Talent Management
HR Professional
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By Lisa Kopochinski

 

Occupational health and safety expert

Growing up in Scarborough, Ont., Tracy New always thought she would pursue a career in sales. Her father was in sales and owned his own business, but it was her mother’s job in the human resources department as a pension actuary that really motivated New to pursue HR.

 

“I’ve always been told I’m a people person,” she said. “I truly care about peoples’ well-being. That – I believe – is a skill to be successful in any area of business and, in particular, human resources. I also have an education in business management, so that meant I could choose to focus on any segment, including accounting/finance, sales and marketing, operations and human resources.”

 

As HR manager for iCheck, one of Canada’s largest national maintenance and repair companies, New calls her current position a perfect fit. The firm provides comprehensive work-order dispatch, client support, invoicing, portfolio analysis and reporting to more than 4,000 companies of varying sizes.

 

“Our entrepreneurism keeps me close to strategic business development, while human resources keeps me close to developing our people through so many programs, but especially in the health, wellness and safety of our employees,” she said.


When she started at iCheck 15 years ago, New says basic HR responsibilities were divided into different departments – including accounting and operations – and managed by the controller.

 

“I started as an account manager in operations and then went back to school to obtain my CHRL,” she said. “As our company evolved, I was promoted into human resources to develop this new department. Programs, policies and procedures continue to be developed, including a strong focus on occupational health and safety.”

 

HR Professional recently sat down with New to find out more about what she does and why she is so devoted to this specific facet of HR.

 

What are your main areas of responsibility?

Tracy New: I have responsibilities for all HR disciplines, including occupational health and safety, recruitment and selection, training and development, employee relations, compensation, strategic development, policy development and additional functions. My biggest responsibility is ensuring that managers, supervisors and employees carry out their roles in compliance with the company’s health and safety policies and procedures. I also work in partnership with employees and contractors (operational partners) to minimize operational losses, accidents and injuries. It’s my continuous responsibility to promote a positive health and safety culture in the workplace.

 

What do you like most about your job?

TN: There are benefits to working with a mid-size company, especially one that is always growing and has an entrepreneurial spirit. There is great satisfaction to be part of a team that turns ideas into successful business.

 

Depending on the project, we may deal with asbestos in a residential home in New Brunswick to infection control in a health facility in B.C. We must train our supervisors, managers and contractors to be health and safety advocates across the nation. We’re successful because of our people.

 

What does a typical work day look like?

TN: Depending on the day, I may need to juggle project work with daily activities and spontaneous urgent matters, while always working towards the company goals. My day can be spent carrying out risk assessments and considering how risks could be reduced; outlining safe operational procedures that identify and take into account all relevant hazards; making changes to working practices that are safe and comply with legislation; preparing health and safety strategies and developing internal policy; leading training with managers and employees about health and safety issues and risks; recording incidents and accidents and producing statistics for managers, or producing management reports, newsletters and bulletin reports.

 

What are some of the challenges you experience on a day-to-day basis?

TN: It could be from an accident investigation or an employee relations issue or a client process audit. Being an HR generalist provides me with a diverse range of challenges. Human resources is aligned with the strategic goals of the company, so we are forever planning new, innovative ways to develop our people.

 

What skills do you possess that make you a great fit for your position?

TN: I would say it’s my ability to communicate and negotiate. I have to sell ideas to managers, colleagues, employees and owners on a daily basis. When I started here, HR was pretty much non- existent. I had to communicate and negotiate new programs, policies and procedures. It was a new mindset for the entire company. Since we are a progressive company, I have to be innovative and possess analytical skills.

 

What advice do you have for others interested in pursuing a career in HR and specializing in occupational health and safety?

TN: HR continues to be a necessity in the success of any business. Organizational health and safety is a broad and ever-changing field. There are multiple dimensions including technical, legislative, political and personal. If you’re looking to pursue a career in HR, and specifically occupational health and safety, I suggest you have a passion for it and believe in the concept. You need to be a strong advocate of the subject and possess strong communication and negotiating skills. You also need the education to help you with the necessary knowledge and skills. There will always be a demand for health and safety in organizations and it will continue to play a key role in all businesses globally.

 

Away from your busy job, what do you like to do?

TN: I like embracing Canada’s four seasons and enjoy the outdoors. I love spending weekends at the cottage in Muskoka, downhill skiing, water sports, walks and golfing – but only when I play well!

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