We had the good fortune of connecting with Julie Turney and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Julie, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I started my business because after spending over a decade in the Human Resources (HR) profession, I asked many times, “Where is the HRforHR?”. Most people think that HR is about hiring and firing but it is much more complex than that. HR is about providing experiences for the people we serve and that includes creating processes, procedures and programs to improve the employee experience in an organization. This also requires a lot of emotional intelligence.
Often times we are tasked to communicate very difficult messages to employees and their loved ones especially if a life is lost on the job. We face the backlash of poor leadership decisions more than leaders do, so when these things happen we often have nowhere to turn.
I created my coaching practice to be a safe space for HR professionals who are struggling with the side effects of a career in HR: burnout, compassion fatigue, workplace trauma, and career frustration. In the moments when we question whether HR is still where we want to be, I am here for the professionals seeking guidance.
Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I am an HR professional who supports HR professionals struggling with burnout, compassion fatigue, workplace trauma, and career frustration. What makes me unique is that I do not claim to coach for every career; my focus is on the people in the profession I spent most of my life working in. I understand the complexities of HR from a global perspective, so my support and the tools and resources I use come from a global lens.
When clients work with me, the feedback always starts with feeling seen and heard for the first time, which inspires me to keep going. There is no judgement, and I always start from the heart. Before I suggest improving your HR career, I begin with the human being because you are a human before you are HR. We often get lost in that title because people do not respect our name. Have you ever heard someone introduce a new employee to HR? They usually say, “That’s HR”.
Starting my practice was not easy. It can be challenging to get people whose sole job is to help people admit that they also need help. Most HR professionals suffer from burnout because they work in highly stressed environments, so much of that pressure is self-imposed because we do not ask for help. The perception of asking for help is that we are weak and don’t know what we are doing. It’s what we think people will say if they know we seek guidance through a coach that holds us back, so I had to debunk that myth first.
I spent a lot of time on LinkedIn talking about the challenges we face in HR and why we need support. Between 2019 and the present, I have shared my own stories of defeat and triumph in HR on LinkedIn, and the response has been phenomenal. Now, more HR professionals are recognizing the need for support, and it warms my heart to know that the work I do matters.
I have learned many lessons along the way, but the biggest one is that when you see a need, fill it. I stayed in my head with this idea for years before I executed it and created my coaching practice. Now, I often think back to had I started sooner, I could have helped many HR professionals. This feeling is usually triggered when I talk to someone and they say, “If only I met you five years ago, I probably would have never left HR.” I console myself by saying nothing happens before it’s time.
My success today resulted from years of hard work and believing that the service I had to offer was needed despite the initial pushback and upturned noses. Building relationships with people who struggle to trust takes time, you can’t give up, you have to keep on going.
Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
There are lots of great things to see and do in Barbados. I would start with Worthing Square because if you are a foodie, they have all kinds of food trucks to try. Champers for dinner because their food is not only amazing, it is consistent every time. Sites include The Animal Flower Cave, Harrisons Cave, and Farley Hill Park. The view from the top is breathtaking. The wildlife Reserve, Ride the train at St. Nicholas Abbey. Rum tasting at Mount Gay and Four Square. Dinner at the Cliff or QP Bistro. Take in some nightlife through St. Lawrence Gap and a night down Oistins, which is a must. I would say you have to try our national dish of Cou Cou and flying fish and you must try pudding and sous on Saturday. No trip to Barbados is complete without a catamaran cruise or a glass-bottom boat ride.
Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
This shout goes to every HR professional trying to make the best of challenging circumstances. I fell in love with HR because I love to see people win. It warms my heart to see people develop in their careers and achieve their goals, but often, HR gets left behind. We are the organisation’s hidden first responders, so I want to shout out to every HR professional who has mentored or supported me through this journey. I would not be here if it were not for them.
I also want to thank my Uncle G, who listened to me many times talk about building my coaching practice and supported me through the creative process. Last but not least, I want to thank my Mum for being the first investor in my business.
Website: https://hratheart.co/
Instagram: https://instagram.com/hratheart
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamjulieturney/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/iamjulieturney
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIynH-uYEG73D2TKotbyD4g
Image Credits
TedX Hacking HR Barbados International Business Association (BIBA) Caribbean Society for HR Professionals (CSHRP) Grace Bay Resorts HR Team DisruptHR