How do you maintain a people-first culture while scaling a global organization to over 41,000 employees across 50 countries? In today’s episode, John Duisberg sits down with Joe Cronin, Chief Human Resources Officer at ICON, to explore how ICON has grown from a small team of five in Ireland in 1990 to a global leader in clinical research and healthcare intelligence.

Joe shares insights into:
ICON's Mission: Accelerating the development of life-saving drugs and devices by supporting over 1,300 clinical trials in 2023 alone.
Maintaining Culture Through Growth and M&A: How ICON preserves its core values—collaboration, agility, inclusion, and integrity—while integrating over 30 acquisitions, including the significant merger with PRA Health Sciences.
'Own It at ICON' Philosophy: Fostering a culture of ownership that empowers employees to embrace challenges and contribute proactively.
Global Initiatives: The annual "Wake Up to Culture" day that unites employees worldwide to celebrate and reinforce ICON's values.
Digital Innovation in HR: Leveraging AI and technology to enhance recruitment processes, candidate experience, and streamline HR operations.

Joe also discusses the complexities and contradictions in today's workforce, emphasizing the need for flexibility, personalization, and deeper connections in a post-pandemic world.

Resources Related to This Episode
ICON Website: iconplc.com
Connect with Joe Cronin on LinkedIn:linkedin.com/in/joe-cronin-7540073
Learn More About The Cooleaf Podcast: cooleaf.com/resources/podcast

Credits
Theme Music 🎵DPMusic from Pond5.com
Produced byChat With Leaders Media

How do you maintain a people-first culture while scaling a global organization to over 41,000 employees across 50 countries? In today’s episode, John Duisberg sits down with Joe Cronin, Chief Human Resources Officer at ICON, to explore how ICON has grown from a small team of five in Ireland in 1990 to a global leader in clinical research and healthcare intelligence.
Joe shares insights into:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">ICON's Mission: Accelerating the development of life-saving drugs and devices by supporting over 1,300 clinical trials in 2023 alone.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Maintaining Culture Through Growth and M&amp;A: How ICON preserves its core values—collaboration, agility, inclusion, and integrity—while integrating over 30 acquisitions, including the significant merger with PRA Health Sciences.</li>
<li aria-level="1">'Own It at ICON' Philosophy: Fostering a culture of ownership that empowers employees to embrace challenges and contribute proactively.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Global Initiatives: The annual "Wake Up to Culture" day that unites employees worldwide to celebrate and reinforce ICON's values.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Digital Innovation in HR: Leveraging AI and technology to enhance recruitment processes, candidate experience, and streamline HR operations.</li>
</ul>
Joe also discusses the complexities and contradictions in today's workforce, emphasizing the need for flexibility, personalization, and deeper connections in a post-pandemic world.
Resources Related to This Episode
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">ICON Website:<a href="https://www.iconplc.com"> iconplc.com</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">Connect with Joe Cronin on LinkedIn:<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/joe-cronin-2757263"> </a>linkedin.com/in/joe-cronin-7540073</li>
<li aria-level="1">Learn More About The Cooleaf Podcast:<a href="https://cooleaf.com/resources/podcast"> cooleaf.com/resources/podcast</a></li>
</ul>
Credits
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Theme Music 🎵DPMusic from Pond5.com</li>
<li aria-level="1">Produced by <a href="https://chatwithleaders.com">Chat With Leaders Media</a></li>
</ul>

What’s the secret to a thriving workplace? It starts with loving your people. The Love Your People Podcast, powered by ITA Group, dives into the heart of people-first leadership. This isn’t just talk—we bring you real strategies, inspiring stories, and actionable insights from leaders who are transforming their organizations by putting people at the center of everything they do.

If you’re an HR professional, business leader, or anyone passionate about building workplaces where people and businesses thrive together, this podcast is your go-to resource. Discover how to engage your teams, develop exceptional leaders, and create a culture that drives success.

Subscribe now and join the movement to lead with purpose, create meaningful connections, and truly love your people. Because when you do, everyone wins.

What&rsquo;s the secret to a thriving workplace? It starts with loving your people. The Love Your People Podcast, powered by ITA Group, dives into the heart of people-first leadership. This isn&rsquo;t just talk&mdash;we bring you real strategies, inspiring stories, and actionable insights from leaders who are transforming their organizations by putting people at the center of everything they do.
If you&rsquo;re an HR professional, business leader, or anyone passionate about building workplaces where people and businesses thrive together, this podcast is your go-to resource. Discover how to engage your teams, develop exceptional leaders, and create a culture that drives success.
Subscribe now and join the movement to lead with purpose, create meaningful connections, and truly love your people. Because when you do, everyone wins.

At the heart of every successful business is a strong culture. Find out how high-achieving people leaders are putting their employees first - and why it makes all the difference.

Love Your People Podcast

Joe Cronin, CHRO at ICON, shares how the company maintains a people-first culture while scaling globally to over 41,000 employees, leveraging digital innovation and fostering ownership and collaboration across 50 countries.

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