” True coordination brings people together through trust, care, and a shared commitment to excellence and innovation”
1. Start with a brief about your career path and why you decided to pursue a career in Human Resources and People & Culture.
My journey into Human Resources resulted from a persistent and profound passion for people, community building, and fostering growth and development at individual and organisational levels. While I started with a Bachelor’s degree in Electronics & Communication Engineering—a discipline based on systems thinking and problem-solving—I found that my calling was not with machinery, but with the human spirit.
Pursuing an MBA in Human Resource Management and Marketing opened my eyes to a new world where strategy and empathy met. I performed administrative and coordination jobs early in my career, exposing me to the operational and interpersonal structures that manage offices. These early days gave me a solid foundation in people management, process optimisation, and communication.
Entering Health Careers International (HCI Australia) as a People & Culture Officer was life-changing. Here, I came to understand the actual value of HR as more than a back- office function but as a driver of cultural change that can shape workplace culture, engage the workforce, and determine business success. Today, as a People & Culture Coordinator, I’m compelled to create systems where people are valued, empowered, and aligned with organisational goals. It’s not work—it’s a vocation.
2. You have been a key contributor to transforming recruitment and workforce engagement at Health Careers International. What are some of your most memorable moments in your HR career?
There are some milestones that are especially significant—each one signalling a change in how we manage talent and craft engagement.
One of our strongest success stories has been transforming our recruitment process into an evidence-based process. Using ELMO, our HR Information System (HRIS), and Power BI, we created interactive dashboards to track hiring metrics in real time. This allowed us to make more informed decisions, reduce time-to-hire, and enhance cultural fit amongst new joiners and our values.
Another standout is the effective roll- out of continuous engagement initiatives. With ELMO’s pulse surveys and feedback modules, we rolled out an in-real-time listening program. We did not just take feedback—we did something about it. From developing flexible work arrangements and mental health initiatives to developing recognition programs tailored by the team, every change addressed what our people needed most.
One of the most rewarding results has been seeing our retention rates increase as a direct result of these initiatives. When our employees decide to develop with us year over year, it assures us we’re going in the right direction.
3. Your practice is people-centred. How do you balance operational effectiveness with creating a culture where people are empowered and valued?
It is a constant balancing act, especially in environments where productivity and empathy must coincide. My philosophy is this: operational effectiveness must enhance the human experience, not destroy it.
We have also automated some of the administrative functions at HCI with ELMO and Knowledge Hub. Employee inductions, payroll checks, leave and timesheets, among others, are some examples of automation. They reduce the likelihood of human errors, save time, and make procedures easier.
But we don’t stop there. Time saved becomes time spent on people-based programs: mentorship groups, wellness check-ins, career development charts, and community-building activities. By listening carefully to our employees and responding with thoughtful plans, we show that efficiency and compassion need not be a zero-sum game.
We have an open listening, ownership, and improvement culture—our people feel challenged and motivated to do their best.
4. Having shifted to an HR leadership role, how has your understanding of workforce management evolved over time?
Early in my HR career, achievement was measured by successful deployment—getting paperwork in, interviews scheduled, or training implemented on time, which was a task-based methodology. But as I’ve progressed into more strategic roles, my thinking has shifted radically.
Workforce management nowadays is all about anticipation. It is about comprehending changing workforce trends, anticipating capability gaps, and creating organisational resilience. My attention is no longer on tasks but on transformation.
Through tools such as Power BI and ELMO analytics, I now host workforce planning sessions that are proactive and data- driven. We’re not merely responding to resignations or policy deficits—we’re analysing why trends happen, where engagement falls apart, and how we can create succession pipelines.
Another change in thinking is my greater focus on overall performance. It’s not just about KPIs or performance reviews anymore; it’s about psychological safety, mission-driven work, and creating cultures of innovation and trust.
5. You possess extensive experience with software like ELMO and Monday.com. In what ways has technology influenced your daily HR activities and decision-making processes?
Technology is second nature to every aspect of HR operations and strategy. Every single piece of software that we utilise brings some level of intelligence, transparency, or connectivity to our processes
For example:
- ELMO is our single HRIS solution for recruitment, learningmanagement, performance tracking, and employee self-service.
- Monday.com enables real-time collaboration on HR projectslike policy updates, recruitment pipelines, and event planning.
- Knowledge Hub ERP allows for accurate timesheet validationand compliance documentation.
- Power BI shows us everything—attrition risk through to diversity metrics—so we are able to make timely, informed decisions.
These technologies not only make me more productive but also foster interdepartmental collaboration. Our decision-making is more collaborative, data-driven, and scalable. Instead of wrestling with spreadsheets, I have the luxury to interpret trends, construct solutions, and mentor leaders.
6. Healthcare workflows are being revolutionised by AI and robots. From an HR and People & Culture standpoint, how do you anticipate this affecting workforce structure and jobs?
The convergence of AI and robotics in the field of medicine is revealing what I have termed the “augmented workforce.” Routine tasks such as patient charting, supply ordering, and even diagnostic assistance are being automated to greater degrees, enabling healthcare professionals to concentrate on more sophisticated, humane, and interpersonal aspects of care.
For HR, the change holds profound implications:
- Professional functions are evolving, with increased emphasis on digital capability, problem-solving, and emotional intelligence.
- Workforce compositions are becoming increasingly dynamic with hybrid teams made up of humans and machines working together.
- Performance expectations are shifting from task competence to teamwork, flexibility, and ethical judgment.
At HCI, we’re already starting to see these trends shape how we design work, train, and measure performance. HR must be the driver of this change, guiding people through change and helping them see AI as a partner, and not a threat.
7. Are there any particular examples where AI-driven solutions helped automate the routine workload or enhance HR operations within your organisation?
Yes. A stark illustration is our use of ELMO’s recruitment software with AI functionality. The software automatically screens CVs on pre-set criteria, compares shortlisted candidates against the most appropriate ones, and flags up potential pitfalls like inconsistent skills or gaps in documentation.
This has allowed our recruitment team to move away from spending hours on filtering to focusing their efforts on more candidate engagement, interview quality, and cultural fit assessment. The reward? This not only lowers the time-to-hire but also improves the hire quality.
We have also started using AI-powered sentiment analysis tools to review open-text worker feedback, enabling us to identify morale and engagement trends more deeply. These findings turn out to be invaluable while crafting timely interventions.
8. What are some of the HR departments’ pain points in embracing fresh technologies, particularly in finding the balance between automation and the human touch in healthcare?
There is no doubt that introducing new technology in a human-centric business such as healthcare is full of pitfalls. They are most typically:
- Employment security concerns: Automation tends to create job loss fears.
- Resistance to change: Most employees, particularly career-long employees, will resist adopting new tools.
- Integration problems with systems: New systems might not be well integrated with current databases or workflows.
The secret to managing these challenges is inclusive change management. We engage stakeholders upfront, communicate regularly, and bring small wins. We pilot, test, iterate, provide feedback, and celebrate success stories to gain momentum.
We also make sure that automation supplements human effort instead of supplanting it. All change is being measured in terms of value added to the patient and the employee.
9. How do you ensure that the employees remain motivated and are safeguarded in the course of changes involving automation and robotics in their daily operations?
Participation and security during times of transition are built on two pillars: support and communication.
We engage actively by:
- Town halls
- Training webinars
- Internal newsletters
- Anonymous feedback surveys
These networks allow us to react to issues in real time and demonstrate how technology enhances—and does not replace—their work.
We also provide one-to-one training via our ELMO LMS platform, where workers can build digital confidence in their own time. Check-ins, coaching, and peer support groups offer emotional and tangible support. When individuals feel seen and supported, they engage more deeply, even with change.
10. From your perspective, how do HR professionals best prepare future healthcare professionals to work with AI and robots without sacrificing empathy and human-focused care?
HR must be a bridge between technological change and the time- honoured virtues of caring and compassion. We at HCI have a twofold skill strategy:
1. Digital Competence: We provide hands-on practice in systems such as ELMO, compliance monitoring software, and AI scheduling applications.
2. Empathy & Ethics: We learn values like empathy, ethical decision- making, communication, and trust through our leadership training. We also discuss the worth of soft skills—like listening, collaboration, and cultural awareness—that do not erode with technology.
By achieving a balance between these two worlds, we ensure that our healthcare workers are not merely technically skilled but emotionally intelligent, equipped to provide care with accuracy.
11. What inspires you most about the future of HR in technology-enabled healthcare environments, in terms of employee wellbeing and culture?
What I’m most excited about is the possibility of active well-being management. With Power BI, we can identify signs of potential early warning of disengagement, burnout, or team-level stress and do something about them before they become an issue.
Technology also allows for customised experiences, be it personalised learning pathways, flexible scheduling, or mental health support delivered through apps. We’re not crafting one-size-fits-all policies anymore; we’re creating journeys that mirror our people’s varied needs.
HR’s work is moving from process deployment to culture custodianship. That’s a future where I get to be a part of shaping workplaces that are not just efficient, but deeply human.
12. Finally, what advice would you give to young professionals—most of whom are women—who are seeking to enter and assume people and culture roles in a technology- driven world?
To all young professionals, especially women who aspire to lead in HR, your voice, vision, and values matter. Be bold in learning. Master the tools—become familiar with tools such as ELMO, Power BI, and AI platforms—leverage technology to empower you. But lead with heart as well. Be a champion of inclusion and mental health, and ensure technology decisions never come second to humanity. Say yes to a test of leadership even when it feels threatening. Look for mentors, lift your colleagues, and don’t think you can’t drive good change. The future of HR will be driven by the people who can weigh innovation against empathy. Be that bridge. The future of the world of work needs you.