hr influencer
Julie Giraldi never planned to
become a human resources professional.
With a university degree
in criminology and Italian literature,
the possibility hadn’t even crossed
her mind – that is, until a recruiter pointed
out that her outgoing and approachable
personality was well suited for a peopleoriented
career.
That was almost 30 years ago, and
since then Giraldi’s HR career has grown
and matured. Today, she is chief human
resources officer (CHRO) and vice
president, Health HR Leadership at the
Ontario Hospital Association (OHA), an
organization she’s been with for 15 years.
Founded in 1924, the OHA serves and
supports Ontario’s 148 hospitals in their
quest to deliver the best possible patient
care.
Overall, the OHA only has about 100
staff – and 20 of them are on Giraldi’s
team. Their goal is to “connect the dots on
the provincial plan” and develop strategies
to assist members by identifying HR best
practices, conducting research and creating
toolkits and resources to help hospitals
focus on important issues like succession
planning.
HR Professional sat down with Giraldi
to discuss the challenges inherent in her
current role, as well as key lessons learned
throughout her HR career.
When did you decide you wanted a career
in human resources?
Julie Giraldi: It all started with a smile,
believe it or not! After I graduated from
university, I was working at the TTC as
a temporary summer student in the HR
department. Meanwhile, I was applying
for permanent positions there that related
to my criminology degree. The head
recruiter at the time pulled me aside and
recommended that I focus on HR. “It’s
your smile and your demeanor; you’re approachable,”
she told me. As I reflect on
that, she was absolutely right! People need
to feel at ease with you in HR. I focused
my sights on HR and the rest is history.
What was your first job in HR?
JG: My first role was employee records
clerk at the TTC. It was a great starter
role, because it afforded me the opportunity
to better understand the HR function
and the organization. It also allowed me to
build new skills that I would need to get
into other positions in HR.
Describe your current job. What are
your main areas of responsibility?
JG: My main responsibility at the OHA
is to focus on provincial HR initiatives.
Most notably, I’ve been involved in executive
compensation. The government
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HRPATODAY.CA ❚ FEBRUARY 2016 ❚ 63