Talent Management
HR Professional
Pin It

By Lisa Gordon

 

Hard work and positive thoughts

From the time she was old enough to put on boots, Nan Oldroyd learned the value of hard work.

Growing up on her family’s farm near Stratford, Ont., there were many opportunities to learn on the job – and there was certainly no shortage of work to do. So, it’s no surprise that Oldroyd brought that energy and adaptability into play when she launched her HR career 23 years ago.

 

Since then, she’s held a series of progressive human resources positions at top companies such as The Home Depot, Tim Hortons and, finally, Loblaw Companies Limited, where she is currently the vice-president of human resources for the market division and emerging business. HR Professional spoke to Oldroyd about her rewarding career and how simply believing in herself has helped her maintain focus and overcome obstacles.

 

How and when did you decide upon an HR career?
Nan Oldroyd: I hadn’t considered human resources as a potential career path. In fact, my career assessment in high school indicated that I should consider the marketing, legal or ministerial fields. From early experience, I realized that I enjoyed leading and inspiring people to achieve business results. I did some career research and human resources piqued my interest.

 

What was your first HR job?
NO: I was a human resources manager at Costco Wholesale. I had my university degree and my operations experience, but no formal HR training or education. I was hired for my customer service skills and my ability to achieve financial results, so HR was something I learned on the job. In this hands-on environment, I was exposed to all facets of HR.

 

Describe your current job.
NO: I am the vice-president, Human Resources for the Market and Emerging Business Divisions at Loblaw Companies Limited. I am a business partner to two divisional presidents and their teams. The market division has a food focus, while on the emerging business side, we have wholesale stores and other services. I have a talented team of more than 40 HR professionals who support 500-plus locations and more than 33,000 employees.

 

What do you love about your job?
NO: Loblaw Companies Limited is a great company with a proud history and a very strong purpose – helping Canadians live life well. The pace is unbelievably fast and that energizes me! The last year has been an exciting one, with the Shopper’s Drug Mart acquisition, international expansion of Joe Fresh and SAP rollout. The brilliant and collaborative people here are one of the things I love the most. Helping someone reach their potential or do something that they didn’t think they could do is hugely fulfilling, so I take a lot of pride in leading and coaching my colleagues.

 

What are the challenges you experience in your job?
NO: I don’t view challenges in the conventional sense; I see them as opportunities, because they are a chance to think about and do things differently. One of our biggest opportunities is planning for, managing through and successfully sustaining change. Culture is the foundation of change, and it can trump strategy in an effort to make change stick. If a company’s culture is not open, ready and willing to seize a change, it just won’t happen. At Loblaw, we recognize that culture is at the core of our business plan.

 

What’s key to leading HR during a difficult time for a client organization?
NO: My quick answer is having the belief that one can succeed, along with resilience and optimism. These characteristics are important for business leaders and essential for HR. They help you believe you can weather the storm, stay focused on what must be achieved, overcome obstacles and be positive while it is happening. It’s also important to stay well connected to your head and your heart. When difficult times occur, we often rationalize the situation, but it is also crucial to recognize and understand the emotional impact of corporate decisions. A sense of humour is essential during tough situations, too. You have to be able to laugh at yourself when appropriate.

 

What skills are important for success in HR?
NO: An absolutely essential skill for success in HR is being “stractical.” This means having the ability to generate a strategy, but also being able to make it practical enough for implementation. Another one would be business awareness. You must understand how your business works, why it works that way, who is part of it and what it needs to deliver to whom. The last thing I will mention is having a courageous voice. Sometimes, this means having the courage to stand alone for what’s right. If you are stractical and know the business, your courageous voice is even stronger and more convincing when you need to use it.

 

What tips do you have for new grads or those in entry- level HR jobs who want to move up the ladder?
NO: The first thing I would say is that it isn’t so much a ladder anymore; it is more of a matrix. Organizations are becoming flatter, and people are looking at multiple career paths based on transferrable skills. Growth is often about moving across, as well as moving up. We certainly see that at Loblaw, which is Canada’s largest employer. There are so many roles and areas of focus to sink into; it’s become a wonderful place to broaden and grow. So, think about what interests you and what would round out your skills. Having a career in HR is as much about height and depth as it is about breadth of experience! Don’t forget to get your HR degree or certification. After that, network with other professionals you know or join the Human Resources Professionals Association (HRPA) as a way to establish your network. Finally, jump in – there is no other better learning in HR than to do it!

 

What’s the future of HR?
NO: As technology continues to shape our businesses, our role evolves to that of a more proactive strategic partner, a greater critical change agent and a bigger culture champion – all because of the insight that Big Data provides. Technology has the power to turn annual performance reviews into immediate feedback, while recognition programs can become online platforms. Technology will also usher in a new era for accessible training that can be taken anywhere, anytime, in any language; while virtual resumes and interviews will become the norm. Employees will use apps to find out about their work, their total rewards, their schedules and more. I think as HR practitioners, we’re on the path to a new and thrilling era which will be great, as long as we keep the “human” in human resources!

 

In a Nutshell

First job: Taking care of animals and crops on the farm I grew up on. As soon as I could put boots on, I was put to work!

 

Childhood ambition: To be a psychologist.

 

Best boss and why: I’ve been fortunate enough to have many wonderful bosses! One showed me how to be calm when extreme crisis happens; one taught me to never put my authenticity on a dimmer switch; one taught me how to be courageous even when you stand alone. The best bosses teach life lessons that apply at work and beyond!

 

Current source of inspiration: The people around me – my team, clients, peers, friends. I know so many smart, talented people who tell it like it is and inspire me. I made an early decision that I would never collect things, but I would always collect people, because they challenge you to think differently and be better at what you do.

 

Best piece of advice: I had a VP of HR who always said that to manage your career well, you need three things to happen. First, own your career path and deliver great results. Second, have a champion who will speak well of you to others. Third, be open to chance – sometimes, it is simply about being in the right place at the right time.

 

Favourite music: Everything that my husband plays on his guitar in the evenings for me at home.

 

Last book you read: The Why of Work: How Great Leaders Build Abundant Organizations That Win, by Dave and Wendy Ulrich and Marshall Goldsmith.

 

How do you spend time away from work? I volunteer on the board of directors for The Stop Community Food Centre (www.thestop.org), and I’m also a member of the School of Retail Management advisory board at Ryerson University. Outside work, I host dinner parties at home with friends or go out to restaurants, art galleries or the theatre; I also enjoy walking around Toronto and exploring its diverse, eclectic neighbourhoods.

Pin It