Methods of Navigating HR Challenges in the Corporate Space

Mathias de Maré, Head of Group HR at Catella

Mathias de Mare is the Head of Group HR at Catella and has 10 years of broad experience in the international Human Resource area. His focus areas include developing organizations and implementing various HR processes such as performance management, talent management, high potentials and succession planning, compensation and benefit, HR transformation, HR systems, and processes. He is strategic, targeted and has the ability to easily cooperate with different categories of people.

His specialties include human resources, compensation & benefits, performance management, talent management, HR transformation, learning and development, management development, and understanding international cultures.

What is the background and professional journey that led to your present role?

I studied HR at university in Sweden, and in city called Halmstad and was interested in organizations and how to develop them. I also developed an interest in business administration, leading me to earn a double degree in HR and business administration at Stockholm University.

I initially started working in a bank, but eventually found my way into HR and have stayed in this area in different positions since then. HR gives me an opportunity to work with the human capital within the organization. My aim is to develop and coach managers while also developing employees to enhance the company’s performance.

My professional journey has spanned across various international companies, with a diverse workforce from different countries. My initial focus was on the Nordics, and now with Catella, it has expanded to encompass all of Europe.

This gives me a chance to enjoy different cultures across different countries, especially how they impact work, management styles, and company culture. In Sweden, for example, we have a consensus culture where decisions should be aligned. This contrasts with other countries where managers have more power and their decisions are not usually challenged by employees.

I also work with performance management, specifically how to get the best performance out of employees. This involves setting goals and conducting performance reviews, which are big challenges for many companies. I’ve also been included in overall management as well.

What are some of the challenges in the HR space when it comes to technology and its adaptation?

One of the prominent challenges in the HR space right now is finding the right performance management tools and systems for companies. In our case, we have many different companies across Europe, each with different styles and performance management approaches. Finding a tool that works for all these diverse entities is a challenge.

Currently, we don’t have a dedicated HR system for Catella in Europe, and we’re looking into options but haven’t decided on the right tool yet. We’re considering whether we should have a tool that includes performance management or one that solely handles employee and HR data. I’ve looked into the market, but haven’t found the right tool yet.

“It’s important to strike a balance between meeting employee needs and focusing on the business. This can be done by serving as a spokesperson for both the employees and the company.”

Another challenge is handling incentive plans, long-term incentive plans, and remuneration programs across Europe. It’s difficult to find a tool that can handle all these aspects. We don’t want a large, complex HR system and need something smaller that works for us. We are a company of 500 employees across Europe, so finding a suitable solution is a challenge.

With the advent of AI, there’s a question of whether we should wait for AI to potentially simplify things. It’s also uncertain how AI will affect HR systems and performance management tools.

What are some of the trends when it comes to technology in the HR space?

In terms of technology trends in the HR space, AI and chat tools have a significant role to play. They can be used for various purposes, such as creating recruitment ads or different types of text.

There’s also a lot of discussion around the best tools for performance management, an area I’ve been focusing on. All employees need to understand their work, set goals, and then evaluate these goals to move forward. There are many different inputs and thoughts on how to do this in the best way. However, I haven’t yet found a tool that fully convinces me.

Regarding recruitment, we don’t recruit that much in our organization. We could potentially use chat GPT and AI tools more within recruitment, but we don’t have a large recruitment process. We usually don’t have a large number of applicants for our recruitment, unlike my previous experience at PWC where there were about 500 employees starting.

What advice would you give to your peers in the industry?

I would emphasize focusing on creating value for the company and being part of the management or leadership team.

It is often seen that HR personnel maintain an ‘open door’ policy, where employees can freely discuss matters. While it’s important to be open to discussions with employees, I would suggest considering whether the information received from an employee is something to act upon. Spending too much time simply listening to employees can detract from the main goal of creating value for the company.

One should focus on the right goals and targets that are set together with the CEO or the leadership team to drive the business forward. It’s important to strike a balance between meeting employee needs and focusing on the business. It is good to be the spokesperson for both the employees and the company.

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