Recruiters In Cuba

What do you think of when I say “Cuba?” Much of America’s impression of Cuba comes from propaganda and history books – likely black and white images of Fidel Castro and little else thanks to the Cuban Missile Crisis and a 50 year blockade. Especially before opening their borders, Cuba rarely came across our radar unless we were talking about stereotypes and myths propagated by curiosity and containment. Really, the only thing people outside of Miami talk about in relation to Cuba is cigars.

In our country, we’re so focused on the future, the next best thing and what’s new and next – it’s rare that we take the time to stop and listen to the other cultures who haven’t moved as quickly. We’re constantly pursuing the future state rather than evaluating the cultures who aren’t moving as fast as we are but rather are trying to quickly build the infrastructure.

But in some cases, looking back is an inspiration for moving forward. It benefits us all when we take the time to extend our purview outside of our own borders, or even the government’s travel ban, which is exactly what happened when a bunch of recruiting leaders traveled to Cuba. It was a reminder that we all need a global perspective. And yes, we all can learn something from a communist state – from building a workforce and accelerating a people within a political context.

In fact we must take a global perspective on HR because it impacts our business – even if we aren’t managing a global workforce, we are. We have candidates and employees from all backgrounds and the more we know, the more we can attract and hire better talent from every part of the world.

Earlier this year, directly following the trip, I sat down with Gerry Crispin, China Gorman and Matt Charney to interview them about the trip and what HR and recruiting practitioners can learn from their experience.

Additional Posts:

A Closer Look at HR in Cuba by Gerry Crispin

The Cognitive Dissonance of HR in Cuba by Gerry Crispin

You’ll Learn:

• How culture impacts the workforce in a communist culture
• The hiring and recruiting culture in Cuba
• How Charney avoided jail time
• And more!

Editor’s Note: Thank you to our sponsor HiringSolved for making this trip possible.   

Heard In This Podcast

Gerry Crispin                   China Gorman                  Matt Charney

By Katrina Kibben

RecruitingDaily contributing writer and editor.  I am a storyteller. A tactical problem solver. A curious mind. A data nerd. With that unique filter, I work to craft messages that strategically improve the perceptions and experiences of our clients, the people they employ and the candidates they wish to attract. I methodically review and collect research and insights to offer solution-based recommendations that meet the one-off, and not so one-off, recruiting and employer branding problems of today's global employers.