Workhuman, is the world’s fastest-growing social recognition and continuous performance management platform. This evolution acknowledges both the traction and effectiveness of our Workhuman Cloud platform, and the demand from progressive global organisations who want to motivate and empower their people to do the best work of their lives. Great leaders instinctively know that the more gratitude in a company, the better it performs; and their data proves this, over and over again. Around the globe, more than 4 million humans at hundreds of companies are celebrating the power of humanity in the workplace through gratitude and peer-to-peer recognition.
As Director of HR for North America, Sarah is passionate about building a work environment where employees have a voice and a strong sense of belonging. She firmly believes that the role of HR is not to enforce rules and processes. Rather, it is to be a true partner to employees to lift them up and inspire them to do their best work. Here is her 5Mins 5Qs with Sarah Hamilton.
What are you reading at the moment? I’m currently reading “The Power of Moments” by Dan Heath, which explores why specific brief experiences can jolt, elevate and change us; and how we can learn to create these extraordinary moments in our life and work.
What’s keeping you awake at night? If you watch the news for just 10 minutes, there are plenty of things that can keep you up at night. I try to stay positive, focus on the things I can control, and create the best environment I can at work and outside of work. I have the fortunate opportunity to develop and contribute to a culture of positivity and gratitude at Workhuman, where we encourage employees to bring their whole selves to work by focusing on the human moments that matter. What helps me sleep at night is knowing that we are assisting companies in creating environments rooted in gratitude, where employees feel appreciated, valued and empowered to achieve their highest potential.
What’s the one thing in the world you want to see change? I would love to see a greater shift toward being more mindful of the importance of expressing gratitude and making it a part of daily life. In today’s fast-paced culture and the ‘always on’ mentality, it’s easy to take for granted what a difference expressing gratitude can make. Taking the time to stop and think of those in your life that have helped you get to where you are can play a significant role in boosting happiness. Being more in the moment and pausing to appreciate the small day-to-day moments at work and outside of work can trickle down and spread to other areas of life.
What is the hardest thing you overcame? The hardest thing I overcame was losing my mom at age 15. In life, we all experience hurdles that shape whom we become. During a difficult time, it’s essential not to lose sight of the challenges that help build character. Bad things happen, but you always have a choice – to either allow them to define you or rise above challenges and use them as learning opportunities along your journey. This is all part of bringing your whole self to work. This experience has shaped me and is a part of who I am.
How did you get out of your own way? We all have moments when we get in our own way, and to overcome this, we need to be more mindful about acknowledging what we have and be grateful for it. Gratitude is the gift that keeps on giving – the more you recognise all of the good you already have in your life, the more good things you attract into your life. Whenever I’m making a decision, I try to stop and think of what I’m hoping to achieve in the end and what kind of person I want to be. I always ask myself – what would my mom like to see? Using a moral compass to guide your decisions can be vital to getting out of your own way, both personally and professionally.