IN A NUTSHELL
First job: I worked at the Woolco pharmacy and beauty
counter in Sudbury.
Childhood ambition: To start my own business. I remember
having a big idea to open a chocolate chip cookie store – it
was always business.
Best boss and why: My best boss was the HR director at the
Sudbury General Hospital. She was a great mentor. She was
very clear about her expectations, she was empathetic and
she had high standards.
Current source of inspiration: Personally, it’s my children and
family. My eldest son, Connor, is 23 and works in Manhattan
in investment banking; my middle son, Michael, is in the final
year of acting at George Brown College; and my daughter,
Katherine, is 19, in medical sciences at Western University.
Professionally, it’s my career transition clients, landing on
their feet.
Best piece of advice ever received: The day after I got
married, my father-in-law looked directly at my husband and
me and said, “Be good to each other.” That is the best advice
– it’s what marriage and life are all about.
Favourite music: The artist I am listening to right now is Andra
Day. I like to listen to CBC Radio and when I hear an artist
being featured, I will buy their recording if I like what I hear.
Last book read: The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle
Zevin. It’s an excellent book; it had me laughing out loud.
AT TIMES OF TURBULENCE,
HR HAS A CRITICAL ROLE
IN TERMS OF THE IMPACT
OF THE CHANGE.
hr influencer
What tips do you have for new grads
or those in entry-level HR jobs who
want to move up the ladder?
CGB: I have worked with many new grads
over my career. My first piece of advice is
to know your value proposition – who you
are and what you offer. Second, master
the role you are currently in. Exceed time
and quality expectations for your work.
Volunteer to take on new projects and
get involved in your organization. Third,
establish and enhance your network, in-cluding
with other HR professionals both
internal and external. Attend events and
get out of your comfort zone by talking to
at least one person you do not know. It can
be daunting at first, but you will be sur-prised
at how quickly it becomes easier.
Finally, take care of yourself. Try to strike
a balance between your professional life
and your personal pursuits. A career isn’t
a sprint, it’s a marathon.
The HR field has been evolving.
What changes excite you the most?
CGB: I am excited about the latest trends
in career management. The extension of
work lives – more people retiring later in
life – and the shorter tenure in jobs is cre-ating
a greater emphasis on careers and
learning. As well, millennials are demand-ing
opportunities to learn and progress.
Leading organizations are strengthening
their focus on continuous learning and the
employee experience. This trend creates
opportunities for HR to provide creative
and innovative strategies to meet employee
expectations and organizational demands.
What’s the future of HR?
CGB: As the HR field continues to evolve,
there will be numerous opportunities to
flourish, whether one is a HR specialist,
generalist or leader in the profession.
I’m very interested in unique oppor-tunities
for continuous, organizational
learning and team learning. I also believe
each of us should give back in some way to
our community. I hope our future as HR
professionals is to seize new opportunities,
to continuously learn and to embrace the
challenges we face, to strengthen not only
our organizations and profession, but also
our communities. n
44 ❚ APRIL 2017 ❚ HR PROFESSIONAL