February 20, 2019 // By Magenic
Tracey Warn, VP of human resources, will be the first to say that hers isn’t always the easiest job. With more than 15 years in her role, she has a proven track record of driving and leading teams through culture change initiatives and improving business performance – all by creating a framework for people planning.
We sat down with Warn to celebrate her recent promotion to vice president of HR, and what that means for her colleagues at Magenic.
- How long have you been at Magenic, and what brought you here?
I started in April 2016. I liked that it was a smaller company with less bureaucracy so that HR could focus on the things that bring impact to the organization. - In your role as VP of HR, how would you describe your contribution to making Magenic a great place to work?
A great place to work means something different to each individual. We try to strike a balance between remaining competitive with the basics and teaching and enabling our leaders to create strong relationships with their employees, so that they really understand their career goals and obstacles. This flexibility and ability to adapt, while maintaining scalability, is what we strive for. - What differentiates the HR department of Magenic from any other technology company?
Our goal is to have a positive impact across the organization by working closely and openly with employees. I encourage the team to talk to employees and managers, understand the business well enough so that we can anticipate needs and be proactive with the business. - You’ve worked in several industries: financial services, manufacturing, distribution, retail, consulting, and e-commerce. How does that breadth of experience inform your work today?
One thing I have learned in working with people is that every situation is unique, but many times lessons in the past can be helpful with a new problem. Rarely is there an issue that I can’t pull from some piece of my background and experience to solve, but there almost always needs to be a tweak. That variety of experience is helpful in mapping the path forward without re-inventing the wheel. - What are the first steps in leading a culture change within an organization that might not want to be pushed to change?
You must get people to see the value in change and believe it is needed. One person, or a small group of leaders, cannot change culture alone. That drive must come from every leader in the organization, rather in a formal leadership role or functioning as an informal leader amongst peers. - How do you see Magenic growing or changing in the next five years?
I wish I had a crystal ball to get ahead of whatever comes our way, but I do see a couple trends starting already. One, companies will need to get better at understanding the needs of their employees from a career goal perspective because we are seeing less of the “traditional” career paths we used to see. Two, the increase in regulation at different levels is driving business needs in a way that will cause all of us to think differently about how we do things. Magenic will need to adapt in these areas just like everyone else. - Tell us about one of your favorite projects or accomplishments in your time at Magenic.
It’s not really a single project, but one thing that is satisfying to me is when we can help someone be successful with reaching their goal. Whether that is helping them prepare for a new role, or work through a new challenge, it doesn’t matter. But it does feel rewarding when we can help someone be successful. In many ways, I see that as one of the key basic principles for what HR should be.
With more than 800 employees in eight cities, the human resource department has been able to keep to the course in making sure Magenic is a great place to work. You can learn more about the cultural values Magenic practices by visiting our culture page. If you’d like to connect with Warn and learn more about her accomplishments, feel free to visit her LinkedIn.