This is the fourth in the International Women’s Day series of interviews that honor outstanding women in Human Resources.
Vaso Perimenis, Head of Human Resources Strategy and Solutions at Ekstein Consulting Services, has witnessed the transformation of Human Resources from an administrative department to a major player in business strategy. She recognizes the profound impact HR can have on a business’ long-term vision. In addition, Perimenis is encouraging HR leaders to face the Great Resignation head on with the employee experience in mind. Find out about her advice, insight, and vision:
HREN: Briefly describe how you built your career to arrive in your current role.
VP: I have used my values to drive my career. Those include hard work, perseverance, treating others with respect, truth, and honesty. I have experienced lots of change during the span of my career, including technological advances, changing employee expectations, and changing expectations of leadership. I have focused on learning as much as I can versus climbing a corporate ladder. If you do good work and treat others respectfully, and you make decisions that are right for you and your family, you will build a healthy career.
HREN: What are some of the challenges you faced as you progressed in your HR career? How did you overcome these challenges?
VP: My challenges were faced on both organizational and individual levels. I began work in a career that was not valued by companies. Human Resources began as “Personnel Administration,” which – as the name implies – was a transactional business. Companies did not lean on HR for much else than hiring and firing staff. Therefore, most people who worked in HR were not viewed as businesspeople but rather glorified secretaries.
As a result, early in my career, I did not have many opportunities to significantly impact employees or the business. My other challenge was navigating the political landscape. When I was in school, there was no "How to Navigate Business Politics 101” class, so I had to learn on my own via direct experience and observation. I even had to learn that there was such a thing as office politics. I did not understand that sometimes you must compromise to achieve your goal.
I learned that having the meeting before the meeting goes a long way in developing mutual understanding. Lastly, my most recent challenge was working for an organization that did not value Human Resources or me, thereby creating a toxic environment. I overcame that challenge by leaving that job.
HREN: What is your advice for women?
VP: I always felt that I had to be Wonder Woman and anything less was a failure. In reality, no one can do it all. Life is about balance and when one part of your life is super-charged, another part will suffer. As a woman, I felt like I had to constantly prove myself as a mother, partner, and executive. That is a recipe for failure.
My advice to other women is this: always be respectful, honest, and have integrity. Do the right thing. Take time to evaluate what is important to you in your career and life, create a plan to get there, and have the confidence that you can make it all happen. Don’t feel like you must be all things to all people all the time. Don’t let your self-worth be based on your work because when work evaporates or changes, your self-worth will evaporate too. You are better than that!
HREN: What is the best piece of career advice you have received?
VP: Slow and steady wins the race. Immediate gratification comes with a price. "Fake it until you make it" is nonsense and will eventually lead to a career demise once the truth is discovered. It is much better to learn, experience, and sharpen your abilities by doing the work, and that takes time.
WATCH: How Utilizing People Analytics Can Enhance the Employee Journey
HREN: Analytics is taking centerstage as people try to reshape the workforce after grappling with the pandemic. What are some of the biggest misperceptions about how HR can apply analytics? How can HR leaders maximize the analytics available to them?
VP: You really don’t need a data scientist or AI to have a functional analytics capability. You can start with accurate and consistent dashboards that are available to all leaders. That sounds simple but ensuring reliable data from the source of truth can be challenging because of all the data sources and quality of data. Then, you must decide what technology will be used to visualize data. You will want to invest in technology that allows maximum access to data and dashboards.
Then, you will design a dashboard that is useful for leaders and HR. Invite leaders to provide input in the design. Create dashboards based on each unique audience. For example, a CEO or CHRO will want to see specific data, and leaders will have use of other data visualizations. HR needs to understand the business questions that must be answered and that will drive what is tracked and monitored. HR leaders need a multi-year roadmap and the support of their IT partners to create a viable analytics capability.
HREN: What is the biggest trend in HR? Will it last? Why or why not?
VP: The traditional view of a workforce, with permanent employees, for example, is shifting. Given the talent and skills gap, companies will rely more heavily on gig workers. HR must support this trend by creating a "gig worker capability," which allows people to be efficiently sourced, onboarded, and added to the company fabric with greater ease. It will last because more employees are moving into the gig space to gain greater autonomy, work-life balance, and job satisfaction.
HREN: Do you think the Great Resignation will last? Why or why not?
VP: Yes. It may wax and wane, but it will not disappear. This Great Resignation is an awakening. People generally suffer from inertia and stay in unhealthy work situations because they think they can’t get another job. But COVID can disrupt the inertia and people are realizing there are many work experiences to be had. There is also less tolerance for bad actors in corporations. If people work for managers who mistreat, disrespect, and bully, they now have the confidence to leave them.
HREN: What can HR leaders learn from this historic labor shortage and the willingness on the part of employees to walk away?
VP: Having worked in healthcare throughout my career, I have also lived with a perpetual labor shortage. So, this Great Resignation is not new to me. For other industries, this Great Resignation is a shock to the system. As an HR practitioner, you must ensure your C-suite is committed to the people it employs. You should be willing and able to listen, partner, create, and design an employment construct that is healthy and accountable. If you work for a C-suite that does not support that, then leave and find a company that will listen and appreciate your wisdom.
Don’t miss the other interviews in the International Women’s Day series.