This International Women’s Day, we’re shining a spotlight on some of the remarkable individuals who contribute to our organization. Meet Ashley Downing, Director of Human Resources.
What is one piece of advice you would give your younger self?
Early in my career, I found the importance of having a strong presence in the workplace. With the support of leadership, I developed a strong voice to ensure I could not only support myself but those around me.
What’s a moment in your career that made you feel truly proud?
There are many moments but the biggest one would be being told that a young co-op student said she wanted to shape her career like I did mine. It is not the countless hours in meetings, or even boarder initiatives – it is the one-off conversations that show you how big of an impact you can make others just by showing up authentically yourself.
Who has inspired you and why?
Going through University, I worked two jobs often to the detriment of sleep and social life. My Human Resources Manager at my retail job (whom I still know to this day) approached me with empathy and caring on days when I wasn’t showing up well. While I have a family of HR Professionals (my mom hates when we are all together at Christmas!) I always say that Lisa at The Home Depot was a true inspiration as to why I got into Human Resources.
What’s one challenge you’ve faced, and how did it shape you?
The first time I made a major mistake within the workplace at a new job, I thought there would be serious consequences, but instead I was shown grace, which taught me humility. In any position but especially in leadership positions, we are often expected to be the knowers of all. The ones with all of the answers and solutions. However, at the end of the day, we are all human; we make mistakes, we have bad days, we struggle. The way I approach leadership now is ensuring when we do have missteps, we can learn from them. They are not the be-all-end-all but opportunities for internal growth and reflection.
What advice would you give to the next generation of people in your industry?
Human Resources is constantly changing so we need to continue to change with it; I would encourage individuals to be a change champion within your organization. Change is scary and within HR, we are constantly facing changes. If you support your colleagues across the organization in their change, that bridges gaps and allows further growth and collaboration amongst everyone.