Paulina Harvey

HR Manager at Sahara

Why we chose Paulina:

Paulina really loves what she does, helping her see everything as an achievement and not a sacrifice. This extends to being incredibly supportive of her colleagues, providing flexible working hours on request and being there for them when they need her most.

What’s your ‘why’? How do you balance work and life responsibilities to fulfil it?

In my opinion, the most important thing is to love what you do! Then nothing feels like a sacrifice, but an achievement. We all have many roles to play and balances to strike in our day-to-day lives, and I’m fortunate to enjoy all of them. I love being a mum, a wife and a friend – but I also love being an HR Manager!

It is so important to work for a business that respects you as a person. I’m very fortunate to work here at Sahara – a business with compassion and understanding, where I work with amazing and inspirational people. Our business was founded and continues to be run by very strong women, so there is plenty to admire and feel empowered by.

Can you explain an initiative you've implemented that has made an impact in your workplace?

At Sahara, we believe in supporting each of our employees in all life situations. We understand how challenging it can be to have a career and also raise a family. That’s why we offer flexible working upon request.

Our working environment and relationships are very important to us. We’re a very close-knit team that empower and support each other every day. We also enjoy a glass of Prosecco every Friday to celebrate our collective success as part of Sahara but also raise a glass to our individual achievements.

As a female leader, what have been the most significant barriers in your career?

I have always been very fortunate with companies that I have worked for, having been at places where growth has been encouraged and promoted. However, I would say the biggest challenge I faced was at the beginning of my HR journey, still studying and raising my then five year old son. There was simply a lack of time to study, work full-time and raise a little boy who was also enduring his own big journey of going to school.

What advice would you give to the next generation of female leaders?

It was all thanks to the people that I have met along the way – all very inspirational female leaders in their own right. It is very important to have role models, and I am and will be forever grateful to mine.