, a constant commitment to training and an integrated approach to the three pillars of sustainability: Environmental, social and economic. All this has allowed us to remain competitive in terms of talent acquisition and employer branding.” This is demonstrated by some important awards received by CRIF such as “Italy’s Best Employers 2024” and “Sustainability Leaders 2024 ” in Italy – the ability to be and work as a team is crucial to improving the support and services offered to clients. “We’re on the right track,” concludes CRIF's Global Technologies People Engagement Director, “and what is most important is to define and share the right approach, identifying the personal attitudes necessary to achieve important goals.”
Source: Data Manager Magazine
