Q&A with Amanda Sadlier, People Leader at SD Worx Ireland

Amanda Sadlier SD Worx

Amanda Sadlier is People Leader at SD Worx Ireland. SD Worx is an international human resources services company headquartered in Antwerp, Belgium. The company is best known for its numerous services in human resources including payroll and workforce management.

We asked Amanda to share her thoughts on HR, her career and the challenges facing her and SD Worx.

HRHQ: Tell us about your career journey and what originally attracted you to a career in HR?

- Advertisement -

Amanda Sadlier: When I was at university and deciding what career path to take, my dad had said to me that I would be good as a Personnel Manager (as they were called back then). I spent some time chatting to someone he knew and thought it sounded interesting but when I finished my Degree and Masters in Management I got myself a role as a receptionist in AstraZeneca and then quickly moved into a Facilities Co-ordinator role in Facilities Management. My career naturally progressed in this industry and over the next ten years and two different companies, I worked my way up to Senior National Account Manager, managing over 100 staff from an operational point of view and loved my job.

In 2011, I moved to Ireland with my job, but by 2013 I decided that I was ready for a new challenge – spurred on by the fact my dad was going through cancer treatment for a brain tumour and me reflecting on my career so far and that I was no longer really enjoying my work. I wanted to make a difference to people and their working lives and I wanted to be the support for staff when they needed a good HR department to lean on.

I left my job and signed up for a Diploma in Human Resource Management in Dublin, and within five months I was part way through my Diploma and had a new job as a HR Generalist having to work my way back up from the bottom rung again.

HRHQ: What has been the most significant change in the HR world since you began your career? 

AS: Managing people remotely. It takes trust, respect and good management skills for this to work on both sides.

HRHQ: What is the most important HR challenge facing you currently?

 AS: Connection of staff to a workplace and their colleagues. I think since COVID people have become too comfortable working from home and are reluctant to increase their office time and connection with colleagues. We saw this with huge reluctance to come to the office and therefore we had to impose one day per week since September 2024. Also we see this with social events that we run, that are less well attended now – many staff do not have the same drive towards interacting socially with colleagues at the moment.

HRHQ: From an employee’s perspective, what does a great HR service mean?

 AS: A great HR service means having clear HR policies to navigate through the more technical side of working (how to raise a grievance, going on maternity leave, retirement to name a few). It also means knowing the person in HR and feeling comfortable going to them for information, support or guidance and knowing that they are trustworthy in the advice they give.

HRHQ: How should HR professionals design their career and how much can you realistically career plan?

AS: I believe that if you have a clearly defined career path, go for it and aim to achieve it. However, change is part of the world of work, so do not be too blinkered to miss the opportunities that might be out there and perhaps not in your line of sight.

Also, be prepared to move into a different career or diversify throughout your career. Working is a large and important part of your life, and it is important to enjoy it. If you are not happy in the career path you have taken, change it. You are in the driver’s seat of your career so take the path that is right for you, even if it changes throughout your lifetime.

HRHQ: What advice would you give a person at the start of their HR career?

 AS: Gain as much experience as possible in different areas of Human Resources. I got some exposure to dealing with disciplinaries and grievances throughout my facilities management career and then frequently in my early HR career and I think this is vital to really understand legislation and the way people tick. The softer side is very interesting in HR but you have to have the confidence to deal with the tricky side of HR too – you can only do that once you have had exposure to this part of HR.

Try and attend as many training sessions and information sessions as possible to build up your legislative knowledge. This is your armour to keep you right when offering advice and support to staff and management.

Never feel afraid to ask if you are not sure about something. The quicker you learn the right way to do things the better you will get at the role.

HRHQ: What soft skills do you believe are key to progressing your career?

 AS: Honesty, being friendly and approachable, excellent listening skills and being trustworthy are the key skills I believe in. I think these are the key traits to being a good HR manager and will stick with you throughout your career if you can develop and demonstrate these skills.

HRHQ: What experiences should HR professionals try to get as they build up their CV?

 AS: As I said before I think doing the harder part of HR (legislative rights, disciplinaries, grievances) is such an important part of the role. It is important to get this early on in your career, before you get too comfortable in the softer side of HR.

I believe that my role in HR was definitely helped because I came to the role with a huge amount of operational experience from my time in Facilities Management. I have also had experience working in large organisations and small organisations and seeing how differently they work. I have really enjoyed this variety in my career.

HRHQ: What are you most proud of in your career?

AS: I am most proud that I went with my gut feeling when my dad was ill, to make a change in my life for the better. You never know when your time in this world will be over, so make the changes now instead of waiting. I loved my time in Facilities Management but I love my HR career even more and I am so glad I took a chance and went back down the ladder to work my way back up again in the HR field.

HRHQ: What is the best part of your job?

AS: In my role as People Leader for Ireland, I love the fact that I am in a position where I can develop HR for the better. I love people and I love being able to support and improve an employee’s experience of the world of work.

In my current role, I work in a small HR team for Ireland but am supported by a large international HR team across Europe. It is great to lead the HR team but also have a network of extremely experienced HR professionals to bounce ideas, share initiatives and have a sense of camaraderie.

HRHQ: What do you think the Future of Work is?

AS: I would hope that the future of work provides more collaboration and time together in person as I think we have lost and missed this since COVID. I think that remote working is here for the long run and has had benefits such as providing opportunities for both parents to be involved in their children’s lives through drop offs and collections and has also provided a better balance of time at home, with less commuting time. It has helped the environment with less people on the roads unnecessarily, and in many cases I also think productivity has stayed the same or increased too. I do think that has provided management challenges too though.

We are very much working towards a human-centric future of work, where technological advancement can support the maximising of human potential, and can aid us in providing the best possible HR solutions for both employees and businesses.

I can see employee-centric, personalised HR experiences becoming more popular, prioritising employee journeys through education, training, and career advancement. It is my hope that legislation maintains the balance between employee rights and employer rights, and we continue to foster best business practises, to keep our workforce growing and developing over time, as we adapt and thrive in changing circumstances.

HRHQ: Many thanks Amanda for taking part and we wish you and SD Worx the very best for the future.

- Advertisement -