Desiree Barnes CMHRNZ

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

Growing up in rural NZ, I became well aware at an early age that people are key to successful farming. However, I also knew I wanted to move off farm to have more of an influence on training and development of people. As I moved through my career, from military to construction to being offered the opportunity to apply my skills and expertise back into agriculture with FarmRight, I was happy to take that leap. With my current role I am accountable for HR and Health and Safety, two disciplines that are offer huge variety of work, but at the core they cover development, safety and wellbeing of our people. I knew I could add value from the listening and learning from the grass roots farmer to being part of senior leadership team in helping steer the business into the future.  

What do you love about working in HR?  

Would have to be the people.  I have always resonated towards working with industries that are made up of large teams of people that who passionate about what they do, who they work with and continuously learning to be better at how they do it. HR is there to help develop others in their goals and I love to see people achieve their goals and the problem solve failures to enhance learning capabilities.  

Are there any specific highlights of your career that you wish to share?  

It is difficult to pinpoint a specific highlight as there has been so many over my career. So, a broad highlight is that I see my team take on some really complex projects, and they do it with enthusiasm and professionalism that make me proud, not because I am their leader, but because I see how far they have come in their own personal development journey. Seeing others excel and take on tasks that normally would be out of their 'wheelhouse', to thrive and produce excellent results, is a highlight for me.  

What are your thoughts on Chartered Membership? How do you feel about being a Chartered Member?   

When I started in HR those many years ago, I knew a pathway I wanted to have, however along the pathway I learnt about HRNZ which allowed me to connect to other like-minded professionals and grow my skills and expertise. I am very pleased be accepted as a Chartered Member and looking forward to what this may bring in the years to come. 

What motivated you to work towards becoming a Chartered Member?  

To become accredited, was the next and logical step for me. Being a chartered member signifies the commitment and expertise in your field.  It will provide more opportunities to connect with others and may lead to the acquisition of new skills and knowledge, making me more effective in my role.  

What are your next steps in terms of your career now that you are a Chartered Member?  

This is two pronged for me - Develop others: I want to give back and help others succeed in the industry through mentorship; and Personal Development: I would like to take the next step into directorship.