Johnsonville & Sprout: Navigating Cultural Dynamics Through Technology

Like many companies seeking expansion beyond their home turf, Johnsonville, LLC ventured outside its borders in the United States to the Philippines.

As the company began joining forces with local manufacturers, it faced a huge challenge: managing a remote-based workforce in a different country with a different culture, in the middle of a global pandemic.

Johnsonville noticed a significant gap in communication and engagement within its workplace, which Sprout helped bridge. Read on to find out how the company tackled this issue by leveraging the capabilities of the Sprout Ecosystem.

As Johnsonville expanded its reach to the Philippines, it faced the following challenges:

Acknowledging cultural disparities gave Johnsonville insight into the complexities of business expansion early on. With a commitment to overcoming these challenges, the company actively sought a range of solutions and tools for a smoother journey.

American culture values direct, straightforward feedback to avoid misunderstandings. But when Johnsonville began operating in the Philippines, it had to adjust to the Filipino culture’s otherwise non-confrontational and laid back approach to work. As a result, the company needed a tool to help it manage cultural differences in the workplace effectively.

Anticipating different employee perspectives and feelings concerning their work was another challenge that arose as Johnsonville switched to remote work during the pandemic. Because of this, the company sought a tech solution to gain more insight into these issues.

Johnsonville used the Sprout Ecosystem to:

• Assess employee engagement through anonymized surveys to give its employees a voice
• Uncover sensitive, pressing workplace concerns
• Fully provide and maintain HR data reports from overseas
• Improve cross-functional learning and strengthen working relationships

Navigating a multicultural workforce entails acknowledging cultural differences. Hence, it’s crucial to understand employee needs and address them despite limited physical interactions. With the Sprout Ecosystem, Johnsonville bridged cultural gaps within its overseas workforce, allowing everyone to be heard and valued.

Want to dig deeper into Johnsonville’s journey with Sprout? Download the full case study from our Customer Success Stories page. And for more expert insights on HR tech solutions, visit our blog.