LOUISE DE VILLERS
It’s time for a change, and it couldn’t have come at a better time. Louise de Villiers has taken charge of the Human Support Team at Hello. She believes we can reach new heights as colleagues, a team and a company.
Q: Hi Louise, we are so excited to meet up with you finally. Thank you for taking some time for our readers.
A: It’s a pleasure. I am very grateful for this opportunity.
Q: Let’s get started. Tell our readers about where you are from and what you studied.
A: I grew up in Pretoria. I went to Waterkloof High School and matriculated in 2008. I went to study Law at the University of Stellenbosch, but I realised that it wasn’t for me and decided to study BCom Human Resources at the University of Pretoria.
Q: When did your career start with Hello?
A: I started working for Hello back in 2017. Interestingly, I originally applied for a fixed term HR assistant position, and later I was offered a Junior HR Business Partner role. I soon got promoted to an Intermediate Business Partner and two years later to a Senior Business Partner. Not too long ago, the new Head of HR role opened up, I applied, went through the interviewing process, and as they say, the rest is history…
Q: Congratulations on working your way up! We are so lucky to have you as the Head of HR. Your journey shows that you can grow in Hello with hard work and dedication.
A: There were tough times, but I stayed resilient, kept my head down and did the work to the best of my ability. I am very thankful for my incredible journey at Hello Group. I can attest that hard work truly pays off. :)
To be more proactive and solution-driven. We love interacting with every stakeholder at Hello. We understand that the more we communicate and engage with employees and key stakeholders, the better we become at providing clear solutions. So we are changing the game to be much more approachable.
Q: How will you change the game?
A: I want to move away from the traditional way we do things in HR, adapt to new trends and become more agile. This approach will enable us to focus more on operations, our employees and key stakeholders. I also understand Hello Group in general as I have worked with most departments, key stakeholders, and employees. I aim to implement the right strategies and make valuable contributions to the benefit of our biggest assets, our employees, and our business simultaneously.
Q: How will you encourage employee engagement?
Employee engagement is very important and even more so during these uncertain times. Engaging employees help minimise work-related gaps and help to promote a positive work culture. Our HR Business partners have weekly or monthly meetings with their respective departments and key stakeholders. We have also started an exciting new initiative where we have departmental or one-on-one virtual coffee dates to discuss anything BUT work. Attendees are required to go-ALL-out by dressing up, doing hair and make-up and showcasing their outfits.
Q: What has been some of the most difficult challenges during the COVID-19 Pandemic?
A: That’s a good question. I believe most people struggled to adapt to working from home during the Pandemic. The transition to working from home was very challenging, especially separating work life and personal life. Hopefully, if more people get vaccinated, we can soon start getting our Hello family back at the office.
Q: Speaking of vaccines, have you been vaccinated?
A: Yes, of course! I believe getting vaccinated is the only way we can protect ourselves and each other from the Covid-19 virus.
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Q: Tell our readers about the new Employee Assistance Programme at Hello (EAP).
A: The EAP (Employee Assistance Programme) is a great initiative brought to you by Hello. The programme aims to assist our employees and their loved ones with every day problems they may face. Our EAP App provides UNLIMITED counselling with regards to trauma, burn-out, stress, depression etc. The Company Wellness Solutions EAP Programme also offer Debt Counselling, Legal Counselling, fitness, and nutritional support. The EAP have it all, and the best part is that it is all for FREE!
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Take a stab at our game, and guess some of Louise’s favourites
Name one of Louise's hobbies
Q: Favourite Food?
Q: Favourite Movie?
Q: Favourite Marvel Super Hero?