Women in Industry: Heidi Healy

July 1, 2017

width=Company: Raymond Handling Concepts Corporation
Title: Vice President Human Resources
Years on Job: 17.5

I joined Raymond Handling Concepts Corporation over 17 years ago as Human Resource Manager. Today, as Vice President of Human Resources, I work with our Executive team on RHCC’s strategic goal setting and implementation process. I am responsible for the Human Resources/Payroll Team which manages and handles payroll, commissions, employee relations, benefits, company events, employee travel, worker’s compensation, safety training and programs, vendor and customer safety compliance, labor law compliance, employee education and development, and recruiting. I also help manage and guide RHCC’s Marketing and Sales Administration Support Departments.

Important Skills

I believe there are a several skills that are required for my position. First, being able to think strategically and have a larger vision for where the company is going, and then being able help support and guide the people that implement the vision is crucial. Human Resources leadership also requires flexibility, listening, coaching, good direct communication skills and the ability to build trust with all people throughout the company. It’s very important for someone in my position to have a good grasp of the tremendous solutions and products we provide for our customers. This understanding helps me as an HR and Executive leader to help guide the addition, direction and growth of the people and business at RHCC, and ensure the best service and business partnering with our customers, vendors, and suppliers.

Tools of the Trade

Microsoft Office 365 programs are very important to my daily work.  Competence in these programs greatly helps with efficiency. With the constant technology changes, you never stop learning though. A good payroll system combined with a hearty HRIS and an Applicant tracking system is invaluable. We also utilize various online training programs that are essential in educating our employees. My team handles many employee needs through these systems including payroll, commissions, onboarding, job dialogues, safety and compliance, and recruiting. We also utilize candidate assessments to help in our recruiting process to ensure a better fit to our unique culture and required skill sets.

Advice for Women

The material handling world is a very welcoming and exciting industry for women. While male-dominated, this industry provides the opportunity to learn about supply chain distribution, general business processes, procedures and contracts, some of the best sales techniques, and how to truly partner with customers, vendors and other distributors. I have learned from some of the best business mentors who are supportive and eager to help women excel within this robust industry. My advice is to learn from the ground up! All parts of this business are integral to the overall success of each enterprise, and all must work together efficiently and as a cohesive team in order to truly be successful. Learn about the entire business, including what is important to the customers who rely on the material handling industry to help their businesses grow. This is the best opportunity for life-long learning in a business that is crucial to all aspects of our economy! There isn’t an industry that material handling doesn’t support.