Sarah Mason APHRNZ

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

I’ve always been interested in supporting people and had the chance to join a mental health project when I was working in the UK. Under some exceptional guidance and mentoring I found my passion and it’s been onwards and upwards from there.  

What do you love about working in HR? 

In my role as Wellbeing Manager I get to support and help a wide range of people from all walks of life, making a difference every day. I really enjoy working with creative professionals from different specialisms to develop solutions and ideas to revolutionise how we support individuals at work. 

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

My biggest achievement so far would be seeing an increase in staff reporting feeling their wellbeing was supported at work during the Covid-19 pandemic whilst working in the NHS. We developed a number of approaches at great pace, particularly in the early months of the pandemic, to ensure all of our staff were supported and seeing that acknowledged in the data from our staff survey felt like a huge achievement. 

What are your thoughts on the Emerging Professional Member process? 

Everyone should do it – it’s a great way of getting a benchmark of your knowledge and skills. 

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

Definitely – and hopefully soon. 

What are your next steps in terms of your career? 

Continue making a difference and share my knowledge and expertise with other HRNZ members to help other businesses support employee wellbeing.