Helena Rodriguez

I am from Chile, where the mining industry, especially the mining of copper, is an important driver of the country’s economy. I decided to work for the mining industry because I wanted to contribute to the development of my country to enable the growth and well-being of the Chilean people.

I always wanted to do something that involves people and/or projects. Therefore, I started my career in Human Resources, which gave me a unique view of the critical work HR Professionals do, and how it enables the culture and productivity of an organization. While in HR, I had several roles that led me to senior positions, where I had the opportunity to support capital project teams and, in doing so, discovered my passion for taking something from scratch into providing a business solution.

Finally, I decided to make a formal career change into Capital Projects. I had outstanding mentors and senior leaders that enabled that big step to occur. I’ll always be grateful for the opportunity, as it wasn’t common for an HR professional to move into technical areas.

After a period of time in Projects, I requested a career break to pursue a Master’s degree in project management in New York City. Once I graduated with my Master’s, I decided to stay in the US and started looking for a job. I moved to North Carolina due to personal reasons and then activated my network. Given my experience in Projects in Chile and Arizona, I joined the Resources Leadership Team at Albemarle where we have a lot of incredible challenges. Albemarle’s forward-thinking vision, as well as being part of a team directly involved in developing clean energy solutions, is what primarily attracted me to come work for the organization.

Both types of organizations have given me unique learning experiences. In small companies, the challenge is related to growth and efficiency in businesses with little structure; in multinational organizations, it is all about processes and systems. I have found rewards in all my roles; all those steps and mentors brought me to the position I am in today, and every single experience has added value.

I agree, HR used to be the Payroll department and then the “soft skills” team, usually reporting to Finance. Now, HR is a crucial enabler for productivity. The business case for employee satisfaction has come to the forefront, and I think corporations now understand the link. Happier people are more productive: it’s a win-win situation, and HR now plays an important part in an organization’s success.

I obtained a certificate that focused on proving the link between happiness and productivity. I believe in people and I think in numbers, and I knew the business case for Happiness was real—and it is. After I graduated from that program, I led the Flex-Work Initiative at my former company. It was my way of contributing to a better life for thousands of employees. It was a very challenging project to lead. Most leaders did not engage with the many forms of flexible working, and this was before the pandemic: to work remotely for a mining company was unheard of! However, after an extensive Stakeholders Management Strategy was developed, the project was approved. Two years later, Covid19 came into the picture, and the company was prepared like no other competitor to face this new way of working.

I believe that nobody is perfect, and nobody has all the answers. I ask for help and ask all the questions I can think of, and I’m transparent about not knowing a process or a system, which gives me credibility. In all my job interviews, I have said, “I don’t know everything, but trust me, I’ll try to figure it out”.

And I love to work with people, get to know them, understand why they work the way they do, and how their personal experience has much to do with who they are.

At the end of the day, it is a combination of Proactivity, Results-driven, and honest Care for people. I want to contribute to a better world, and if someone goes home feeling happy or feeling part of something, I think the world is a better place already.

I have faced many challenges throughout my life, but the most rewarding was graduating from New York University. I was living in New York, about to start a Master of Science in Project Management, when the pandemic hit. I was living with my daughter and son, just the three of us. Completing the Master’s seemed impossible. I knew the most straightforward way out was going back to Chile and giving up on the Masters, but once again, I talked to friends, family, and mentors, and their encouraging words were exactly what I needed to hear. So, I stayed and made it work. It was not easy, but when I look back, I feel so proud of giving this fight.

I think I joined the mining industry right before the whole “women in mining” movement took off. The company I worked for established an ambitious goal of female representation, which was crucial to my development. I was in the right place at the right time. I know it was much more challenging for those women from previous generations, and I appreciate all they did to open the way for us.

I know it’s been hard for men to adjust, and managing those biases is still challenging, but I see a lot of progress, and I’m sure we are on the right path.

Absolutely! This is what I share with all the young professionals I know: Mentors and Sponsors are key to development. Achieving challenging goals or taking on more organizational responsibilities is almost impossible without them.

I’ve been blessed with the mentors and sponsors I have had. I can think of at least five that have been instrumental in many professional decisions that have had a vast impact on my personal life as well.

It is all about inclusion, but in a broader sense. My main stakeholders will agree that the one thing I do well is to include everybody: making people part of the solution, asking for their feedback, and informing them is vital to any progress. The diversity business case only flies if we consider every person’s opinion and point of view. I always tell my team to make sure they hire people different from them who can bring another perspective to the table; it is the only way to find the best solution.

It is not only about women: it’s about different backgrounds, generations, cultures, etc. I’ve seen the numbers, and organizations with more diversity and inclusion perform better.

I wish I had known that nobody knows everything, even those with many years of experience. My advice is: “Challenge all that feels odd: that feeling is there for a reason, and your fresh eyes are needed; your voice needs to come out.”

I used to have many! Since my kids were born, I have continued to practice yoga with my kids, and now that my daughter is playing soccer, I have returned to soccer as well.

I also have my nerdy side. I’m a Star Wars and Lord of the Rings fan.