Lisa Oakley CFHRINZ

How did your career in HR begin, and what was the journey like to get to where you are now? 

My career in HR began somewhat unexpectedly. I originally pursued music and accounting at university and was accepted into the PwC graduate programme. Early on, I attended a PwC event in Auckland and fainted. I ended up sitting with the HR Manager for the rest of the evening, and I remember thinking that her job looked far more interesting than accounting. From there, I was hooked. 

That moment set me on a very different path. Since then, I have continued to invest heavily in my development through undergraduate and postgraduate study, a masters degree, health and safety qualifications, mediation and investigation qualifications, and now doctoral study in conflict. My career has taken me across sole charge HR roles, large corporate environments, consulting work in Australia, and senior human resources leadership roles across a wide range of sectors. Each step has deepened my interest in people, work, systems, relationships, and how organisations function at their best and worst. 

What do you love about having a career in HR? 

What I love most about HR is the variety. I often describe it as the sunshine and rainbows side, and the raincloud and thunderstorm side. 

I love the sunshine and rainbows work of organisational development, facilitation, leadership development, coaching, team building, and working with boards and leaders right through the organisation on development and design. That work is energising because it is about possibility, growth, and helping people and organisations thrive. 

At the same time, I am equally fascinated by the sticky, complex, thunderstorm work. Grievances, mediations, conflict, disputes, investigations, collective bargaining, restructures, and the complicated issues that need expert problem solving are deeply interesting to me. That is where judgement, experience, and calm thinking really matter. I love that HR gives room for both. 

What are some defining moments from your career journey so far? 

There have been several defining moments in my career. One was moving from sole charge HR roles, where I did not yet know what I did not know, into large corporates where I experienced HR from a completely different perspective. Seeing centres of excellence and true business partnering in action expanded my understanding of what great HR could look like when it is deeply connected to the business. 

Another defining chapter was travelling and consulting in Australia across finance, telecommunications, and insurance, and then moving into general management human resources roles in trades and services and not for profits. That breadth of sector experience has been incredibly valuable and has reinforced for me how important context is in HR. 

The most defining moment, however, was during Covid, when I established myself as a full-time consultant through People Associates www.peopleassociates.nz.  Since then, the team has grown as our services have grown, and we are now a national provider offering full spectrum HR and health and safety support. We work with SME clients and large corporates alike, often supplementing internal HR teams when they need extra capacity or capability. I genuinely love the work I do, and building something that is both purposeful and practical has been one of the most rewarding parts of my career. 

What advice would you give to someone early on in their HR career? 

My advice would be not to become too attached to rules, theories, or fixed interpretations of the law. HR often operates in the grey, and the world of work is changing quickly. Adaptability matters. 

I would also strongly encourage people early in their career to work on their consulting technique. By comparison health practitioners are often trained to consult well, so patients feel informed and part of the decision-making process. In HR, we can sometimes fall into the trap of simply telling business owners, leaders, or managers what they should and should not do. That can create friction, or a perception that HR does not fully understand the business. 

The best HR practitioners know how to bring people with them. They understand the context, ask good questions, and assess risk in multiple dimensions. When giving advice, think not just about employment relations risk, but also health and safety risk, including psychological safety, customer retention risk, public relations risk, operational continuity risk, financial risk, and the manager’s appetite for risk, timeframe, budget, and values. Good HR advice is rarely one dimensional.

Why is HRNZ important for the HR community? 

HRNZ is important because it strengthens the profession and the people within it. It gives HR practitioners a place to belong, to learn, to be challenged, and to stay connected to the evolving standards and expectations of the profession in New Zealand. 

HR can be broad, demanding, and sometimes isolating work, so having a professional body that creates community, promotes excellence, and supports development really matters. It helps raise the standard of practice and reinforces the value that HR can bring to organisations and communities.

What was your path to Chartered Fellowship like? What did you enjoy about the process? 

My path to Chartered Fellowship was not a straight line. I was unsuccessful on my first attempt many years ago. Through the gracious feedback of the panel assessors, I was able to better understand the gaps, hone my skills, and reapply successfully later on. 

I found that process invaluable. It gave me a much clearer sense of what was required and where I needed to grow. I would encourage others not to be afraid of applying and not succeeding the first time. HR is such a broad and multifaceted field, and sometimes the process itself is where a lot of the learning happens. For me, it was both affirming and developmental. 

What is next for you in this chapter of your career? 

The next chapter for me is about continuing to make a meaningful contribution to the profession in New Zealand through partnerships, new platforms, and innovative ways of showcasing lived experience so others can learn from it.  I am excited about continuing to grow People Associates and the impact of the work we do, while also creating new ways to share ideas and practical insight with the wider profession. One of those platforms is HR Unlocked at www.hrunlocked.co, which reflects my interest in creating thoughtful, accessible, real world conversations about work and leadership. Watch this space.