CANADIAN HR REPORTER November 13, 2017
FEATURES 21
CANADIAN HR REPORTER November 13, 2017
FEATURES 21
Proud member of
21
'I needed to come to the table with an open mind'
RISING STAR < pg. 17
After graduating from the University of Calgary
in 2010, the 45-year-old self-described "late starter"
has since attained her Chartered Professional in
Human Resources (CPHR) designation, a graduate
certifi cate in executive coaching from Royal Roads
University in Victoria, certifi cation in Prosci Change
Management and qualifi cation as a Myers-Briggs
facilitator.
When it comes to the key to her success,
Scheelar says it comes down to two things: a lesson
she learned early on in her career and her ADHD
(attention defi cit hyperactivity disorder).
First, the lesson. While working at an oil and
gas service company, she was asked to build
relationships, gain an understanding of the culture,
and assist in removing barriers to employment for
Aboriginal communities.
Having never even been in a First Nations
community, Scheelar realized very quickly she knew
nothing about their challenges, and to truly help
them, she would have to listen.
"It was a very new dynamic walking in and
listening to what's needed, and I knew, because I
knew nothing, I would need come to the table with
an open mind and really listen to what's going on."
Her efforts paid off — Scheelar developed
an Aboriginal talent management strategy and
implementation plan that resulted in an average
of 55 per cent Aboriginal employment on a major
project. She also liaised with Saskatchewan First
Nations communities and agencies to secure
government funding to implement a skills training
program with a 77 per cent completion rate and 50
per cent direct employment of graduates.
The listening lesson came in handy for the 2016
implementation of the HRIS system at Horizon.
"Previously, all major data was managed by payroll
while HR and other areas were managing off an
Excel spreadsheet. This was a huge undertaking. We
were centralizing not just data but the processes
that managed data," she says.
And while Scheelar had managed big tasks
in previous positions, this would be her biggest
undertaking. So she stepped back and tried to
understand the whole company with an open mind,
from its history to where it was at now.
"(This) allowed me to understand why everyone
was doing things differently. It was then easier to be
able to explain to people how the system would
improve their situation or solve their problem," says
Scheelar.
Not only successfully managing the project on
time and on-budget, Scheelar reduced the number
of HR forms used from 40 to four — despite having
a hard time with details, she says.
"With ADHD, details are always something that
I'm working on. And while (the disorder) has a lot
of challenges, it also has a lot of benefi ts. I'm able to
see connections and think of solutions other folks
might not be able to."
When Scheelar has fi nished the shared-service
project, she says she'd like to work on something
that increases awareness and support for people
with mental health issues in the workplace.
"You can see how having something like ADHD
is a blessing and a curse, but that if we design the
workplace to support mental illnesses, it can have
a lasting impact."
Lesley Young is a freelance writer based in Edmonton.
