Lena Gitelman, Chrl Email & Phone Number

Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Ottawa, On

I oversee strategic people operations and initiatives from development through successful execution under the guidance of senior leadership and departmental heads. I assist and communicate with executives in decision-making, program management, and initiative implementation.I review, design, and execute on improvements to org structure, find knowledge and skills gaps and help address them.I improve current processes and coordinate organizational procedures for optimized efficiency and productivity. My main projects include: • Intentional culture, employee morale, engagement, and recognition• Leading and coaching human resources team• Active listening and communication strategy, horizontal & vertical• Talent strategy, acquisition and retention• Onboarding strategy• Performance management• Compensation strategy• Staff and leadership development • Employee relations• Succession planning• Health & Safety and employee wellness• Employee benefits market analysis and contracts negotiations • Policy creation and implementation • HRIS implementation• Legislative compliance, proactive approach

Burlington, On

Working for Voortman Cookies (now Voortman Bakery) was one of the best jobs I ever had. Never before had I worked for such an inspiring, humble and strong leadership. It was a company that people don’t leave. Long-term retention rate was close to 100%. Every month I had long lists of employees to be recognised for their 10, 20, 30, 45 years of service. People loved working there and were treated like a family. Leadership team espoused and enacted company values and morals. Though it was a temporary contract job, it left a lasting impression on me, equipping me with the best practices and insights into what it means to ‘lead with a heart’. I could not reconcile how the organisation like this can be unionised, but it was. I learned to communicate effectively with the union, acting as management team member during grievances, mediation and supporting the process of collective agreement negotiations. My role embraced all HR processes including recruitment and selection, onboarding, ensuring compliance and consistency with the collective agreement, benefits administration, STD and LTD programs, disability and return to work management, employee assistance program, employee attendance program, and strategizing with management around cost-effective staffing solutions. My work was about streamlining HR processes, providing customer-centered service to staff and management, managing labour relations, and ensuring systematic application and interpretation of the collective agreement. I still buy Voortman Cookies with a warm smile, remembering beautiful people with beautiful hearts that I know are still working there.

Oakville

Lexus of Oakville and Oakville Toyota provided me with rich and valuable insights on how much the organizational effectiveness depends on strong and consistent leadership practices, continuous evaluation and improvement of people processes, and effective communication. I helped organize employee recognition program, engagement events, celebrating staff and their successes. I saw firsthand how staff recognition improves engagement, and I have been preaching it since then. In my role I was running recruitment and selection process, employee orientation, performance management program, benefits administration, and full cycle of HR documentation. My scope of work was enlarged by chairing two health & safety committees, creating and implementing HR policies, training leadership and staff, and investigating the reasons of employee departures through exit interviews. Employee relations was a big part of my day-to-day. Striving to create a positive climate for staff I learned to influence and inspire company leaders. I learned to communicate my initiatives with passion and data analysis, providing a perspective that serves business goals. It was quite a process of learning, and as I reflect on it now with much appreciation, working for Lexus was a milestone that shaped my personal mission and value system.

Oakville, On

My first love for HR emerged when working for CEPM. Hired as a filing clerk, I moved up to the admin assistant role and later on got involved in the HR processes, including recruitment, orientation, benefits administration and full cycle of employee documentation. My biggest projects were corporate culture plan and employee handbook, as company leaders strived to move from default to intentional culture. Employee relations was a big and favourite aspect of my work. I had a privilege of working with a group of HR lawyers who helped me navigate the HR landscape from both legislative and organisational effectiveness perspective. I found my passion in serving people as their HR, being their voice and creating the best environment for them. It prompted me to pursue education in HR management and acquire HR designation. My new journey began.

Human Resources Management

M.A. Honours, Business Administration, Applied Linguistics

Activities and Societies: Team Leadership, Group Monitor