Daimler Truck and Bus Australia is part of the worldwide Daimler Group. We offer a comprehensive range of vehicles with brands such as Freightliner, Mercedes-Benz and FUSO. My role involves providing comprehensive and professional HR Business Partnering and topic management services that enable Daimler Truck and Bus Australia Pacific to continuously improve its performance and achieve its goals. I advise and support managers, departments and employees regarding all personal aspects of HR management (with a focus on our company own retail dealerships), Employee & Industrial Relations, Compensation, Operative Planning & Reporting, and Global Mobility Management.
In general, my week consists of a combination of various HR-related interactions with employees and managers, reporting and managing long-term projects that we have on the go. As much as I enjoy planning my tasks for the day/week, my role can be unpredictable, so time management and being able to adapt quickly is essential.
Growing up in Mount Waverley, Melbourne VIC, I attended Mount Waverley Secondary College, graduating in 2007. Throughout secondary school, I strived to be a high achiever with my main studies directed towards a career in the health sciences. It was not until after my first year studying Prosthetics and Orthotics at La Trobe University, I realised that this career path was not for me. Feeling lost, I took a gap year, moved out of home and dedicated the time to think about my future. Taking the plunge to stop after a year of study was daunting and it took me a long time to accept that I was not ‘quitting’ rather I was stepping back and looking at my life objectively, which turned out to be one of the best decisions I have ever made.
During my gap year, I realised I desired a career in Business, and RMIT offered the ideal degree. At the time, with their applied degrees, the 3rd year was dedicated to working placement, to which students were accountable to obtain on our own, during their 2nd year. I was fortunate enough to gain an IBL (“Industry Based Learning”) role in the HR team at Mercedes-Benz Australia Pacific, and the rest is history. Almost 8 years on, I have had the opportunity to progress through six different HR roles, learning and experiencing numerous HR competencies; ending in the role I am now with Daimler Truck and Bus Australia Pacific.
The short answer is yes, but you need to have the right characteristics and willingness to learn about the fundamentals of HR. You need to be able to grasp new concepts efficiently to ensure you can be an effective HR professional. In regards to behavioural competencies, emotional intelligence, dealing with ambiguity, conflict management capabilities and resilience is necessary. You need to be comfortable and able to collaborate with people, be influential and have a customer focus. Remember, in HR you’re dealing with employees day in and day out, and with that comes managing emotions, opinions and personal agendas.
The coolest thing about my job is having the opportunity to collaborate with different departments, whether that be general functions, finance, sales, marketing, logistics, retail, etc. I have the opportunity to interact with all our employees and it allows me to gain insight and understanding of our company as a whole. Having the opportunity to work with our HR systems, reporting and analytics is also very cool, I find this side of HR interesting and enjoyable.
While being people-focused is rewarding, it is also challenging at times. In HR, you are constantly working with different types of personalities and opinions, and trying to find a balance between achieving the objectives of your role and your company’s strategy, while remembering that you are dealing with people, their employment and personal topics. You need to have a level of resilience and relatability. Being able to be open to listening and understanding the perception of other individuals is key.