'If you're feeling uncomfortable, you're probably where you need to be'

Having worked in human resources for many years, Christine Clarkson says every day is different — and that’s what she loves about the job, not knowing what to expect.

“For me, it is that business partner role that really resonates. And knowing that, at the end of the day, you can run a business, but it's the people who actually make the business happen.”

That passion led to Clarkson taking the role of HR director at Thales Canada nearly seven years ago.

“For me, it's [about] that connection and really the business we're in now is about serving those who serve on the defence side,” she says.

“With everything happening in the world right now and the importance of Canada's sovereignty, it helps me build that connection, even though I may play a small role in it.”

Falling in love with HR

Clarkson’s interest in HR started early on. While she started in a Commerce program at Carleton University in Ottawa, she came to realize she was more of a people person than a numbers person.

“I ended up taking an HR course and actually had a professor who really inspired me. He introduced me to Dave Ulrich's work, which was really changing the mindset of personnel management and the administrative aspects to being that strategic partner and change agent.

“I really fell in love with it. And so I ended up graduating with a master's in HR.”

Clarkston first worked as a student in an HR consulting position before taking a longer-term role at General Dynamics Mission Systems (GD) where she stayed for 15 years. She rose through several layers, from HR advisor to senior manager of talent management.

Mentorship and relocation

Looking back on that time, Clarkson highlights an “amazing” manager and mentor who saw her potential.

“She really taught me that the key thing and the best way to learn is to be curious and be courageous and do things and step outside of your comfort zone.”

Also an important development? Moving to the U.K.  with a two-year-old son when she worked for GD for two years.

“I was very lucky… I was able to manage the HR shared services team for multiple business units.”

While the legislation between the two countries and Canada can be quite different, in areas such as hiring and dismissals, the culture piece is key, says Clarkson.

“They're very family-oriented, and so [it’s about] making sure you adapt the context and have that always in mind.”

Hooked on coaching

Another highlight from Clarkson’s time at GD was her pursuit of a coaching designation, which took three years through Integral Coaching Canada.

“It was a significant investment and a lot of time. But, really, I felt that helped me grow as a leader and understand that as a people leader it's not about the tools, but really about going internal in the consciousness of a leader and focusing on building that,” she says.

“It is my passion and I really appreciate it and try to incorporate it into all that I do.”

For Clarkson, the love of coaching comes back to understanding that perceptions really matter, so what you think impacts what you say and do — which impacts the outcomes.

“A lot of people in terms of change management just assume, saying, ‘I'm going to do different things, I'm going to get different outcomes.’ But it really goes back to the root core of your thinking. So, I really connect with that in terms of internal unconscious leadership development.”

Clarkson’s personal pursuit of learning has also included talent management certification from the Institute of Organization Development, leadership circle certification from 360 Assessments and a mini-MBA program at McGill University.

Focusing on people at Thales Canada

After leaving GD, Clarkson did a brief stint at IFS as a manager of people and culture, but soon realized the fit wasn’t quite right — which led her to join Thales Canada in the fall of 2019.

The company has roughly 1,500 employees across several locations in five provinces and is a leader in advanced technologies in defence and security, public safety, law enforcement, border protection, civil aviation and cybersecurity.

And the focus on employees is strong, with several standout benefits. One includes TELUS Health Virtual Care, which offers consultations via text or video chat and access to healthcare professionals and mental health care, anywhere in Canada.

“With the reality of having difficulties getting a doctor and accessing these services, we wanted to make sure our employees had access to whatever they needed at their fingertips,” says Clarkson.

Looped into learning at Thales

The HR director has also made skills-based learning the centrepiece of her people strategy, anchored in what the company calls its Thales 2030 vision. The flagship initiative is a system of internal Learning Academies — close to 40 at last count — that Clarkson describes as a one-stop shop for employees to access knowledge articles, online learning, training playlists and course recommendations.

Academies are organized both by function (such as HR or project management) and by domain (such as products, technologies or services) and are open to everyone regardless of role.

"Someone can go in and say, 'Maybe I want to look at changing my profession,'" she explains. "Or it can be as simple as wanting to improve one specific skill identified in a skills review, such as negotiation skills. You can do a deep dive and see what learning is available for that skill.”

Underpinning the academies is an annual skills review process, now in its second year. Employees self-assess against the key competencies for their roles, solicit peer feedback and align with their manager's assessment. The output is a development plan tied directly to the Learning Academy offerings.

"We incorporate it into job descriptions, performance reviews and all the different HR elements," Clarkson says.

Thales also offers education reimbursements for continuing education up to $5,000 per year, along with mobility assignments.

Being a learning company helps differentiate the company, she says.

“You want employees to feel they have a career, not just a job. I was very lucky that people invested in me. The importance of investing in employees is really critical to building, retaining and attracting talent.”

Incorporating AI tools

Another important element in Thales’ 2030 objectives is the incorporation of AI. The company offers different tools depending on the confidentiality of the data involved, according to Clarkson.

In HR, they’re rolling out AI learning moments to help people understand how to use AI within their disciplines, she says. In April, they did this for all of HR, focused on how to use DocuSign in their day-to-day work.

“We're also starting to incorporate AI directly into our programs. For example, when managers receive engagement survey results, we help them understand how AI can be used to create engagement action plans. We teach them how to take feedback themes and use AI as a brainstorming tool to generate ideas.”

The same applies to employee development plans, she says. If someone has an area they need to work on, AI can help generate ideas and approaches, says Clarkson.

“A lot of people focus on removing administrative work and adding strategic value, but our perspective is that AI is a great thought partner that can really help with brainstorming.

Also notable, Thales uses Phenom on the recruitment side to personalize the candidate experience, she says.

“It helps candidates throughout the entire journey of looking for and applying to jobs. On the back end, it supports our talent acquisition team by helping them review candidates more efficiently and hire faster.

“So, we're definitely trying to embrace [AI] as much as possible.”

Curiosity and courage for HR leadership

Looking back on her career, Clarkson says surrounding yourself with strong mentors is important.

“I've found mentors in many different people. One of my finance directors, for example, helped me understand how the business actually makes money,” she says.

“I think it's about surrounding yourself with people, asking lots of questions, staying curious and developing a well-rounded perspective.”

But the biggest thing is not being afraid to jump in, even when it's scary, says Clarkson, attributing much of her success to key personality traits: curiosity and courage.

“I always say that if you're feeling uncomfortable, then you're probably where you need to be. If you get too comfortable, then you need to figure out what your next challenge is.”