Maja Dobrzynska Assoc CIPD's Linkedin Analytics

When I got in HR over a decade ago, I didn't realize how perfectly it suited my innate strengths. As a curious Store manager movable by empathy yet analytically inclined, I discovered a profound sense of satisfaction in addressing workforce challenges and creating solutions centered around people. An early succession planning win led to a new discovery - nurturing talents is my calling. My quest to fuel transformations that help organizations and people thrive together has transported me along an incredibly rewarding 14-year journey from frontline leadership into senior HR roles with retail giants like Sainsbury's and healthcare disruptors like Babylon Health. I pinpoint and extract strategic opportunities within these companies to uplift employee experience and ignite latent potential. One milestone assignment had me steering an engagement strategy that incorporated bias training and data-driven hiring decisions, receiving recognition for advancing diversity, equity and inclusion. My proudest and most tangible success though stems from revolutionizing labor relations across the UK's largest warehouse. By bonding analytical insights with bridge-building between business units, I catalyzed a hard-won yet seismic shift - slashing unplanned absenteeism from 21% to 7% in just 12 months. While I thrive on developing innovative talent solutions, my true fulfillment comes from rallying stakeholders through compassionate communication, nourishing talent through continual coaching, and protecting employee interests during turbulent transitions. I've come to realize that this whole endeavor is a team sport - we rise together by leading from the heart. My purpose now is paying it forward by guiding other leaders towards the sunlight uplands of work powered by people.