Nichola Nair, European HR Strategic Programmes Manager for Xerox, is this week’s star of HR Zone’s regular ‘Introducing…’ feature.
What’s your current job role?
European HR Strategic Programmes Manager, Xerox Limited.
What did you do before this job?
I had an HR operations role.
Describe your route into HR?
I moved from a Programme Management role (first job) to a HR internally within 6 months of joining an organisation. They knew that I wanted to work in HR and not programme management and rather than ‘lose’ me they made the move an option.
Did you always want to work in HR?
Yes!
What would you say has been the most significant event in your career to date?
I have had a very challenging career to date and to pick one event is extremely difficult…but if I had to name one it would be when I was part of the team working on the acquisition of the company that I worked for by another. It was very interesting and challenging as it impacted 12 countries across Europe.
How do you think the role of HR has changed since you began your HR career?
When I first started out, HR was known as Personnel and was very much focused on administration.
What single thing would improve your working life?
I am currently very content with my working life.
What’s your favourite part of the HR Zone site?
The articles and comments.
Have you made contact with any other members?
No, not yet.
Do you have any advice for those looking to embark on a career in HR?
Most people state that they want to work in HR because they like working with people. Little do they know that our jobs would be so much easier if we did not have employees, joking aside.
HR is about having the right people in the right place with the right skills all the time and, in addition, ensuring that you have people coming through the ranks to replace these people. It can be extremely challenging and rewarding – but it’s not always rewarding.
Don’t look to specialise to early in your career, try and gain as much experience in all the disciplines of HR – ops, Comp & Ben, Training & Development and HR Strategic Programmes and it is always useful to move out of HR (for a short period) into a business operations role to provide a well rounded view of business. HR professionals today need to have business acumen and this is one way of obtaining that knowledge.
If you’re willing to share your experiences of working in HR to date with other members, we’d like to hear from you – e-mail us to receive a copy of this questionnaire.
Previous ‘Introducing…’ features:
Alison Lewis, Corporate Learning & Development Manager, Oxfam
Jessica Diggins, HR Manager, Chartered Management Institute
Linda Klassen-Brown, Group HR Manager, The Logic Group
Keith Hanlon, HR Manager, Quantum Business Media
Andrew Mayo, frequent speaker and writer on HR issues
Jim Brooks, HR Manager for ServiRail Ltd
Jean-Bertrand de Lartigue, Chairman of HR2all
Karen Caddick, Head of HR, Channel Five
Madeleine Tate
Keith Luxon, HR Policy and Reward Director, The Laurel Pub Company
Jeremy Thorn, Chairman and Director of QED Consulting
Roger Pattison, HR – Training & Management Development Consultant
Verity McVarish, HR Manager for Sift Media
Rus Slater
David Kelly, Head of Development and Training for Aventis
Jenny Kevan, UK HR Manager for Abbott Laboratories
William Martin, HR Manager, Telewest Broadband
Craig Truter, HR Manager, The Body Shop
Martin Stockton, HR Transformation Leader, Towers Perrin
Nick Heap, Consultant, New Directions
Crispin Garden-Webster, HR Specialist, Asian Development Bank
Sandra Walsh, HR Delivers
Carole Leslie, Director, IT Learning Ltd
Shaun Dunphy, Project and Process Manager, EMEA HR Service Centre for MCI
Debra Artlett, HR Officer, NGJ
Dianne Miles, HR Manager, Rollalong Ltd
Jacqui Mann, HR Manager, Integra NeuroSciences
Isabella Montgomery, Human Resources Officer at The new Housing Association
Iain Young, Head of HR for Cofathec Heatsave
