Last week, I joined the Japan Productivity Center seminar on “Key Points of Development of National Employees in Overseas Subsidiaries.”

This session was slightly different from the usual HR seminars. Most participants were C-suite leaders from mid to small-sized companies in Tokyo, including CEOs, CTOs and senior managers from overseas sales and business development. There were participants in the room as well as quite a few joining online.

The questions reflected a strong management perspective, such as:
• How to approach HR when acquiring a company overseas
• What to consider when establishing a new overseas subsidiary from an HR viewpoint
• How to identify local employees who can become future management candidates
• How to work effectively with top management at a subsidiary in the US

These discussions highlighted how essential it is to understand each subsidiary’s local situation before deciding on any HR or organisational approach. Leadership intent is important, but meaningful progress comes from what happens locally through systems, structures and daily management.

Through conversations, I saw again how much potential local employees can demonstrate when they are trusted and supported. Many companies underestimate this, yet it often becomes one of the biggest drivers of long-term success overseas.

Thank you to everyone who joined and shared their experiences.

#GlobalHR #TalentDevelopment #PeopleStrategy