Though the nature of the Human Resources has been evolving for years, the core of its function has remained the same: people. This May 20 marks International HR Day, a day that recognises the dedicated HR professionals who support employees and make organisations’ better. 

To celebrate the occasion, Bayside Group invited some of our clients’ Senior HR Leaders to provide insights into the ways in which the function of HR has evolved, their personal experiences during the pandemic, challenges and achievements. We talk to GM of People and Culture at ONCALL Interpreters & Translators, Gayle Antony, HR Manager at Stantec Australia, Paul Broad, and the Walkinshaw Group’s HR Manager, Erika Zamora. 

We also gain their perspective on this year’s theme: “Shaping the new future”, a concept that explores how HR has the ability to lead a world of work that will be more inclusive, flexible and participative, benefiting both workers and society. 

Gayle Antony – General Manager, People and Culture, ONCALL Interpreters & Translators 

With over 30 years’ experience within the Human Resources sector, Gayle is a globally experienced HR Executive who specialises in areas including coaching and mentoring, change management, succession planning, strategic planning and relationship management. Her relationship with Bayside Group spans over 20 years. 

Q: You’ve spent quite a bit of time working in HR overseas – in both Singapore and America. In your experience, what are the more significant differences between the role of a HR professional in Australia compared to overseas?  

A: The fundamentals about what people want in their career generally stay the same: they want to feel respected, valued, and like they have a career path ahead of them. From that perspective, the focus of HR doesn’t change. 

But what I have noticed from my time working with a lot of international employees is that from a cultural perspective there are nuances and differences in the way people communicate and engage with each other at work. HR need to be cognisant about this and understand the different levels of psychological safety people may need to open up in the workplace, or how different types of conversation might be interpreted. I’ve learnt that it’s not what you do, but how you do it, that changes based on your location. 

Q: What were some of the biggest challenges you and your team needed to overcome during the pandemic?

There were three major challenges to overcome. The first was around the technical management of Covid-19, which meant understanding the government rules and expectations, creating a compliant COVID-Safe plan, and navigating a casual workforce on top of that. The second, was to ensure the safety of our people. This wasn’t only the right thing to do, but also kept the business going. And finally, the correct communication of changing regulations, expectations and safety protocols, was critical. Ensuring we did this in a regular, sensitive manner that enabled our workforce to have confidence and trust in us was vital throughout the pandemic. 

Q: The theme of this year’s International HR Day is “shaping the future”. How do you think human resources has the potential to shape the future of work.

I believe HR can absolutely be at the forefront of this, but it will require a mindset shift from HR teams. Rather than having an “inside out” mentality, HR will need an “outside in” mindset. They will need to understand what’s going on in the world, understand trends, forecast what skills will be needed in the future, then use that information to inform strategic action. 

If HR solely take an operational, day-to-day activities approach – what I call “the price of entry” – it will miss future needs. Instead, HR needs both an operational and future-focused approach, that sees it working as a strategic business partner that helps organisations plan for what’s to come. 

Paul Broad – HR Manager, Stantec Australia

With almost 20 years’ experience in Human Resources, Paul has been Stantec’s Australian HR Manager for the past four years. During his time with the company, he has worked closely with the business’s leaders on strategic and operational Human Resource Management, supporting organisational business and people requirements. He has also been instrumental in implementing valuable social and cultural programs that work towards creating a rewarding and high performing culture. 

Q: You’ve worked in HR for over two decades. How have you seen the role of HR professionals change during this time?

A: I think the biggest change has been the need to have a much more commercial focus on the work we do. To do the job properly, you need to understand how HR’s activities will affect the P&L and the company down the line. While employees are still at the heart of the decisions HR make, there’s now a greater need to demonstrate how our programs and processes also benefit the company and our clients. 

Q: What has been your biggest achievement in your career thus far as a HR professional? 

A: At the risk of sounding cliched, I find the opportunity to have an impact on other people’s careers and seeing them excel as a part of that incredibly fulfilling. I’ve worked with people early in their career and now they’re running a team or part of a business – that’s really rewarding to see that you’ve played a part. 

Another important side project for me has been the changes we’ve implemented around mental health in the workplace and having those important conversations. When I worked as a young HR professional, work and mental health were two things that were kept very separate, and you didn’t bring work home with you. There has been a massive shift here for the better. 

Q: The theme of this year’s International HR Day is “shaping the future”. How do you think human resources has the potential to shape the future of work. 

A: I think HR teams have the opportunity to be champions of change, guiding businesses through future transformation. But we can only do that if we’re trusted as credible professional. The days of HR being dismissed as a department of “soft skills” are over, and this needs to be recognised. My team is relied upon for strategic advice and critical thinking, and they provide this alongside a high degree of emotional intelligence. These are skills businesses will increasingly need to leverage from HR in the future world of work.   

Great ideas come out of HR departments, and we can use that to influence businesses. But we can’t forget that we need to be credible to do that. 

Erika Zamora – Human Resources Manager, Walkinshaw Group 

In her current role with the Walkinshaw Group, Erika provides ER/IR advice for a manufacturing site of 800+ employees, drives L&D initiatives, overseas talent management activities and more. She has developed strong working relationships with managers, which allows her to understand business needs and how HR activities can support organisational success. With a focus on resilience and agility, she drives people outcomes and innovative process improvements. 

Q: Can you tell me about the critical role that HR played when the Covid-19 pandemic arrived in Australia? 

The Covid-19 pandemic brought many changes to the HR function. Just like many industries, ours was impacted by downstream effects of a highly suspended supply chain, where not receiving parts meant we had stoppages to navigate through, while managing absenteeism due to illness or family obligations. With changes occurring legislatively on a regular basis, my role was crucial in delivering key messaging business-wide, including advising of new rights and obligations, and issuing worker permits. I needed to work closely with managers and all staff, to ensure they were supported and counselled through the new obstacles, covering legal, financial and various other concerns. 

 Q: Engaging employees and ensuring they have a sense of purpose seems to be a very important part of a company’s strategy when it comes to attracting and retaining staff currently. What are some of the measures your team is taking to address this? 

The workforce has evolved and, as such, our business has had to adjust and pivot to meet both employee and customer demand. While salary constitutes a large consideration, work-life balance over the past years has gained importance. Allowing a more flexible work environment has given rise to employees that feel considered and gives them more autonomy to drive their projects and prove effectiveness in their roles, particularly for those working from home. Additionally, we continue to improve on our offer for development and growth opportunities, as well as promoting from within. 

 Q: The theme of this year’s International HR Day is “shaping the future”. How do you think human resources has the potential to shape the future of work? 



I believe that creating an equitable workforce, where there is fairness and respect throughout will be a starting point. Human Resources has the potential to create change in policies, while shaping the cultural tone of the work environment.