RHmagazine - Carla Colaço, our HR Director, shares insights on how to build a culture of belonging

In this interview with RHmagazine, Carla Colaço, our Human Resources Director at Openbook Group, shares how we’ve built a culture of belonging in a fast-growing, multidisciplinary environment — and why structured listening is key to it all.

From fostering transparent communication to championing human-centered leadership, Carla offers a vision for the future of HR where innovation, well-being, and collaboration go hand in hand.

Read the full interview below:

EN – Carla Colaço, Openbook: “Active listening, combined with empathy, is a powerful tool”

The Human Resources Director of the Openbook Group shares insights on how to build a culture of belonging within a rapidly growing organization. She also highlights the challenges and lessons learned from implementing structured listening within teams, as well as her vision for the future of Human Resources.

In a company where architecture, engineering, design, and real estate coexist, fostering a culture of belonging is both a challenge and a priority. At Openbook Group, this balance has been achieved through the promotion of multidisciplinary collaboration, active listening, and human-centered leadership, where talent and well-being go hand in hand with innovation.

“Promoting accessible and close communication is essential to strengthening relationships with our employees. By adopting a collaborative and transparent approach, we create an environment where everyone feels comfortable expressing their opinions, concerns, and suggestions,” stated Carla Colaço, Human Resources Director of Openbook Group, in an interview with RHmagazine. She also emphasized that “active listening, combined with empathy, is a powerful tool that allows us to truly understand people’s needs and emotions, thereby strengthening trust, as employees feel that their opinions and ideas are valued and taken into consideration.”

Since 2024, Carla has led an internal transformation at Openbook Group based on three pillars: culture as a strategic driver, active listening as a management tool, and a vision of Human Resources as a direct business partner.

How is a culture of belonging built within a rapidly growing group that encompasses such diverse areas as architecture, engineering, design, and real estate?

The culture of belonging, the collective spirit, sharing, and commitment that define Openbook Group stem from a daily environment that encourages creativity, precision, and collaboration among diverse profiles that complement each other and work together to address challenges holistically. This synergy is one of the organization’s key success factors. In a multidisciplinary context marked by exponential growth and transformation, maintaining a cohesive group culture becomes both stimulating and essential. It begins with the selection of talent whose values and attitudes align with our cultural fit, facilitating a swift and natural integration into the group spirit. Then, through open and transparent communication, recognition and appreciation of each individual, exemplary leadership, and the creation of comfortable and pleasant spaces that foster interaction and idea exchange, we cultivate an environment where everyone feels like an integral part of the organization’s growth and success.

Active listening was one of the pillars of Openbook Group’s internal transformation. What practices were implemented to structure this listening process, and what key lessons emerged?

Promoting accessible and close communication is essential to strengthening relationships with our employees. By adopting a collaborative and transparent approach, we create an environment where everyone feels comfortable expressing their opinions, concerns, and suggestions. Active listening, combined with empathy, is a powerful tool that allows us to truly understand people’s needs and emotions, thereby strengthening trust, as employees feel that their opinions and ideas are valued and taken into consideration. By establishing a continuously open communication channel—and literally keeping the door open—we reinforce our commitment to everyone’s emotional safety. An environment characterized by attentive and empathetic listening enables the identification of improvement areas, allowing for actions that are more aligned with the team’s actual needs. Our role has been to create transparent dialogue moments, fostering a culture of mutual trust. In doing so, we strengthen engagement, collaboration, and the continuous development of both individuals and the organization.

With over 20 years of experience in Human Resources, which moments or challenges have been most influential in shaping your current leadership approach?

At the beginning of my career in Human Resources, I had to earn the trust and credibility of the teams I worked with. Through active listening, placing myself in others’ shoes, and striving to understand their challenges while seeking the best ways to support them, I adopted a conciliatory and facilitative approach that helped me gain respect and trust. Additionally, the empathetic relationships that were formed contributed to a more harmonious work environment, strengthening group cohesion and enhancing motivation to perform tasks, achieve defined goals, and comply with established procedures. These lessons have been fundamental to the roles I currently perform.

In creative and technical organizations, what specific challenges do you identify in talent and culture management?

In Openbook Group’s field of activity, which is both highly creative and technical, several specific challenges in talent and culture management may arise. It is important to foster a culture of continuous innovation, where new ideas, materials, and technologies are encouraged, without losing sight of project feasibility and sustainability. This requires a creative environment with accountability and adherence to deadlines. Talent retention is also a critical focus area—providing challenging growth opportunities, recognition, and a work environment that values and stimulates creativity is essential to keeping teams engaged and motivated. Likewise, offering attractive and distinctive benefits and promoting workplace happiness adds value and fosters stability. Today, new talent chooses to work where they feel best.

How do you envision the future of Human Resources in organizations that combine technical innovation and creativity? What role should HR play?

I envision the future of Human Resources as highly dynamic and transformative. We are privileged to be at the epicenter of a paradigm shift in people management. In our case, Openbook Group is at the forefront, with technology playing a crucial role in our operations. Our strategy includes a strong commitment to cutting-edge technology, not only in design but also in project management, where we are pioneers in using BIM technology. This is complemented by a clear investment in creative talent and the continuous innovation capacity of our people, all within a pleasant, motivating, and happy environment. In this context, HR assumes the role of facilitator, promoting initiatives that support teamwork, well-being, and a spirit of commitment, ensuring that teams remain motivated and prepared for future challenges.