Welcome to another edition of Velocity Global’s Employee Spotlight Series, where we are introducing some of the members of the Velocity Global team!
Meet Erika Velika
Companies around the world are reaping the benefits of building global workforces. Hiring international talent is a complex process and requires professionals with deep in-country expertise in specific laws and regulations. That alone is challenging enough, but what separates the good from the great is a team of HR professionals who understands the cultural elements impacting an individual’s experience working in a different country.
One of those great professionals is Erika Velika, Human Resources Manager responsible for the United Kingdom and Ireland. Erika has been working in HR for global organizations for over 10 years. She has the experience and skill set to ensure all of her employees are taken care of.
Although employer of record (EOR) was a relatively new concept for Erika, her enthusiasm for Velocity Global’s mission to make opportunity borderless for people everywhere was instantaneous. She quickly realized the impact her work had on professionals gaining access to opportunities all over the world—literally!
“My former manager asked if I would be interested in applying for a human resources job at this AMAZING company,” Erika says. “That was the first time I have heard of Velocity Global and employer of record. After connecting with multiple team members during my interview process, I was sold on the vision to help other companies build their teams anywhere and without limits.”
In her role, Erika provides a customer-first approach to guarantee effective and compliant management of the entire supported employee lifecycle, from recruitment to termination. An EOR is the legal employer of a company’s workforce that handles all HR-related tasks, including locality-specific onboarding, payroll, taxes, and benefits administration. While the company maintains a similar relationship with its workforce for day-to-day management, Erika’s expertise ensures the global employment process runs smoothly.
What Convinced Erika Velocity Global Is “The Place to Be”
When Erika was considering her next opportunity, she was drawn to the opportunity at Velocity Global to work with customers, supported employees, and colleagues from all around the world. Erika was craving an experience that was both unique and challenging, so it is no surprise that a startup company that hires individuals all over the globe caught her attention.
“In my opinion, this global exposure allows HR professionals to gain valuable experience in managing and supporting diverse workforces, understanding different labor laws and regulations, and enhancing their cultural competency,” Erika says. “Throughout my journey with Velocity Global, I have had the chance to make a significant impact on both the company and its customers through navigating these complex HR challenges. The opportunity to deliver value and see the tangible results makes Velocity Global an exciting and rewarding place to work.”
Erika came from a corporate environment where her HR role involved more enforcement, inspiring her to pursue an opportunity to work as a strategic partner. She enjoys the collaborative process across teams and clients.
Driven to Improve the Unique Experience of Every Supported Employee
EOR partners serve their customers by providing an unmatched understanding of compliance and expertise on in-country laws and regulations. Erika strongly believes there is an opportunity to improve every supported employee’s experience by going above and beyond in communication and attention to detail, as no two experiences are the exact same.
Her proactive approach to updating policies, resources, and documents and streamlining processes proves her commitment to creating a positive experience for her customers. Maintaining up-to-date knowledge of employment legislation for the U.K. and Ireland, Erika ensures decisions, advice, and actions taken on behalf of her customers are compliant and in line with best practices.
“It is important to work in tandem with our customers and help them to navigate in countries they may not have had exposure to before, as this is the core service of our business,” says Erika. “I often liaise with key decision-makers from organizations of all shapes and sizes, far beyond offer letters and notices of termination. Our customers greatly value the assistance we provide in managing their workforce.”
A Day in the Life of Erika
Erika begins her morning by setting an intention to help align her actions with her values, stay focused on her priorities, and get excited for her day to unfold. Currently, she is incorporating a gratitude practice into her daily routine with the goal of making it a regular occurrence.
She firmly believes practicing gratitude is essential, and recent positive psychology research agrees with her! Gratitude is strongly and consistently linked to greater happiness. It helps people feel more positive emotions, enjoy more experiences, improve their overall health and well-being, face adversity, and build strong relationships.
After enjoying a cup of coffee while cuddling with her cat, Erika starts working with her team on day-to-day HR operations, including ongoing projects and collaborations on challenging cases. She is constantly problem-solving for the supported employees of Velocity Global to improve their experience, making it more efficient and seamless.
Erika embraces the complexity that goes into working for an EOR and doesn’t say no to a challenge—so much so that one of her colleagues thinks she should write a book titled “Diaries of an EOR HR Manager” to share all the tips and tricks that have helped her throughout her successful career.
When Erika isn’t working, she loves to travel. One of her favorite destinations was Cuba, which is featured in the photo above. In addition to its pristine beaches and historic architecture, Erika loved the vibrant and diverse culture and will always remember how friendly and welcoming the Cubans were when she visited.
Erika’s Advice to New Leaders
Erika has fully embraced the value that managing change and making mistakes has on becoming an expert in your field, and she encourages other leaders to do the same. Every expert at anything was once a beginner, and Erika advises that to get more skills under your belt, one must be willing to step into something new.
Furthermore, no matter what kind of day you are having or who you are working with, always be nice. Collaborating with others is a key component to not just a job in HR but every job. Kindness shown to those around you supports the well-being of everyone and the success of the company as a whole.
“Being nice to everyone costs nothing to me, even toward difficult people. I am proud of being diplomatic and having a strong sense of responsibility. When everyone owns a sense of responsibility, everyone wins!”
Open Remote Operations Roles at Velocity Global
To join Erika, and the rest of the Velocity Global team, check out our open positions.
