Spotlight On HR Series: A Conversation With Vice President of Human Resources, Emma Hutchens

Spotlight On HR Series:
A Conversation With Vice President of Human Resources, Emma Hutchens

We’re putting together a series of innovative and interesting human resource professionals. This is an opportunity to learn from other HR managers and exchange best practices, advice, and general experience. If you’d like to participate in this series and gain exposure to relevant networks, we’d love to hear from you! Send an email to erin@recruiterslineup.com

 

Tell us a little about your work experience in HR.

I am grateful to have started my career at Brown-Forman, maker of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey and other premium spirits. Brown-Forman understood the importance of HR as a partner to the business and encouraged all employees to learn about different functions to become well rounded and subsequently cross-pollinate the organization.

It was through this experience that I learned best practices across many areas within HR: Total Rewards, Diversity & Inclusion, Talent Acquisition, Talent Management and generally the full employee experience.

Two years ago, I was presented with the opportunity to join Gwynnie Bee, a small technology company in NYC. Doing this allowed me to apply my learnings from Brown-Forman to build an HR function where there had previously been no infrastructure. Learning to navigate the stark differences between the cultures of a CPG business and a tech company was a hugely rewarding challenge.

What are the unique talents you bring to the field?

Through my experience learning different businesses, I have developed the abilities to simplify complex problems and navigate cultural intersections. These skills have prepared me to connect dots and communicate across different levels, teams, and geographic locations, from CEO to Individual Contributor, Engineering teams to Merchandising teams, and American companies to European companies.  

What’s your favorite HR tech tool?

In today’s war for talent, the employee experience is often the differentiating factor in hiring and retaining top talent. The best way to improve the employee experience is to invite feedback, listen to it and incorporate it. My favorite tech tools are those that allow companies to measure and optimize the employee experience in a way that integrates with other systems already in use.

As an HR professional, how do you handle recruiting?

I believe the strongest companies are built of a diverse workforce, with people who are intelligent in different ways. Accompanying that diversity needs to be interest in and dedication to navigating the conflict that will arise and harvesting the value in those differences in support of the company’s success.

Managing bias throughout the recruiting process is imperative to building diverse teams. Companies can start at the top of the talent acquisition funnel by building an employer brand that is visible to people from many backgrounds, creating the opportunity to develop diverse candidate slates.

What do you hope to achieve in 2018?

Having recently joined Dailymotion, I look forward to learning a new industry, developing programs and practices that elevate the employee experience and pushing myself toward further personal and professional growth.

To get in touch with Emma, visit her Linkedin page.

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