60 seconds with a rising star: Kianna Goh

This edition of 60 Seconds With A Rising Star features and celebrates the achievements of Kianna Goh, HR Advisor at Linklaters.

Where is the first place you want to visit travel-wise when the borders open up? 
South Korea! I have been wanting to visit my friends in Seoul and Jeju because I have not met them for years. I already have a list of restaurants I want to try and I also can’t wait to go hiking and cycling with my friends there during the spring/autumn season. 

How would your friends describe you? 
Quick witted and reliable. Hence, I’m often the friend in the group they go to when they need advice/to confide in. 

Why did you choose a career in HR? 
I have always chosen HR as my major since polytechnic and university days. Hence, it was natural for me to choose a career in HR. It’s an area which I have always been interested in. 

Has your HR career lived up to your expectations so far? 
Definitely. I have been really lucky to have met inspiring managers and mentors throughout my career and also had many opportunities to stretch and challenge myself. I am also thankful for the appreciation and recognition from my stakeholders which motivate me to strive and do better each day! 

What have you learnt about yourself since the start of the pandemic? 
Working from home is the new norm ever since Covid-19 happened. This means that the line between work and personal time tends to be blurred quite frequently and that resulted in me sitting at the desk to work continuously for a long stretch of time without breaks which led to me feeling burnt out from time to time. To manage this, I learned the importance of keeping a healthy and active lifestyle during this new norm. To achieve that, I make it a point to go for walks everyday after work and I also plan to sign up for weekly yoga classes.

What advice would you provide to graduates thinking about entering a career in HR? 
When you’re starting your first role in HR, some of the tasks may seem too small/administrative. However, you should persevere and do your best for each task because by doing as these tasks, you are building up your knowledge which can be very useful for you in the future as you move up to more senior roles (you would be able to know the various considerations and impact (to processes/firm etc.) when giving advice to stakeholders). Hence, I would advise graduates to see it as opportunities to learn and gain new knowledge as knowledge is something that no one can take away from you. 

When thinking about future of the workforce, what skills do you feel HR need now more than ever, as a result of the pandemic? 
Empathy, resilience and having business acumen. This pandemic has brought about a lot of changes – the way businesses operate, the way we work and the way we live. In such an environment, as HR professionals we must remain resilient in the face of uncertainty and rapid changes. On the business front, this means that we need to adopt a forward thinking approach and have business acumen when giving HR advice to help the firm stay ahead of the challenges and remain competitive. On the staff front, we must be empathetic and be even more connected to staff on the ground through more frequent check-ins and also provide them with adequate mental and health support as everyone is adjusting to the new way of working in these unprecedented times.

What does success look like to you from a work and personal perspective? 
Being able to truly enjoy what I’m doing at work and having the time to enjoy life such as spending quality time with friends and family, picking up new hobbies and gaining new experiences through activities such as traveling.

Please note that all commentary and opinions provided are those of the individual, and not the organisation/company.