Bio:
Hazel Cowling is a partner and the Consultant Director of Biz-ability. Her role includes driving the direction, development and quality of Biz-ability’s consultant team. Hazel began her career in the UK in 1985 where she started building her extensive knowledge and experience in leadership and HR management. Since then, she has held various senior HR management roles in the service, retail, sales and financial sectors. In 1995, Hazel moved to the Middle East, and has since then worked on several projects for multinationals, governmental and local organizations. She is an accredited Top Grading consultant and an accredited Multiplier trainer.
Questions:
1. How do you like living and working in your country of employment?
I have lived in the UAE for 16 years now and I find it a fascinating environment to work in, with plenty of opportunities for Biz-ability as a business entity (to add value to other businesses) as well as for personal growth.
2. What is your average day at work like?
My average day at work is very mixed. At Biz-ability my role is dual: I act both as a business manager and as a consultant. I thoroughly enjoy both elements as they give me intense variety, so I can’t say that I ever have an average day!
3. What is your biggest professional challenge?
Prioritizing among the exciting opportunities that come our way and choosing which to devote our time and resources to.
4. What is the most important thing you look for in new hires?
A good ‘values-fit’ for our organization and our clients; we hire and fire based on values. Although obviously competencies play a major role, getting the values right is critical because if we get the values right, we get the customer experience right, and that is critical to us.
5. What is the biggest challenge you face in hiring talent?
Sourcing great people who have the right competencies and level of experience, as well as, the values we seek.
6. What is your favorite part of your role? The interaction I get to have with people and adding value to what they do, whether through training, managing a client relationship or interacting with the team at Biz-group.
7. What has been the highlight of your career in HR?
Seeing Biz-group and its team grow and develop to where we are today, and being able to take the whole team to Kenya last year to celebrate our success!
8. What do you read to keep abreast of industry developments?
I keep myself updated through my membership of international bodies, journals, business books, and by the work developed by my team when they embark on new projects.
9. What is your advice to someone looking to enter the field of HR?
Explore first before committing; get a chance to live the role by possibly shadowing someone in HR – it’s a big commitment of learning and also a tough role to fulfill, so do make sure it is what you want!
10. How do you see the Middle East evolve as a place to practice HR?
From the start of my career here I have seen such possibilities. Back in the mid 90’s, companies were keen to get HR right, and they needed help in doing so. In the last 5 years, I have seen HR play a much more central role in organizations, and get that all-important seat on the management board. This is fabulous, not only for the HR function, but because it also demonstrates that the need for a strategic focus on people has been recognized.
HR professionals arriving here will be pleasantly surprised by the genuine desire among many companies to learn more about ‘Global Best Practice’. They will also encounter a need for structuring the way HR is applied, plus a need for education on what works in best practices. This is a great opportunity for a seasoned professional to get the sense of adding value and contributing towards HR in the region.
11. If you could wave your magic stick and make a significant development in one specific area of HR practices worldwide, where would that fall?
That significant development would be in aligning tools provided by HR to the business, so that they support and fully utilize the intelligence we have within our organizations.
