Member profile: Sophie John

Sophie John is currently the HR Manager at Cedenco Foods. Human Resources magazine caught up with her to gain an insight into her world.

1. What do you do in your current role to help your organisation be successful?

In my role as HR Manager for Cedenco Foods, I cover three manufacturing sites across New Zealand. In a nutshell, my role involves all things people! We have amazing managers within our business, so I am fortunate that a lot of my role is working on the ‘above and beyond’ aspects of HR. A big focus of mine at the moment is our new Wellbeing Programme, Oranga, which will enable us to support our people to focus on their all-round wellbeing. It’s a big passion of mine to find out what people want from their roles, beyond just the pay cheque, and to work with the business to try to achieve that for them. Retention is a big focus, so if we can give people that little bit extra, it’s a no brainer!

2. What attracted you to pursue a career in HR?

I actually began my study towards being a chartered accountant, because I had always been good with numbers. Alongside that, I always had a passion for people, with a big interest in psychology and social sciences. When I completed the base HR papers within my Bachelor in Business Studies, I knew it was the perfect mix of people and business strategy.

3. What advice would you give to HR practitioners just starting their career?

The advice I would give is that it’s all just about people – if you’re committed to doing the right thing by people and supporting them to succeed, that’s what really makes a great HR practitioner.

4. What has been a highlight in your career to date?

It’s definitely hard to pick only one highlight! I work alongside our local tertiary provider, Eastern Institute of Technology, supporting the HR students. I enjoy bringing them on site and talking about the practical day-to-day work of an HR practitioner and getting them involved in projects where possible. I would never have got into the positions I have without someone giving me a chance like that, so I feel very lucky to be in a position to pay it forward. A great sense of pride for me is also when we deal with the less positive sides of HR. It might seem like an odd highlight, but I pride myself in ensuring processes are carried out not only legislatively correctly but fairly and ethically. I am also a firm believer in thinking about how you would want a member of your family to be treated in those situations. Getting feedback that the process was made more comfortable, less stressful, and more dignified for people gives me a boost that I’ve made a difference for someone during a difficult time.

5. What do you most value about HRNZ membership?

Being the sole HR Manager on site, I find it really great to connect with other HR practitioners, to bounce ideas around and hear what’s working for them. A particular benefit is discussing current events, whether that’s legislative changes or recent cases, and how they are managing that change as a business.

6. What’s something that not many people know about you?

It took me seven years to finish my business degree! I was a young mum and was (and always will be) determined that my daughter will see how far you can go in life if you put the work in. I began studying online when she was three months old, and I chipped away one paper at a time until I was in a position to increase to full-time study. Looking back, it feels like those years flew by, so I’ve started again with my Bachelor in Psychology!

7. If you could have dinner with three people living or dead, who would they be and why?

Three is so few! I would love to sit down with Richard Branson – I admire him as an entrepreneur and enjoyed his book Screw Business As Usual. I’m sure he could teach me a thing or two about doing good in order to do well in business. I would have to throw my brother, Alec, into the mix. I admire everything he’s done in his life and, being Melbourne-based, our dinners are too few and far between! And to keep the evening from falling into too much business talk, I’d bring along Miranda Hart for a few belly laughs. I know that’s already three for dinner, but maybe David Bowie could just sing for us in the background?

8. What’s your happy place?

My happy place is in the car! I have always felt the car is sort of an ‘in-between’ space, where I’m in between work, home or anywhere else with responsibilities or pressures. For me, it’s a chance to switch off from all of that and just focus on the road.