Global

When I was young, my dream was to work abroad. My dad used to say, “be careful what you wish for, because you’ll probably get it”. And he was absolutely right.

I started my HR career in my home country of South Africa. From there I moved to Germany to learn more about HR strategy, and then on to Sweden, where I live and work today.

Working globally has completely changed my outlook on life. It’s opened my eyes to all sorts of different cultures. And I’ve picked up two new languages along the way.

Moving around the world into different roles and assignments taught me many new job-related skills. Just as importantly, it also helped me better understand how cultural differences affect my work.

In my global HR role, understanding these cultural differences helps me develop employment policies and processes that meet the needs of our very diverse workforce.

I’ve also learned the importance of fostering and supporting a diverse work environment. Different minds don’t think alike – and that often leads to the most innovative ideas. 

Right now my home is Scandanavia. The landscape is amazing here. You can even pick your own mushrooms! It’s something I never got to do in South Africa.
 
To really enjoy a global career, I think it helps to be curious. Because if you’re interested in the world around you, that’s when the world opens up to you.

When I look at my passport and my Nokia Siemens Networks ID card, I sometimes wonder which is most valuable to me. My passport allows me to travel, but my ID card makes me part of a global community. For me, it’s like having a second nationality.

Are you ready to be part of something global?

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