Irene Angelo ,
HR Manager for Siemens Business Services,
Siemens, Incorporated

Education:
Cum Laude
AB Behavioral Science, 1986
University of Santo Tomas (UST)

How's your industry doing these days?

The industry is getting competitive each day. As new investors come, they want a piece of the pie of profits. But the market for talent is not that much, that’s the reason why new and innovative ways to attract the best are emerging.

What are the challenges facing the call center industry right now?

Retention is the biggest challenge. Attracting the best is only the first step. Keeping the talent inside the organization is next. We know that young people expect dynamism, recognition and career growth. Companies like Siemens should keep up with the growing expectations of its young market.

How do you respond to these challenges?

We respond by first knowing and validating if these expectations are only hearsay. Earlier in our ramp, we conducted focused group discussions to get a "feel" of the people's views, expectations and what can keep them in the company. Secondly, we constantly update ourselves about the industry. We join surveys in order to align our compensation and benefits, which also create a strong motivating factor for people to stay committed and motivated. Lastly, we keep ourselves focused on the Siemens principle of "People Excellence." We spot and tap high potentials --people with the passion to excel, the drive to achieve and contribute to corporate goals with a strong leadership capability to develop themselves and others.

What is your main concern right now?

My main concerns are to fill the seats of our call center and meet the Siemens standards within the given timetable. Secondary to this is to introduce the programs that push people to excel. They need to see that Siemens is serious about their personal and professional growth.

Tell us about your career path.

My career path has always been related in the field of Human Resources (HR). I started with Personnel Administration. Back in college, I was good in writing, that's why I was almost lured to take up Journalism. My first project was to help finalize HR Policies, the Employee Handbook, and all those basic things you should see in any Personnel Department.

Then I went into Job Evaluation. Again, this involved writing job descriptions that helped determine the level of each position in the organization, and later on its salary range. I dealt with manufacturing positions in various industries, like pulp and paper, steel, and cement manufacture.

I got tired of this so I tried Training and Development. My boss, who was then new in Siemens, was a trainer so he gave me a shot at it. He asked me to join several trainings to equip myself with the necessary skills. Then my training career fully blossomed when I got involved in the Regional workshops - this gave me the opportunity to travel in Asia. I worked with an international team that delivered leadership training for some of the brightest Siemens managers with high potentials.

My latest stop is this assignment in Recruitment for the Call Center of Siemens. Manila has been Siemens’ choice for its fourth site to provide IT Helpdesk support to its North American customers.

What has been your most fulfilling career experience so far?

Being part of an international and culturally diverse team that "built" this call center site. This is Project Management 101 on-the-job!

How would you describe your management style?

I am very task-driven. I want to see how things are accomplished - very hands on in fact. I want to see the “how” because the quality of the “how” largely contributes to the quality of the “what.” My team is a young team. I want to guide them in their specialized areas, I want to provide them with the bigger picture in terms of recruitment's impact into the overall health of the organization.

What are your plans for the future?

I have always been fascinated by how Siemens has transformed itself from a traditional organization into a fast-paced, innovative and competitive group. While this may be true for Siemens in general, we need to transform our local organization into that agile, competitive animal. I would like to therefore venture into Organizational Development. OD is not only a buzzword. If taken seriously, it is a powerful management tool for change.

How do you remain competitive, as one of the leaders in the industry?

Big companies like Siemens, one that has existed for more than 150 years, must have done something right. It is anchored on its core values of people, innovation, and business. How do you move a company like Siemens? A common and shared value system allows that. Thus all decisions - be it business-related or people-related, will be based on this value system. If you say you value people, your rewards system and your development landscape must all support that. Everything must be aligned. Lastly, Siemens has remained competitive and very strong in all the industries because of its prudence, sound commercial core values and risk management. It has to undergo a lot of due diligence before it decides on that. Yes, the risk is there but the returns should be better. We have competitors who were "there" before but not anymore. We have remained steadfast, perhaps sometimes too conservative, but that eventually paid off.

What advice can you give to young professionals who want to be managers and directors?

Have a specialization, a skill where you can be better. This is also the edge that you can bring to an organization. While maintaining a generalist view has its advantage, it also pays off to have a particular talent that will make your name at par with others. For example, when it comes to training, you can be known as the best facilitator; or perhaps build a name in a specialized area.

Lastly, look for a mentor. Ask help from the professionals. This mentor should take special note of your progress.

Siemens is one of the many companies that will be participating in the Career and Education Fair 2006 at the World Trade Center, Pasay City. Find out the hottest job openings by pre-registering for the Fair. CLICK HERE for more details.