International Women’s Day Series: Women Leaders in HR

In honor of International Women’s Day on March 8, HR Exchange Network is sharing a series of interviews with dynamic women. They are HR leaders driving transformational change during this inflection point for business. They are redefining work, modeling empathetic leadership, promoting mental health and wellness, and integrating diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts into the DNA of their organizations.

The pandemic put a spotlight on the contributions and necessity of a strong Human Resources team. Finally, chief human resources officers (CHROs) have gained their seat in the C-suite. And women are leading the way. More than 65% of CHROs at Fortune 200 companies in 2019 were women, according to the 2020 CHRO Trends Survey by the Talent Strategy Group. This news came at a time, when the CEO role in Fortune 200 companies declined in female representation, according to Workforce. In fact, the CHRO role is the only C-suite position dominated by women.

Women are drawn to the Human Resources profession. About 68% of all HR managers are women, compared to about 29% of men, according to Zippia. However, there is still work to be done when it comes to the diversity of women represented in the top roles in HR. After all, Zippia also reports that nearly 65% of the women in HR are white, compared to nearly 16% Latino and about 11% black. And 13% of Human Resources managers are LGBT.

While there is work to be done, women will be leading the way as organizations open the door to the future of work. Discover four women who are innovating right now and recently discussed HR trends and women’s role in the field with HR Exchange Network:

DeRetta Cole Rhodes

Executive Vice President, Chief Culture Officer, at the Atlanta Braves

Rhodes shares the winding story of her career that had her climbing the HR ladder at a wide variety of companies. Her advice on recognizing one’s strengths and preferences to carve a unique path is invaluable.

Kristen Weirick

Vice President Global Talent Acquisition and Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, Alcon

Weirick is a model for working mothers. She took a pause in her HR career to enjoy her children when they were little and now serves as a leader with heart, whose role has her relating talent management and development to the business goals of the organization.

Nichelle Grant

Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Siemens USA

Grant is a scientist who found her way to HR through her dedication to community and building diverse and collaborative relationships. She models a positive attitude and promotes DEI strategies that enable employers to make diversity and inclusion a true part of their culture.

Vaso Perimenis

Head of Human Resources Strategy and Solutions, Ekstein Consulting Services

Perimenis openly discusses the challenges women faced on the job earlier in her career. She specifically talks about how HR, in general, was previously viewed as "glorified secretaries" and what it took to overcome those perceptions.
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