I see myself as a people advocate and a change agent”, says ABB colleague Bria. Working as HR Business Partner and volunteering with an internal employee group for black professionals, she tries to support her colleagues in every phase of their career.
— Bria Williams
HR Business Partner, Electrification Mebane, United States of America
“One of my biggest challenges turned out to be one of my best experiences at ABB – professionally, it was lifechanging for me.”
A self-described people advocate and change agent, Bria Williams works as an HR Business Partner in the United States. “In HR we need to make sure that we listen to our people and that they feel cared for. In the end, they are the ones who drive our business and we need to give them the support we can,” she says.
This is why Bria makes a point to talk to the people she works with – to get to know them and their concerns, especially in times of change. “It is important that you get acclimated to change and understand peoples’ needs. I see myself as a middleman who help make the change happen,” she says about her role.
Bria started at ABB in an 8-month co-op. Then she continued with ABB as an HR Project Manager. These first two roles challenged and prepared her for bigger and bigger projects.
“I have always been a bit scared of speaking in public,” she recalls. “When I was starting to work on a cultural change project, I had to lead several kick-off sessions. Each of them with around 100 attendees and many in leading roles.”
Bria’s manager at the time was very supportive. “She made sure I felt comfortable talking to managers and pitching ideas. I really had to get out of my comfort zone to tackle my fears. But it paid off – I am not afraid of talking in front of a bigger audience anymore. And in the end one of my biggest challenges turned out to be one of my best experiences – professionally, it was lifechanging for me.”
In addition to building her confidence, she credits her first two roles with setting her up for success in her current role.
“My first 18 months at ABB did not only prepare me for my current role as HR Business Partner, but also allowed me to build a strong network within the company. This definitely accelerated my career,” says Bria.
And she’s continuing to develop her skills while at ABB – taking advantage of the learning and development opportunities provided to employees to help her do so. Currently, she’s working towards her HR certification.
Now, Bria wants to pass on the support she has received – not only in her daily work, but also by taking an active role for the US Encompass Black Professionals employee resource group. As a part of this group, she’s responsible for events and employee activation.
“We organized a moment of silence for George Floyd. Though it was a short event, it was very impactful, and I was impressed with the attention we got,” Bria remembers.
Through these events, her goal is to bring people together, help everyone grow and learn, and give employees a way to bring their authentic selves to work.
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