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A Day in the life of...
Nita White-Ivy
Chief Human Resources Officer, BlackBerry
Most mornings start bright and early for Nita White-Ivy, Chief Human Resources Officer at BlackBerry. Below, Nita gives us a look at what a normal day for her is like working for the software company, which can consist of anything from supporting HR teams to interviewing potential new recruits.
My typical workday and workweek can be defined as a constant juggling and prioritising of schedules; tending to what needs to get done to meet the needs of the business and provide necessary leadership to the global HR team.
Morning - 05:00am
My mornings often start with a coffee and a bagel or pastry. I will then browse through any emails that came in overnight – which will most likely be from the boss, executive colleagues and from the Asia Pacific and EMEA regions. Responding to any urgent or priority emails and calls is next on my list, as is checking in and confirming the day’s schedule. I will also attend any early morning conference calls.
08:00am
Around this time, I will leave home for the office and check the day’s schedule once again. Once I am in the office, I will deal with any documents and transactions needing review and follow them up. I will also have some time to respond to more emails and calls.
10:00am
Later on in the morning, I will have either informal or scheduled catch-ups with the boss, colleagues or co-workers in the HR team. Aside from this, I will also follow up on programmes, projects, reports or presentation materials that I may be working on. I will also tend to any critical employee relations-related issues at this point in the day.
11:00am
Before lunch, I could be seeing to high-level executive sourcing, interviewing potential recruits, giving out employment offers or onboarding new talent. I then will attend any scheduled conference calls or meetings and, before heading to lunch, I will adjust my schedule for the afternoon as needed.
Lunch - 13:00pm
Usually, I will walk or drive to a nearby restaurant to have lunch and decompress. If I am unable to go out for lunch, I will have lunch at my desk instead.
My typical workday and workweek can be defined as a constant juggling and prioritising of schedules
Afternoon - 13:30pm
After lunch and for the rest of the afternoon until it is time to log off, I will turn to the remaining demands of the day. I will also find time to check in and support HR team members. I also like to note down any requirements that were not completed and roll them onto the next day as needed.
Evening - 18:00pm
I head home around 6pm. Later on in the evening, I tend to catch up on calls and any work that I missed whilst I was in the office. If it is a weekend, I like to read a non-work-related book and dine out at a great restaurant.
End of the day
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