HR Leaders Voice- Ms. Talat Sheerazi Goldie
In our recent conversation with Ms. Talat Naseer Sheerazi Goldie, CHRO @ Taaleem PJSC, she shares insights with HRME on strategies for success, importance of values and recognition at the workplace and self-reflections.
As you transition into your new role as CHRO, reflecting on your career journey, what are some valuable lessons or pieces of advice that you would offer to your younger self? How have these insights shaped your approach as an HR leader today?
I think the first piece of advice I would give to my younger self is the importance of working for a Company whose value systems match yours. If there is a mis-match in values then you suffer everyday at work. Specially in HR where you are dealing with human beings and people – empathy and compassion are key and I have worked at companies where staff have been treated just as an easily replaceable commodity and I struggled greatly with this.Â
Secondly the advice I would give my younger self is the importance of familiarizing yourself in HR with the financial and commercial side of the business and to ensure that you fully understand P&L and what is required to achieve stakeholder interest. Without a good understanding of this HR will never get a seat on the senior table.
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Finally, the advice I would give my younger self is to always keep a sense of humour and always be calm under pressure. These three aspects have greatly shaped my progression and maturity as an HR Leader and today I am in a Company that has a great set of values, truly cares for its people and is fair and just.
As an HR leader, what strategies or approaches have you found most effective in fostering a positive organizational culture and employee engagement within your organization?
Listen Listen Listen – keep your ear on the ground always and truly ensure you have a good gauge on how staff are feeling – this is generally not obtained through surveys rather through the leadership who should be taking the time to understand what it is that is motivating or de-motivating staff. I emphasize it is a leadership responsibility not an HR one – it is HRs job to implement changes in policy and process quickly. Once you understand what the issues are look at solutions and implement them immediately – don’t create a bureaucratic company that needs large amounts of approvals to make small changes. If there are changes you cannot and will not make because at the end of the day it is a business then communicate communicate communicate. Let them know you have heard what they have said however cannot implement certain aspects of what they want.Â
Finally treat staff like adults and trust them, I have always seen in companies I have worked at that when staff are treated with mis-trust they abuse that trust even more and will always find ways around control and policy.
Can you share some insights into your approach to talent acquisition and retention, particularly in a competitive market like ours? What strategies have you found most effective?
Once again unless you are paying at the 90th percentile of the market in which case staff are only with you because of the financial aspect, you need to work on your culture and leadership ability – staff want clear communication, and transparency and increasingly staff wish to be in a company in which they can trust the leadership. So build trust in your company, build a transparent performance management system that is simple and clearly connects performance to reward and create internal opportunities for your staff to progress and build their skills and you will attract the best talent in the market.
How do you view the significance of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in shaping an organization’s productivity and long-term sustainability? What strategies have you implemented to ensure DEI is integrated into the fabric of your organization?
Our organization is very diverse – Diversity is not dependent only on gender or color or nationality. True diversity is to be a Company that values and listens to diverse points of views and is always open to looking at diverse ways of doing things and achieving work KPIs. We work in the UAE which is always naturally diverse so boasting nationality mix is not difficult however boasting about change and accepting of new viewpoints and perspectives captures the true spirit of diversity in my opinion.
Congratulations on winning the HRME Awards! Can you share with us the key strategies or initiatives that you believe contributed to this recognition and how winning such awards makes a difference to an individual’s their career development and overall success of the organization?
Thank you HRME for the award. It is good to be recognized for an expansive career spanning over 30 years. As important as it is to receive these awards it is even more important to ensure that you live up to expectations – the expectations you set for yourself to achieve even bigger and greater things.
It is also a time to reflect on what one can improve on, how one can be even better at what they do. It is important to remain humble and not allow such things to change who you are and what you need to do to be even better. If you can continue to do what you do in the best way possible and be able to look at yourself in the mirror and know you have done a good job then the awards will continue to testify to your abilities.
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