Is This Room Free?
Welcome to Is This Room Free? In this podcast I will be talking to HR professionals and listening to the stories of their careers. I will be finding out about the journeys they have taken and what they learnt along the way. The purpose is to help others in the profession identify and understand the various paths available and take inspiration from my guest speakers. Whether you are someone who is looking to get that first step on the HR career ladder or an aspiring HR Director, I hope you get value from these conversations.
Is This Room Free?
Emma Djemil - Founder of Be Unstoppable, helping women become sustainably unstoppable in their HR careers
We're back with Season 5 and what a guest for this first episode. I'm joined by the LinkedIn legend that is Emma Djemil.
If you don't know Emma then not only does she fill the LinkedIn feed with her TikTok dances, witty, and sometimes provocative statements but more than that she is on a mission to support females through their HR careers.
In early 2021 Emma founded Be Unstoppable, her own venture to help women in HR be sustainably curageous and unstoppable in their HR careers. That means being the best you can be but without compromising your family or your health.
The conversation starts with us falling into the topic of personal branding and Emma reflects on her experiences with recognition and online negativity. We then dive into the emotional challenges faced by HR professionals and the importance of support networks, sharing personal anecdotes about difficult situations encountered in the field.
Emma talks about the need for gender equity in HR leadership, her initiatives such as the HR Club, and the unique struggles of women in the industry. We also address work-life balance, mental health, and the importance of acknowledging personal experiences in professional environments.
Lastly, we wrap up by exploring future trends in HR, the imperative of addressing burnout, and ethical considerations in leadership.
There's a lot that is unwrapped in this chat yet so pertanent to what is going on in the HR space right now, especially for a lot of women out there. It's a great conversation and I hope you enjoy it.
Notes
️ Introduction and Personal Branding (00:04 - 07:57)
- Emma Djemil introduced as a guest on the podcast
- Discussion about personal branding on LinkedIn
- Emma's experiences with recognition and trolls on social media
- Challenges of remembering people from LinkedIn in real-life encounters
HR Challenges and Realities (07:57 - 18:14)
- Lack of preparation for HR professionals in dealing with difficult situations
- Discussion on the emotional toll of HR work
- Importance of support networks for HR professionals
- Examples of traumatic experiences in HR (hostage situation, suicide prevention)
Women in HR and Workplace Challenges (18:14 - 28:32)
- Emma's focus on helping women in HR be 'sustainably unstoppable'
- Creation of the HR Club and HR Big Meet event
- Discussion on gender imbalance in senior HR positions
- Challenges specific to women in HR leadership roles
Personal Experiences and HR Transformation (28:32 - 40:20)
- Emma's story of going through IVF while working in HR
- The struggle of suppressing personal experiences in professional settings
- Need for acknowledging human experiences in the workplace
- Discussion on the term 'humans resourced' for HR
Work-Life Balance and Mental Health (40:20 - 49:09)
- Challenges of separating personal and professional life
- Examples of personal struggles affecting work performance
- Lack of comfort in discussing personal issues at work
- Need for more understanding and flexibility in the workplace
Future of HR and Leadership (49:09 - 01:00:36)
- Discussion on hot topics in HR for the coming year
- Need for addressing burnout in the HR profession
- Importance of leadership paradigm shift
- Challenges of balancing profitability with ethical practices
- Example of a transformative experience in an accountancy practice