LinkedIn Interview with OKX: How Web3 technology companies deploy globally and recruit talents

Chen Maobo, Financial Secretary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, pointed out in his speech at the recently held "2023 Hong Kong Web3 Carnival" that now is a golden opportunity for the development of Web3, and it is also the most thrilling moment.

Web3 is a decentralized network ecology based on blockchain technology. It is not only a subversion of the traditional Internet ecology, but also will bring about changes in the business world.

In this field where business development and talent competition are the hottest, under this background, how should leading Web3 companies expand globally and attract high-quality talents in various fields?

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Stick to the bottom line, stick to the original intention, follow the trend

Founded in 2017, OKX has become the world's second largest cryptocurrency trading platform and a leading Web3 ecosystem, with operations in more than 200 countries and regions around the world and more than 3,000 employees.

With a good corporate culture and excellent employer brand building, OKX has become a company that attracts the attention and favor of global talents in an industry where the supply of talents is in short supply. In LinkedIn's 2022 "MostIn" Global Attraction List, OKX was selected as a "Globally Attractive Employer".

In terms of business, OKX also relies on its solid technology and clear strategic goals to deploy in key regions around the world, and has established branches in Singapore and Hong Kong, which are known as the "Asian Web3 Center".

When talking about OKX’s experience in developing business in different markets around the world, Cindy pointed out that sticking to the bottom line, sticking to the original intention, understanding and adapting to local policies and cultures are the keys to successfully developing global business.

First of all, pay attention to compliance and stick to the bottom line.

In the Web3 space, policy and regulatory frameworks are critical. For OKX, the basic bottom line for business development is compliance and legality.

Cindy emphasized that OKX will not make any compromises in terms of compliance or customer interests in order to seize market share or pursue business growth. Engaging in standardized and compliant business is the basic principle that OKX has long adhered to.

Of course, in the actual operation process, such principles will face real challenges, but OKX will still ensure adherence to compliance by seeking other feasible methods, or even delaying the development of related businesses.

Doing something and not doing something has allowed OKX to develop steadily in the complicated external environment.

Second, stick to the original intention and achieve the goal.

The original intention of OKX has always been to adhere to the basic principle of user first, which is the core driving force for its continuous development. In addition, in terms of business development, OKX will adopt a more proactive approach to achieve the set goals. So far, OKX has occupied the leading position in the industry in many countries.

In those countries and regions that have just entered, OKX will adopt the method of "keeping an eye on the first" to quickly gain market share.

But in fact, in Cindy's view, the most important thing in competition is not to pay attention to external opponents, but to "look inward" and focus on oneself. "When an enterprise can do solid basic skills, improve user experience, and have excellent products and services, it is only a matter of time before it is recognized by the market and users." Cindy said.

Instead of spending energy on imagining how strong and invincible your opponent is, it is better to focus on practicing internal strength.

Remembering why you set out, and then moving towards your goal without distraction is the way OKX successfully expands its global business.

Third, understand the difference and follow the trend.

For any global company, it is very difficult to break the market differences brought about by different regional cultures.

But in OKX's view, differences may also become a boost for companies to explore new markets.

For example, Cindy noticed that in Singapore, where the Web3 industry is developing rapidly, although most of its citizens are Chinese faces, due to the different historical backgrounds of the countries or regions, the Chinese cultures in Singapore and Hong Kong are quite different: The education system is very westernized, and their way of thinking and doing things is less burdensome than Hong Kong people, and they are more daring to express themselves. In the workplace in Singapore, the most efficient way to communicate is to directly and transparently convey goals and needs to workplace partners.

From a market perspective, Singapore is also a highly legalized country that attaches great importance to compliance. For enterprises to successfully conduct business in Singapore, they must put laws and compliance first. Once an enterprise is recognized by the market and trusted by the government, it will receive a lot of support and help to boost business development.

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Based on ourselves, take the initiative to attract global talents

The most intuitive manifestation of the "thrilling development of Web3" in Chen Maobo's mouth is the competition for talents.

The "2022 Global Blockchain Talent Report - Web 3.0 Direction" released in August last year pointed out that among the top ten blockchain talent countries in the world, blockchain talents in the United States, China, India, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Canada and other countries The number of job postings has increased exponentially, and the demand for talents is extremely strong.

In Cindy's view, OKX's global talent strategy is still based on its own foundation and taking the initiative to attack.

1) Products are the foundation of living and attracting talents

Although OKX is regarded by many as a financial platform, OKX positions itself as a high-tech company.

Cindy emphasized that laying a solid technical foundation and product foundation, bringing good experience to users on this basis, and promoting the positive and healthy development of the overall Web3 industry are the strategic goals that OKX has always adhered to.

OKX has always insisted on investing a lot of energy and time to build an excellent production and research team. After long-term efforts, its product advancement and technical stability have been recognized by more than 50 million users around the world. Facts have proved that OKX is creating stable, convenient and efficient products for users with the world's top production and research capabilities, thereby winning word-of-mouth from users and seizing market share.

Enterprises are taking the most important step in attracting global talents: gaining the recognition and joining of more like-minded top talents.

2) Gather talents with corporate culture and vision

In the field of Web3, business and technology are developing rapidly, and there are many choices and temptations for talents in the industry. To attract and retain talents, generous remuneration and a good working environment are very important, but more importantly, the company's vision and corporate culture.

In OKX, the construction of corporate culture is a very important work content of HR, and the relevant teams will continue to upgrade the corporate culture according to the different stages of corporate development. For example, by organizing various activities to build a complete and transparent communication system, another example is to ensure the penetration and vitality of corporate culture through talent development cycle management and company management systems, so as to attract first-class talents to first-class talents. "Only a sense of mission and a sense of accomplishment is the best way to truly attract and retain talents." Cindy said frankly.

Just like Cindy's own experience, with years of experience in major Internet companies, she was initially attracted by the CEO's ideals and firm beliefs. After joining OKX for five years, Cindy can still feel infinite challenges and freshness in her work. There is a lot of motivation to face the unknown in the wind and rain. This sense of value and rising sense of accomplishment has become the most difficult part between her and OKX.

3) Effective employer brand building makes attracting talents more effective

In the "2023 Future Recruitment Trends Report" recently released by LinkedIn, the importance of employer branding was raised to a new level.

In Cindy's view, accurate and effective employer brand building can make global talent recruitment more effective, and the most direct way to achieve accuracy and effectiveness is to find a good platform and medium.

During the cooperation with LinkedIn, OKX learned about the status quo of the global talent market and job-seeking demands in a timely manner from a large number of talent reports released by LinkedIn, and combined with the characteristics and needs of the company and industry, it accurately outlined the talents of the target group portrait.

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An advanced organization based on the "OK Basic Principle" to effectively realize efficient global collaboration

OKX mainly achieves efficient collaboration and effective management of global teams through the following points:

1) Build an advanced organization to help business development

In an industry growing linearly, sometimes even "feeling your way" is a luxury.

Cindy pointed out that the management method and organizational form of OKX are the result of synchronous iterative upgrades when the business changes rapidly. This puts very high demands on the managers and HR in the organization. The organizational setting serves the corporate strategy. After the phased business development goals are formulated, the organizational structure within the company will be adjusted and continuously upgraded in the strategy in order to maximize the value of all functions and improve the sense of purpose and mission of individual employees. In order to achieve efficient collaboration of global business and ultimately achieve business success. For example, a few years ago, OKX proposed to build a global team with a decentralized management concept. Under the decentralized structure, the collaboration model is simple, and each department and position has clear work goals. Through the effective link of the organizational structure, The decision-making chain is greatly shortened, and the efficiency of work and collaboration is improved.

2) Continue to stimulate the self-evolution ability of the organization, so that the right people can do the right thing

The essence of Web3 is decentralization, and OKX global team management is practicing a decentralized management method. In Cindy's view, the most important thing in an organization is people, who are the carrier of all decision-making and execution. At present, OKX has established a real merit-based assessment mechanism through the assessment under effective coordination. It has become a consensus in the company that "those who are capable will go up and those who are unable to go down" have become a consensus in the company, which has also condensed more and more "" The right person" makes it possible to "let the right person do the right thing".

Cindy told us that the "talent aggregation effect" has developed into a key force for organizational evolution. The establishment of a framework system in line with strategic development and the authorization of outstanding talents have enabled OKX to have self-evolving organizational capabilities, providing a strong guarantee for the efficient development of the company.

3) Use "OK Basic Principle" to ensure a unified business philosophy

Since its establishment, OKX has gradually formed its own management philosophy, which is called "OK Basic Principle" within the organization.

The OK Basic Principle has three core requirements: team first, integrity-based, and overcoming difficulties. It covers all aspects of corporate globalization management from strategic decision-making to talent promotion, and effectively guarantees the global consistency of the company's management system and corporate culture.

write at the end

write at the end

"2022 Global Blockchain Talent Report - Web 3.0 Direction" pointed out that the short tenure of talents and high turnover rate are common phenomena in the blockchain industry. In this field, talent recruitment and management are far more difficult than other industries.

To attract and retain Web3 talents, in addition to creating a fair and transparent assessment mechanism and an efficient and systematic organizational form, it is also necessary to have solid technical strength, as well as a unique corporate culture and employer brand.