Hello from Gothenburg!
In the morning, we went for breakfast as usual. We then met in the Lobby and went to Volvo via bus. At Volvo, we learned about the company and had Fika where we could chat with the Volvo HR staff. Everyone was friendly, inviting and happy to answer any and all of our questions. At Volvo we learned that they use the Ulrich Model to help clarify and specialize roles. Their service delivery model allows the HR staff to focus on the Volvo core values: increase quality, increase customer satisfaction, and reduce costs. This model allows the Volvo group to employee HR Specialists, which is more similar to what we are used to in the US and less similar to what we have heard from other Swedish companies. They also reiterated that they like to hire people with similar core values and train them rather than recruiting people with skills who lack their values. They find that this helps lessen the turnover rate which is 1 in 4 new hires “worldwide” within the first year of employment. Also, they confirmed that even though the Swedish influence on the company is less stated than IKEA, Volvo’s culture is very Swedish.
Volvo was a great company to visit for many reasons. Because it is a global company that relies heavily on the different HR roles to keep Volvo operating, we were able to really grasp the importance of human resource management and its presence in an organization. One of the presenters for Volvo talked about some of the “game changers” that make it the successful company we see today. Some of these were culture, leadership, performance, and competition. As we listened to the employees of Volvo talk about what makes Volvo thrive, I could not help but realize that HR is such a huge part of the success of a company and is linked with each “game changer.” Going to these visits makes me proud to be heading down the journey of Human Resource Management and has opened my eyes to just how important this area of study is!
Afterwards we went to the Volvo Museum attached to the university. Our guided tour led us through decades of the car company’s history, even the birth of the company between the two founders. The very restaurant table where the idea was hatched between two men from the ball-bearing industry is preserved on the museum floor. Through its many acquisitions and changes of ownership, Volvo has remained a staple in the car industry, known for its safety and longevity. Our tour guide explained to us that Volvo pioneered many of today’s current safety measures and showed us the expansive nature of the company. They own portions of air, land, and water transportation methods. The tour really illustrated the growth and successful explosion of success that Volvo is known for today.
During our free-time in the evening, the group split up. Some had dinner at Golden Days, enjoying burgers and French fries. Others went to the Gothenburg Amusement Park. While taking the ferry across the waterway, a couple indicated it was the best park in Northern Europe. It was a great day!
Best wishes,
Jennie, Laura, Victoria and Jenny 🙂