During our visit ING Madrid on Thursday, January 15, we were given an overview of how the area works and how they are managing their growth without losing consistency in their way of working or the culture that sets them apart. The session helped us understand that HR is not seen as area management assistant, but as a partner supports teams and the business, providing structure to core topic processes core topic taking care of the employee experience throughout the entire cycle: attraction, onboarding, development monitoring.
It was emphasized that hiring is not only focused on filling vacancies, but also on incorporating profiles that fit in with the way of working and the behaviors expected within the organization. Along the same lines, onboarding was presented as a critical lever: a well-designed onboarding process reduces the learning curve, accelerates integration into the team, and reinforces the culture and forms of partnership from the outset. development was also addressed, emphasizing the value of training and conversations with ongoing feedback, focusing on both results and learning and professional development.
It was emphasized that scaling is not just about adding people, but about maintaining alignment and coordination, reinforcing communication mechanisms and minimum standards that prevent silos and allow teams to remain agile. This is reinforced by the different Open Space areas they have.
One particularly relevant point was culture. It was described as an operational element that translates into specific habits and practices: partnership , autonomy with responsibility, and continuous improvement. Beyond stated values, what sustains this culture are work rituals, transparency in communication, and the role of leadership as an example and facilitator. Overall, the main lesson visit that sustainable growth depends on balancing structure with agility, ensuring that culture is not just speech, but a consistent way of acting on a daily basis.
In summary, people who go to ING are happy about it because, if we combine the way they work and all the facilities they have (gym, meeting rooms, large cafeteria, hairdresser, etc.), it's hard to feel otherwise.
