Let’s Get Personnel: Lubna Malik

“I think there was an interesting moment for me once I had landed in the people space as I saw how I could use my design experience and apply it to the world of work. So, all of a sudden, I was able to fuse these two worlds together in a way that really mattered…”

Location: London, England

Current Role: Regional People Partner — UK & Germany

LM: Lubna Malik / MH: Michelle Hernandez

MH: You ready?

LM: Yes!

MH: How long have you been in HR and have you always wanted to pursue a career in human resources?

LM: Ok, so, I have been in the HR / people realm for 10 years I’d say, but I never really considered a career in it at all. I sort of fell into people experience and HR by accident. I actually have a background in design, as you know, and originally trained in product design. I worked as a designer and researcher before landing in the HR/talent space, the world of people, you can call it many things. I landed in it as a researcher during research within design and then it kind of snowballed from there. I think there was an interesting moment for me once I had landed in the people space as I saw how I could use my design experience and apply it to the world of work. So, all of a sudden, I was able to fuse these two worlds together in a way that really mattered and it started to unpack things like employee experience and what that really meant. I think that’s when it clicked and started to make sense for me — because the thinking and learning I had around creating experiences, understanding people and behaviors, all of a sudden within the world of HR, could be redefined. That was quite exciting.

MH: Great! I think you answered my upcoming question about whether or not you had a eureka moment, which you did.

LM: Yes!

MH: Cool. Next question. Do you have a specific concentration within the people space or do you consider yourself a true generalist?

LM: Yeah, I had to think about this one. I think I consider myself a generalist, and I love to work across the entire employee lifecycle. For me, it’s the end to end experience. So, it means that by working across the entire lifecycle, I can work on various touch points, and it means I can have various projects or also work with different types of teams. I think the challenge is when you start to map out how someone enters an organization to when they leave. It’s just so interesting, and so many things I think that can be redesigned or looked really closely at. I think I like the variety, the diversity of work and projects, and the fact that I can be tactical and strategic. And, a big part of that is being able to work with different people and co-create. So, I’d say, I quite like the fact that I’m a generalist.I think the variety is amazing. I’d probably get bored if I only focused on one thing. With that though it’s not to say you don’t have a specialism, you can totally specialize. I don’t know what my specialization is. (chuckles) I thought about this a lot. I was like, “Do I have one? I don’t know.”

Maybe it’s looking at the people experience, right, and thinking more about how to embed change. From an experience level, I also think that it’s being able then to figure out how it sits within this end to end experience or standalone thing, but you do it in a way that you’re able to link between the various points and figure out within the entire ecosystem — does this make sense? Maybe that’s something I can say that I’m a specialist in.

MH: I was going to say that is a specialty.

LM: Okay. (laughs)

MH: What do you enjoy most about what you do?

LM: I think it’s about being able to create change in organizations on a tangible level. I feel like depending on the project, it can be felt by multiple people and you can impact culture. You can impact a team instantly depending on your approach, which means I could move toward progress a lot quicker. I also love the fact that I get to work with really interesting people and shape how people experience their workplaces everyday. I mean it’s kind of like what you mentioned that it’s invisible. No one really thinks like, “Hey, this on-boarding experience was awesome.” It just didn’t appear to be that way. It was designed, thought about and researched by someone. But, it’s all of these experiences that are invisible that make day-to-day life in an organization a little better. How to give feedback or how to access training, on-boarding, off-boarding. People don’t really question the experience and whether or not it’s been designed; it’s just kind of taken for granted. “Oh yeah, this will happen.” Personally, I put a lot of effort into designing, say an on-boarding experience. I know it makes a difference. It’s the small things that we can do and change that will really help that person in an effective and exciting way. I think it’s not so obvious, but at least I know that it’s made a difference and that’s something I enjoy.

MH: Awesome. Next question. Are you learning anything new?

LM: Yes, I am! I am currently on a small leadership program that’s all about DE&I and Social Justice, which has been really great as I’ve learned more about my role, my leadership style, and the impact that I can have on communities around. Whether this be within an organization or outside of it. I feel like it’s very much about learning different ways you can help organizations build more inclusive cultures. I’m also part of a new program called the Squiggly Career Advocates, which is all about supporting non-traditional creative development in organizations, so I’ll be starting that soon. So, I feel like I am on these really interesting learning programs at the moment that I’m signing myself up for, or I’m just kind of jumping on, which are offering me a lot of knowledge and data. I’m able to reflect and connect with different people from across the pond and I think that’s been really nice. Like how we’ve felt and experienced things here in the UK versus connecting with someone from the US or even Asia. You think, “Oh my gosh that distance could mean that we don’t have anything to connect on. Our wells could be so different.” You come together on these programs and you realize actually, “No, it’s not that different.” You’ve got more in common than you think, which is quite nice.

MH: Nice. Very cool. When you take a step back and look at the big picture of your career overall, what would you say you’re the most proud of?

LM: I think it’s ensuring that the work I do is felt by the people in the organization. I think you can get stuck within policies and protocols and that bubble within HR. I feel like it’s really about ensuring that the way an employee experiences the workplace is truly designed for. I’m constantly applying a design lens when working on people experience projects. The one thing I love doing is breaking things, iterating, testing, prototyping to see if they really work. For me, I am proud that I have this design background and that I can use it in a way that makes sense and makes a difference, and move projects in a very different way versus traditional methods that HR people use. It’s not to say that it’s bad; it’s just something that I am proud of — to bring a different type of experience to the role.

MH: I would say that’s probably one of the biggest things I’ve learned at Designit. I never went to design school, but through the learnings from other design teams, looking through their projects and even taking CPE courses, looking at things through the design lens is going to be one of my biggest takeaways. I’m starting to look at everything from a design lens. It just feels like it’s become more of a natural way of approaching things.

LM: I mean, absolutely. When you think about designing for users, employees are just users. It’s just a different type.

MH: Exactly, exactly.

LM: You know employment and how people experience the workplace is just another service. You know we spend so much of our time at work, if not, the majority. So, why shouldn’t it be designed to be great? Why shouldn’t it be designed to the level of detail other people design other experiences and services? I feel like applying the design lens, and for me like I said breaking things and not being attached to what something was, especially within HR where you can have very traditional processes. It can be very bureaucratic and very slow. I think applying a design approach means that your fear of failure is lessened, you take more risks, you can redesign and co-create. I just think that approach is just so much nicer when you’re trying to, you know, affect change in an organization for users that truly would experience day to day. And, bringing them on that journey and getting their point of view and their perspective and input is so important. So, yeah, I think you’re totally right.

MH: Awesome. Next question. Any thoughts on how you see the workforce changing post-pandemic?

LM: Yeah, I think we could already see the changes and the impact the pandemic has had on workplaces. Like we know the future is flexible. We know remote work is here to stay and that people are now being motivated by very different things. They’re motivated by purpose and values, and you know, really rethinking what they really want out of their careers. I feel like that’s already started. I think with workplaces becoming more flexible, it means that organizations can become even more inclusive, so I think that’s a pro there. I think there’s been a shift in the way we look at work, and more people feel empowered to make the way they work work for them now personally. So, I feel like there’s been a shift in people looking at how they work, where they work, and reflecting whether or not that works for them — if that matters or if it allows them to achieve work life balance or what they’re looking for in career fulfillment or whatever it may be. I feel like more people are able to stand up and actually say, “Hey, this isn’t working,” or “Can I change my working patterns?” or “Can I shift my working hours?” or “Can I go and pick up my kids?” I feel like more people are now able to ask and request those things. I feel like that fear has decreased a little, probably because we’ve been in a place where we’ve had to adapt and be flexible all at the same time. I think coming out now more people have the strength to actually say, “This is what I want from my work now and it needs to meet my needs.” I feel like people are more confident now. There’s been a lot of reflection like I’ve said on how you feel about work, especially now that’s it coming to your home. You’re bringing that part of your life into your safe space, your haven, and there’s questions like, “Hey, do they blend? Do they match? Is it holistic? Does this make sense? Is there balance?” When you have that invasion happening, it does make you question whether you’re happy or whether you’re doing the right thing or whether you want to pick something very different. I feel like there’s been more reflection and I reckon a lot of people are empowered now and have maybe a better understanding of how those two worlds blend than they did before. Like I know I do.

MH: Great insight. Next. For those that are interested in pursuing a career within the people realm, what advice would you give them to break into the field?

LM: Yeah, this is a tough question.

MH: There are no wrong answers! (chuckles)

LM: (chuckles) Well, my advice was going to be there is no right way. I mean look at me, right? I come from design and I know many, many people working in the field that have studied very different subjects. Completely unrelated to HR for example. So, I think the best advice that I can give is not to ignore any previous experience you may have had, however random it may be. But, rather, to use it to enrich your understanding of what working within HR means for you.

MH: Love that answer.

LM: I really had to think about it because I was like, “Hmm. What is the best advice I can give?”

MH: Well, it’s definitely great advice. Okay, next question. What do you think are the most important qualities and/or characteristics when it comes to being an effective HR practitioner?

LM: Being human-centric as obvious as that sounds. I think you always need to remember who your audience is and how the work you do will be felt by others. I think you need to have really good communication skills, in particular being an honest and transparent communicator. Like I personally feel that is really, really important. Need to have empathy and good listening skills and be able to think pragmatically. But, I think most importantly, you shouldn’t be afraid to challenge and advocate for what you believe in.

MH: Cool. What advice would you give to job seekers when it comes to standing out to prospective employers?

LM: Yes, this is a great question. I think in all honesty the one thing you can do is ensure that you’re being yourself and not what you think an organization is looking for. It’s really about what makes you you — your personality, your values, your interests, side hustles. Anything and everything that makes you you that you’re willing to share. It’s what helps people stand out from one another.

I do feel like it’s our personal stories, our scars, our successes that make us interesting as individuals. All that fluffy stuff I would say is what kind of stands out for me. If that is too fluffy for you, I would say you probably should be looking at making your CV as readable, digestible, and as interesting as possible because in most cases, that might be your first touch point, your first chance of putting yourself forward. I think it’s moving away from templates or googling great CVs. I think it’s figuring out how you can make that first introduction really powerful but really representative of who you are, and like I said, not what an organization would like to see. I dunno, is that too fluffy? Like honestly, that’s how I feel.

MH: No, it makes complete sense. Authenticity is really important.

LM: Authenticity — that’s the right word! I should have said that. Yes, be authentic.

MH: I won’t even take credit for that. Okay! Getting to know you as a person outside of work. What do you like to do outside of work? Do you have any hobbies?

LM: Yeah! I’m quite creative. I spend my time making things. Over the lockdown period, I got back into things like sketching; ring making and I made a whole ring; learned how to make creatures out of fondant icing; and spent a lot of time doing things that actually didn’t require a screen. I’ve been creative and have always had that outlet, so I’ve come back to reconnecting with that side of me, if that makes sense, especially during the pandemic. I love cycling. I love weekend riding around East London. If I am honest, I love all things fitness and health and probably food-related. Been reading how the gut works to training and trying new exercises. But, I’d say my biggest love is going to be cooking and eating. (chuckles) All different types of cuisines and I’d happily travel the world and eat my way around it.

MH: Cool! Who would you say has played a pretty influential role in your life and has shaped the person that you are today?

LM: Yeah! I thought about this answer and it’s quite a personal response. I supposed I’d say my mum. Like hands down, I’ve learned a lot about strength, resilience and positivity from her and her life experiences. It’s a big part of who I am. It’s been shaped by her slowly, and she supported me and my family through some really, really tough times. I feel like she’s really inspiring, selfless and her sacrifices have allowed me to be who I am today. So, I’d say it’s been my mum and still is.

MH: Alright, last question. Do you have a personal mantra or words that you live by?

LM: I don’t think I have a mantra or words, but it’s energy for me. It’s about positivity. It’s about balance. It’s probably not a mantra, but it’s kind of like my outlook on life if that makes sense.

I always see the glass half full. I think for me it’s about constantly ensuring that balance is there you know. Not taking yourself so seriously and enjoying life. Embracing mistakes and being grateful for everything that you have. So, yeah, I always feel like you need to put into perspective and create balance or review how you can create balance in your life. Thinking about what you do in a holistic way.

You should always remember to fill your cup before filling up other peoples’ cups. So, you know, in order to do that, I feel like you need to go on a journey of figuring out what works for you and what gives you energy. That’s personally and professionally. So, I don’t have a mantra, but I do believe that your energy, your positivity, the balance when it comes to life is always going to be helpful. I thought about it a lot.

MH: I mean that completely makes sense. I think the one thing that stood out to me was to fill your own cup before you fill others.

LM: Yeah? I wasn’t too sure, but I just feel like I have an outlook. The best way I can describe it is getting your own foundations right. So, knowing who you are, what you need to do, what gives you energy, what creates balance, where your boundaries are. I think it’s super important because then you can build up those foundations. For me, it’s always helped me because when I look at work, I know, for example, the first signs of burnout or overworking is me not being able to do things like my evening workout sessions or having time to cook. You know, it’s me being aware of what gives me energy and as soon as those start to disappear, then I know that my world is being blurred, and I know that I’m going to burn out because I am not filling up my own cup with things I love doing. So, it really helps me figure out where I draw that line. I know that in order for me to be happy, have balance and feel like I’m winning at life is knowing like I have time for my bike ride. I have time to go to the park and have that coffee or whatever it may be. And, I think it’s important to know what my foundations are to constantly feel solid. Again, more of an outlook, not so much a mantra. I hope that’s okay.

MH: Yes. Thank you for sharing!