Kendall Cochran is a human resource professional and business consultant operating out of Atlanta, Georgia.
With over a decade of experience in the corporate world, Kendall plays a vital role in ensuring the success of organizations. By implementing a wide range of training programs, Kendall has enhanced workplace performance, established a positive company culture, and continues to facilitate learning opportunities for all staff members. Having worked for a number of prominent organizations, Kendall is committed to helping create collaborative workplace environments.
What do you currently do at your company?
I am a human resource specialist meaning I worked to cultivate positive working relationships between employees while improving company culture. I am also responsible for facilitating training sessions that focus on diversity and inclusion in the workplace. My role is to make sure that everyone is always on the same page.
What was the inspiration behind your line of work?
I enjoy the fast paced nature of the business landscape. I also take pride in being in a position of influence where I can positively impact the lives of others. While my role is of course challenging, every day is different. I welcome challenges and I am always looking for opportunities to learn more.
How do you ensure open communication in the workplace?
HR needs to be a position that individuals feel comfortable approaching when it comes to any issues they may be having at work. As a result, I try to be as transparent and approachable as possible. I value the well-being of employees and I want to do my absolute best to accommodate their needs. However they need to be able to trust that I have their best interest in mind at all times. I adhere to an open door policy and I am always available to chat over the phone or in my office.
What keys to being productive can you share?
I am a big fan of technology and I utilize it as much as possible. The pandemic really changed how we work and go about our days, so it has been a period of readjustment. Now that a lot of employees work from home, we utilize software as much as possible as it eases communication throughout the day.
I am also a planner, so I like to reschedule my day each morning. I am responsible for the well-being of employees so it is important that I remain as organized as possible.
Tell us one long-term goal in your career.
I really enjoy my line of work so I definitely see myself remaining in the corporate world in some capacity. I can see myself potentially running my own consultancy firm in the future.
What are some of your favorite things to do outside of work?
I really value a healthy lifestyle so I do my best to make time to exercise each week. My days at the office are long, so most evenings I try to incorporate some movement into my schedule. My weekends I normally try to get out and be as active as I can in my down time.
How do you maintain a solid work life balance?
I think that maintaining a solid work-life balance is vital to avoiding stress and burnout. Once I get home I do my absolute best to unplug. I make a conscious effort to avoid checking my emails and messages on my phone. While it can be really hard to take a step back, I find that it is best for my health to take well-deserved breaks.
What is one piece of advice that you have never forgotten?
Always focus on the bigger picture. Being in human resources requires me to make a lot of difficult decisions daily. There are certain days that really impact me but I do my best to keep my head high and do what’s best for the company and the employees. Unfortunately, I cannot please everyone, which for me is difficult. So I do what I can to provide productive solutions.
What does success look like to you?
Success to me is being able to make a positive difference each day. My job is highly rewarding and I enjoy the challenges that each day brings. Organizations will go through high and low periods, so it is my job to ensure everyone feels like they are an essential member of the team.
What is one piece of advice you would like to leave our readers with?
My advice is to remain open minded and flexible. The business world is always changing, so you need to be ready to adapt at any moment. Understand your surroundings and always be learning. Nothing ever really works out the way you expect it to, so it is always better to be prepared for change and then do what you can to navigate certain situations.
