Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Haley Harrison. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Haley, appreciate you joining us today. Was there a moment in your career that meaningfully altered your trajectory? If so, we’d love to hear the backstory.

For so long a person is driven by where they think they should spend their career based on passions and skills, and that is exactly what happened to me. I was driven to the outdoor industry and had grand plans of owning and operating a summer camp, educating children in the wilderness on the environment and outdoor pursuits, or being a professional mountain guide. After following my dream in various outdoor positions and gaining a master’s degree in Recreation Administration things changed. The economy had taken a turn upon graduating and jobs were scarce. I took a risk and position with a consulting company that specialized in company culture and the employee/customer experience. I was taken aback at how big of an impact this short time with a company could have on my career path and shifted what I wanted to do. I knew from that moment on that I wanted to help create, change, and enhance experiences with companies, those working there, and the customers they serve no matter where I worked.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My educational background is in organizational culture and communication, business/recreational administration, and leisure studies. I entered my educational path with my passion and love for the outdoors in mind, and that is really it. But when I fell upon a position that opened my eyes to organizational culture and experiences things shifted. This led me to the healthcare industry and that is where I am today.

Most affiliate my work with that of working with people (of all ages). Today I work for a mobile therapy company developing business relationships with various community organizations, while also managing human resource efforts and overall operations. What sets me apart in my role is that I have the honor to work for a small business and wear many hats, enhancing my skill set and allowing me to see more in order to make true change within the business. I feel that I can shape the experience of customers, employees, and referral sources all at the same time. At this point in my career, I am most proud that I have been able to adapt to change, continue to learn, and take on new roles. Ten years ago I would have called you crazy for saying I would work in HR and have acquired an HR certification, but here I am.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

Honestly, I was just myself and always transparent with others. I would never make promises I knew I couldn’t fulfill and kept people updated on processes. The more informed people are the better. That is the best advice I can ever give someone. People want the real version of you. That alone builds trust, supports reputation, and builds business.

How do you keep your team’s morale high?

People are all different. They work and learn differently, and they all want something different out of their job. As a manager, you need to find out the who, what, why, and how of each person working in your organization. Really get to know them individually, not just by the position they hold in your organization. When you do this you can support their employee experience, drive productivity, and increase retention. All things organizations want. The most important piece here is that it does not just happen at the time of onboarding. This is an ongoing process throughout the employee’s time with your organization. Oh and one last thing, encourage FUN at work! We spend so much time at work and people can still be productive with a little fun incorporated into their day/week/month. The fun part can be simple, little things or company outings.

Image Credits
Krista Covell-Pierson, Owner of Covell Care and Rehabilitation. All others are or were co-workers and community partners over the years. Extra silly ones are with my co-workers at Covell Care. Thought I would throw in the photo of me hiking were my love for the outdoors started.