Gemma Sloane APHRNZ

What led you to a career in HR/ the position that you are in currently?

After leaving high school and not knowing what I wanted to do with my life, I was fortunate to land an administrative position with a renowned tourism operator in Queenstown. This provided me with my first exposure to HR, providing administrative assistance to the HR Manager. This sparked my interest and led me to focus my Diploma in Business studies in the HR space and pursue further HR experience. Fast forward 20 years and the field of HR still provides that spark!

What do you love about working in HR?

I love being able to partner with managers to help them get the best out of their people, and in turn helping the business succeed. I also love the variety that a career in HR can provide, there are so many aspects and opportunities to develop knowledge and expertise in specific areas.

What is an achievement so far in your career that you are proud of?

What comes to mind more than any task or project, people or business outcome, is the achievement of finding a happy balance between work and family life (with the help of an understanding manager and business, and flexible working arrangements). Finding that right balance is so important and has enabled me to do some of my best work.

What are your thoughts on the Accredited Professional Member process?

I think the Accredited Professional Member process is really worthwhile. It seemed a little daunting at first, but there are so many tools and resources available on the HRNZ website to assist you to step through the process. It also really prompted some time for self-reflection, which was great - I think many of us don't do that for ourselves nearly as often as we should. I would encourage anyone thinking about working through this process to take the plunge and do it!

Do you plan to now work towards becoming a Chartered Member?

I am really keen to work towards becoming a Chartered Member, and I plan to revisit 'The Path' and associated HRNZ resources to do a skills gap analysis and formulate my own development plan from there.

What are your next steps in terms of your career?

The next steps for my career is to build on my strategic capability - I really enjoy this space.