Nina's Journey: HR Expertise and Passion for Transforming Workplaces
Nina lives in Tahoe with her husband and two kids. Fun fact, her husband surprised her with their wedding, they weren’t even engaged! He proposed and they were married all within an hour and he had secured a priest, Nina’s dress, ring, friends, dinner, cake, flowers all without Nina having any idea! Nina comes from a big family (eldest of four) and loves spending time with them, her fur babies, and her kids who are always up for an outdoor adventure or concert, both of her kids attended a Poison concert whilst still in the womb. They were grooving even before they entered the world!
We caught up with Nina recently and she shared her journey, career wisdom and why she’s thrilled to be a part of the amazing team here.
“I started my professional path in the financial industry. I moved up quickly and became a supervisor within 6 months and then was called upon after being there about a year to lead a team for a new division of investment customer service. My team and I excelled, and I was asked to move into HR to train all future reps coming into the division. This short stint in HR made me realize that people and their well-being were my true passion. So, I switched my college major to HR (the 12-year plan, anyone?) and dove headfirst into the world of human resources.
Over my 25-year career, I've worn many HR hats, from payroll specialist to HR analyst, and from HR business partner to my longest role as a compensation partner. The variety of HR roles have presented themselves because of my ability to work hard, build relationships and always keeping an open mind and this has only solidified the decision I made when I was 19 to follow my passion.
However, it has not always been easy. Throughout my professional journey, I've faced challenges as well as celebrated accomplishments. I had a couple of rough experiences that made me question my sanity. In some companies, the cultures were lackluster, accountability was non-existent, and work-life balance was just a myth. It was a struggle and I realized that no one job or person should have that level of control over you or your wellbeing and so I moved on and have only looked back at it as a speed bump in my career that had it not happened I wouldn’t be where I am today, stronger, confident and readily able to voice my opinion and know my self-worth. So, I took a step back, re-evaluated what I truly wanted and vowed to not settle until I felt in my heart that I had found my perfect landing.
That landing came with my role at Workhuman and I have been able to put my HR experience and my passion for people and employees to work daily. I have experienced the highs of working life here and two accomplishments stand out for me. Firstly, finding my confidence and voice to speak up to all levels of leadership, presenting my ideas, and advocating for change. Secondly, adopting the mantra of "inquiry vs. advocacy." By leading with curiosity and valuing others' opinions, I've built stronger relationships and gained respect within my field.
Three of the last 4 companies I worked at were passionate about employee recognition and I was introduced to Workhuman because of this. I am a 3x customer and 2x program manager of Workhuman recognition programs. I saw the impact recognition had on culture first hand and built relationships with my Workhuman partners over the years (they are all now lifelong friends) that I knew my path would eventually lead me to work here because what could be better than putting my HR expertise and passion to impact people to use in a single role for one of the best tech companies I’ve ever partnered with?!
Now, let's talk about Workhuman's exciting future and my role in it. I've always admired the company's commitment to putting humans first and revolutionizing the way organizations value their employees. As we grow, my team and I will continue to evangelize our platform, drawing from our collective experience, knowledge, and unbridled excitement. We'll work closely with prospects and customers, showcasing the data-driven success of our product and sharing inspiring stories of transformed workplaces. Together, we'll change the world, one recognition at a time!
For those considering a similar career path, my advice is simple: follow your passion. HR is a fantastic field that lets you make a positive impact on people's lives, both personally and professionally.
Without our humans, it’s just work. We. Are. Workhuman.Opens in a new tab