Louise Taylor Green knows about the role HR plays in building high performance
workplaces. As Hamilton Health Sciences’ executive vice president, Corporate
Affairs and Strategy, she oversees a department of close to 4,000 people with an
annual budget of $100 million. Since she joined the organization – which includes
seven hospitals, a cancer centre and an urgent care centre – in 2008, Taylor Green has tak-en
on an increasingly diverse portfolio of responsibilities. But, no matter what project she’s
working on, she remains focused on what she calls HR’s “sweet spot” – a trio of functions
that includes promoting employee engagement, developing a distinct corporate culture
and effectively managing talent.
HR Professional caught up with Taylor Green in early December, and asked her to re-flect
on her 17-year career in human resources, her current job and the challenges facing
HR in the future.
HRP: When did you decide you wanted a career in human resources?
LTG: I didn’t actually decide I wanted a career in human resources. I think it chose me. I’d
had a wide variety of sales, service, operations and HR roles in different industry sectors. I
found I was continuously gravitating toward roles that were people-centric.
HRP: What was your first HR job?
LTG: I was working at Canada 3000 Airlines. We were building our ground services divi-sion,
and I was asked to help set up the training services group. They sent us to the UK for
training, and afterwards we set up all the technical training manuals, the customer service
program, the leadership development training and the recognition systems. Then I got to
travel all over the globe and implement it. It was a fantastic opportunity!
interview
Courtesy of Scott Levely
“I LIKE PEELING BACK
THE LAYERS ON A
DIFFICULT PROBLEM,
AND SEEING HOW
TO BRING A TEAM
TOGETHER TO SOLVE IT.”
– LOUISE TAYLOR GREEN,
CHRP, SHRP, MBA
WITH AN HR HERO:
Louise
Taylor
Green, CHRP, SHRP, MBA
By Lisa Gordon
HRPATODAY.CA ❚ MARCH/APRIL 2014 ❚ 49