Meet Margaret-Ann Cole, an expert in the field of Human Resources. Economics, psychology, and people skills bundled into one package; she has turned workplaces into vibrant communities. Her story is one of love, determination, and an unwavering will to make a difference. Come with her and discover how she is assisting in shaping the future of HR at Services for the UnderServed (S:US), a NY-based nonprofit organization that works with tens of thousands of individuals and families throughout New York City and Long Island to create pathways to rich and productive lives by offering housing, shelter, treatment and recovery services, employment and skills-building, food security, therapeutic horticulture, and crisis programming.
Finding Her Passion: A Life-Changing Encounter
Margaret-Ann’s journey to HR began with a fundamental but genuine aspiration: to motivate employees and transform organizations. “Organizations are successful when their people are successful,” she says. Her economics and psychology education prepared her with the analytical tools to understand business processes and human behavior. This conjunction has served as the cornerstone of her career, propelling her to create workplaces in which every voice is heard and appreciated.
Margaret-Ann’s tenure at S:US started when she was appointed as the interim Chief HR & People Officer. During her first few days, she was impressed by the organization’s mission and the spectacular work that was being done. “I was amazed by the work that the staff of S:US did on a daily basis,” she recalls. This experience made her seek a permanent job with the desire to support S:US employees as much as they support their clients.
Building from the Ground Up
Margaret-Ann’s career is rich with experience that has shaped her working style in people management and HR. Before she became Chief HR & People Officer, she was a management consultant, building large global consulting businesses. She started with building an HR outsourcing practice from scratch, growing it from four to 300. This, along with her Global Executive MBA exposed her to global cultures and trends.
“I knew this was my sweet spot,” as she reflects on how she determined to specialize in optimizing HR organizations. Consulting to manage HR functions afforded her the opportunity to facilitate innovative solutions for talent management and employee engagement. “It was time for me to follow my own advice,” she exclaims, referring to her enthusiasm to see her methodologies succeed as she stepped into HR Leadership roles.
“Don’t let perfection get in the way of progress. Often, I have seen projects or decisions delayed because not every scenario could be addressed. In the fast-paced environment in which we live where agile is a becoming a way of life, we have to be prepared to try, fail fast, and redirect.”
Driving Change at S:US
As the Chief HR & People Officer of S:US, Margaret-Ann has diverse roles. She advises the CEO and executive leadership team, develops and executes HR programs in alignment with the organization’s long-term strategic goals, and creates an environment that supports growth, innovation, and diversity in the workplace. Talent acquisition, talent retention, succession planning, enhancing employee experience, labor compliance, and change management are some of the responsibilities.
Balancing Roles with Ease
Balancing a stressful job with her personal life is something Margaret-Ann makes seem easy. She believes there is no such thing as an actual 50/50 split between work and life. “Along the way, there have been times I had to be 100% devoted to family and times 100% devoted to work,” she says.
With the help of her husband, her late mother, and a supportive team in the workplace, Margaret-Ann has managed to balance family and work. Presently, with her youngest child at college, she finds it fulfilling to engage in personal interests like reading, cooking, and traveling.
Margaret-Ann describes her leadership style as one of being a servant leader, which is defined by presence, empathy, and concern for strengthening her team. “When I initially started leading people, I was command and control,” she admits. Over time, she discovered that listening was key and only speaking when she needed to speak was best, and how this constructed a more supportive and inclusive leadership style.
Redefining Success in HR & Turning Challenges into Opportunities
Success for Margaret-Ann as a Chief HR & People Officer is being a strategic business partner to the CEO and senior leadership, providing people-related insights that are aligned with the organizational strategy and vision. Effective talent acquisition, development, and retention are top priorities. “In short, I need to find, keep, and develop successful employees,” she says.
Honing analytics and data to inform HR strategies is also a key domain of her accountability. By anticipating trends, measuring performance, and making data-based decisions, she aligns organizational goals with HR initiatives.
One of Margaret-Ann’s greatest challenges was building an HR Outsourcing Consulting business without initial capital. She cleverly partnered with a client, convincing them to be the pilot for the new infrastructure. “The quid pro quo was their fees would pay for the cost of our implementation,” she explains. This innovative solution paid off with the successful start of this new business venture.
“Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. It isn’t a matter of if you will make a mistake, it is a matter of when. We are human, everyone makes mistakes. The secret is what you do to correct the mistake. Treat mistakes as a learning opportunity.”
Words of Wisdom for Aspiring HR Leaders
Margaret-Ann hopes her work will be the benchmark for current HR best practices, as she encourages future HR leaders to be innovative leaders. “By fostering a culture of engagement and support, we can demonstrate to employees how important employee well-being and satisfaction are,” she states. Emphasis on organizational goals when linking HR efforts highlight HR’s strategic contributions toward business excellence.
For those seeking to leave a permanent mark, Margaret-Ann emphasizes developing both business-savvy and people-savvy skills. “Having data-driven empathetic decisions is the signature of a world-class HR professional,” she asserts strongly. She encourages up-and-coming HR leaders to strike a balance between learning business needs and taking care of employees’ well-being.
Embracing the Future of HR
Margaret-Ann welcomes the use of AI and automation to streamline HR processes, with an emphasis on creating an enhanced overall employee experience. “We are only just starting to see how AI can affect us and its implications,” she says. Also, the use of HR analytics to guide more insightful decision-making is something S:US is working to adopt.
Margaret-Ann is confident that these innovations will transform HR operations to become more effective and efficient.
Commemorating Margaret- Ann’s Success
Reflecting on her career, Margaret-Ann is proudest of the relationships she has built and the individuals she has mentored. “I am proud that I can offer my humble skills to help our employees do such valuable and critical work,” she remarked. Her dedication to mentoring has paid dividends with several of her proteges rising through the ranks to become leaders in their own right.
Margaret-Ann Cole’s professional life as an HR specialist is a reflection of her drive to create empowering and inclusive workspaces. Her innovative approaches to HR and people management have made lasting impressions in the organizations she has been part of, such as S:US. Through her impact, she continues to shape the future of work, inspiring employees as valued, supported, and inspired to fuel the organization’s success.
