What The F#%$ is HR?!

The other day I had a person do an informational interview with me, not because they wanted to be in HR but because they didn’t know what HR stood for and their supervisor (a client of ours) had told them to call HR with anything they needed.

It then occurred to me that maybe they're not the only person out there who didn’t understand what HR actually does. So, to clear things up, here is a summary of our call to give some insight into a day in the life – just in case you don’t know what the hell HR is either.

Interviewer: To kick things off, what does an HR person do in a day?

Jocelin: My day usually starts with a strong cup of coffee and a coaching session or 1:1 one with a leader. This morning, for example, I spent time with a founder who's hiring a director.  We spent an hour crafting a detailed onboarding plan so there would be a clear roadmap for success in the role. We covered everything from compensation to success metrics for the role.

Interviewer: That sounds intense yet probably satisfying. What did you do next?

Jocelin: After ensuring the new hire will have a clear plan for their first day, I moved on to other client meetings. I met with a CEO to discuss data from our latest employee engagement survey. We sifted through the feedback looking closely for patterns. Survey results are kind of like detective work: you’re always looking for clues in the feedback. The end goal is always to work smart and prioritize efforts to make the work experience better for as many people as possible.

Interviewer: How do you approach these discussions about engagement and feedback?

Jocelin: It’s about understanding the feedback, identifying trends, and brainstorming on how to address issues while keeping what’s working. Today, we focused on the pain points from the survey. 

Interviewer: What other tasks fill your day?

Jocelin: My afternoons are a mix of executive debriefs and policy writing. For instance, I debriefed with an executive director today, presenting anonymous feedback from their team. We discussed leadership challenges and strategies.  And then there’s policy writing which is essential to creating clarity, avoiding problems in the first place, and making sure everyone is treated fairly.

Interviewer: How did you get into HR and what inspired you to join Reimagine Work?

Jocelin: I started in HR in training and development and then moved to executive roles and leadership coaching. I started Reimagine Work about 6 years ago. At Reimagine Work, we focus on building strong people foundations to ensure success across the organization. I like to describe our approach as candid, empathetic, curious, and down-to-earth. 

Interviewer: What do you find most rewarding about your role?

Jocelin: Making a tangible difference in people’s professional lives. Whether it’s coaching someone through career challenges or helping a leader improve team dynamics, knowing my work helps people succeed and be happier at work is incredibly rewarding.

Interviewer: Before we wrap up, what advice would you give to someone interested in pursuing a career in HR?

Jocelin: So, I've converted you into the field? Stay adaptable, empathetic, and always keep a sense of humour. HR is a constantly evolving field, and being able to understand and respond to people’s needs in a flexible way is crucial. Also, a solid foundation of good communication skills and the ability to think strategically both go a long way.

Interviewer: Thank you so much for your time, Jocelin. It’s been insightful and entertaining to hear about a day in your life.

Jocelin: Thank you! It was a pleasure to talk to you. If anyone needs me, I'll be in the break room, ensuring the snacks are up to par.

That’s it. That’s what we talked about. I edited for conciseness, but that’s HR boiled down into a five-minute read. Of course, there’s a lot more to what we do, and we love talking about it. If we’ve piqued your interest or you have questions, you know where to find us.