Exclusive Interview with Angela Greenfeather, CHRO, Mr. Cooper Group
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Posted on 08-24-2022, Read Time: 6 Min
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Where do HR leaders draw inspiration from? What are their worst nightmares? How did they stand the test of the changing times?
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As Chief Human Resources Officer of Mr. Cooper Group, Angela Greenfeather oversees all facets of HR including employee relations, HR business partners, talent acquisition, learning and talent development, total rewards, people operations and analytics. Angela’s career spans 20 years, including leadership roles at Travelocity and Sabre Corporation. In an exclusive interview with HR.com, Angela shares her HR journey with readers, along with her learnings, challenges, and what according to her awaits HR in the future. |
Excerpts from the interview:
What has your HR journey been like, and what influenced you the most to have a positive impact on your career?
I’ve been with Mr. Cooper Group since 2015, but I started my career in HR at Sabre, a travel technology company, and then I worked at Travelocity for seven years before getting into the mortgage industry. I’ve always been driven by the possibility of positively impact the places I’ve worked, and that drive has really fueled the transformation I've been involved in here at Mr. Cooper. To be at a company that truly puts people first allows my team and I to engage even more fully in purpose-driven work to enhance the team member experience.What were your challenges during the early days of your career? What are those today?
The challenges I faced early in my career were predominantly about advancing the HR advisory capability and companies’ investments in HR technology and tools. Today’s challenges have a lot to do with the world we are living in. The last few years have required HR professionals to embrace new ways of working, address the need for support from burnout and meet team members where they are during uncertain and sometimes trying times.High turnover rates in the general workforce have really helped us prioritize retaining talent, which for us goes back to meeting our people where they are and listening to their feedback. For example, hearing direct feedback from our team and observing the challenges for working parents really helped us create Mr. Cooper’s new home-centric working model that supports flexibility and balance.
How do you see workplace culture evolving over the years?
I think workplaces should focus a lot more on enhancing their benefits to align with the priorities of the company culture and the more specific needs of their people. At Mr. Cooper, we are focusing a lot on programs that educate and strengthen the financial wellness of employees, since that is an area of expertise and importance to us as a financial services company. As it relates to financial well-being, compensation and benefits are critical components. But, it’s also important to offer robust PTO, 401k packages, tuition reimbursement, student debt assistance, debt relief, retirement planning tools, and other financial literacy education opportunities for employees to take charge of their financial goals.Name: Angela Greenfeather
Designation: Chief Human Resources Officer
Company: Mr. Cooper Group
Total number of employees: Approximately 8,000 team members
When did you join the current company: 2015
Total experience in HR: 20+years
Hobbies: I really enjoy learning about Native American culture. As a tribal member of the Eastern Shawnee Tribe, it is an honor and a privilege to understand our history, customs, and traditions.
What book are you reading currently?: Marsha Clark’s, Embracing Your Power: A Woman’s Path to Authentic Leadership.
Designation: Chief Human Resources Officer
Company: Mr. Cooper Group
Total number of employees: Approximately 8,000 team members
When did you join the current company: 2015
Total experience in HR: 20+years
Hobbies: I really enjoy learning about Native American culture. As a tribal member of the Eastern Shawnee Tribe, it is an honor and a privilege to understand our history, customs, and traditions.
What book are you reading currently?: Marsha Clark’s, Embracing Your Power: A Woman’s Path to Authentic Leadership.
This shift from the standardized offering of benefits to more unique offerings based on who you are as a company is definitely a way that companies can directly impact the cultural evolution of their workplace.
What are your best tips on how to lead during a crisis, uncertainty, and change?
When facing uncertainty, it is important to reinforce trust and respect among your teams and organizations at large. This is easier to do if your company’s culture is already built on trust going into a crisis or a time of uncertainty. Lean into the people-centric elements of your culture and err on the side of transparently overcommunicating. Even if you do not have all the answers, communicate with your people anyway and be up-front when you do not have all the information yet. Respect is gained when companies lead with transparency and genuine care. And team members are more likely to remain engaged when they know you are being genuine and honest with them during challenging times.Where do you draw inspiration from? What do you have to say to those who are still struggling to find a place in the boardroom?
I draw a lot of inspiration from the smart people around me. There are a lot of smart, passionate leaders in business and in HR roles that teach me something new every day. I learned early in my career that the best education comes from the experts we hire and interact with every day, so it’s important to be willing to learn from them!For those struggling to find a place in their organization, I would encourage them to continue to press forward while honing the capabilities and perspectives it takes to be an HR leader. I also think it’s important to vocalize your career interests and get feedback (and listen) from those you trust. Then, you have to be willing to make adjustments as needed.
Where do you draw the line when it comes to work-life balance?
It took me a long time to draw the line as I held the flawed perspective that working countless hours demonstrated my commitment and my value-add to a company. At Mr. Cooper Group, we understand the importance of mental and physical well-being, and how when they are in balance, it allows everyone to show up more fully at home and at work. The line for me will never be linear and will ebb and flow based on the realities of the moment. To stay balanced, I work to thoughtfully evaluate my commitments with reassurance that I don’t have to say yes to everything. I can set reasonable expectations with deliverables, take uninterrupted PTO, and practice mindfulness meditation at the beginning of each morning to set the intentions for the day.What are some major changes you see affecting HR within the next few years?
Fortunately, I believe we are going to see a lot of changes in diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and practices, especially within talent acquisition and recruiting. More companies have been embracing broader pay transparency, and I believe that will only continue as a tangible equity initiative. I think an increased focus on DEI and mental health will really change the way HR departments function and decide what’s important to prioritize in the coming years.Error: No such template "/CustomCode/topleader/category"!
