Jobina Gonsalves

Vice President of Human Resources, TÜV SÜD America

#FutureInYourHands – This motto properly describes how TÜV SÜD empowers its employees. It’s best to hear from TÜV SÜD executives and staff members what their personal experiences are working for TÜV SÜD.

Here, Jasmine Martirossian sat down with Jobina Gonsalves, VP of Human Resources, TÜV SÜD America, to get Jobina’s perspectives and insights as an employee of TÜV SÜD.

What do you appreciate most as an employee about being at TÜV SÜD?
First and foremost, it’s the trust that we are given as employees and as managers; that’s the biggest contributor to my performance as a manager and I do the same for my team. I am treated with trust, which is empowering, I treat my team with trust, and I encourage them to treat everyone else with trust. Trust is the foundation of how we operate as an organization.

As a leader of HR in Americas, what is your driving mission?
My aim is to have HR be seen as a credible business partner. So, it’s important for us to be involved with our business partners at the start of the value chain for all initiatives. With this approach, we are starting our involvement early, helping managers, and helping employees to have a very structured and fulfilling work life. While new initiatives are being contemplated, it’s important to figure out what the impact will be on people.

Jobina, you just mentioned that you aim to create “structured and fulfilling” work life for employees. What do you mean by that??
In the lifecycle of an employee from recruitment to retirement, there are many stages. And as employees move through these stages and evolve themselves, their motivations and values change. As an HR executive, I want to make sure that these changes and transitions are as smooth as possible. As people evolve in the organization, it’s important to have clear channels of communication and expectations so that people know what their career development options are, and what their impact on the business is. And we continuously collaborate with the business to make sure that the employees have clarity regarding this and feel empowered to take the future in their hands.

I have always believed that if you take care of your employees, they will take care of the customers. In every interaction with the outside world, the employees are representing TÜV SÜD, and what they project has huge impact on our business outcomes.

My StrengthFinder Coach’s motto is “Make Every Interaction Count,” and that has stayed with me. I take it very seriously and believe that if we take care of our employees, they will take care of the business.

Jobina, as a Gallup Clifton StrengthFinder Certified Coach yourself, how do you use your skill in your work at TÜV SÜD?
I believe that every employee, every human being has the capacity to be the best version of themselves; you don’t need to compare apples and oranges. Be the best apple you can be. Don’t try to be a peach. That is already a win.

I come across managers who struggle with that. It’s important to work with every person from their strengths. Perhaps people are not being used for the role that they are meant to be in. That helps me co-educate managers to give people a second chance. We need to find the best alignment between the person and the role.

Then, it’s important to work and deal with people from a place of positivity and gratitude. I recall hearing Oprah Winfrey once say that nothing new can come into your life unless you are grateful for what you have, and that has stayed with me. So, I try to infuse my work at TÜV SÜD with positivity and gratitudes.

You have worked at world-class organizations like Bosch, what is it about TÜV SÜD that really stands out to you?
People, people, people – in my nearly eight years of tenure at TÜV SÜD, I am amazed and inspired by the people I have met. In fact, I have not come across any nasty people, be it in HR or among other colleagues. TÜV SÜD is all about people. It’s also important to look at it from the employee’s perspective. Even though I am the leader of HR in the Americas, I am an employee myself. People forget that HR professionals are also employees, and we get motivated by those around us.

What is your driving philosophy for life and work?
For my work, I take pride in what I do. I am always guided by the belief that if something is worth doing, then it’s worth doing it really well. So, I give it all. I love my work in HR, I love working with people, and I would not want to be in any other profession.
I am also guided always by something that my Dad taught me. He likes to repeat, “it’s nice to be important, but it’s even more important to be nice.” Those are words of wisdom that I have always followed.

What are your personal interests and hobbies, Jobina, and what do you enjoy doing outside of work?
I love cooking, reading, going for long walks, catching up with friends over wine, and travel – the kind of travel where you can sit in a street café and watch the world go by.

Meet more of Our North American Employees

Employee Spotlight: Jobina Gonsalves