Employee relations generalist | H&M HENNES & MAURITZ
Paulina Gabriela Ramírez Peralvillo
Employee relations generalist | H&M HENNES & MAURITZ
Can you tell us about your journey to becoming an in-house counsel? What inspired you to pursue a career in this field?
I was inspired as I would the opportunity to actively participate in building a fairer workplace, clearly establishing the rules of coexistence among employees, ultimately ensuring improved performance, all while adhering to the corporate culture and legal framework. The path to becoming in-house counsel involves education, experience, specialisation, networking, and continuous development. The combination of solid legal knowledge and a deep understanding of the company’s business objectives is essential for success.
In your role as an in-house counsel, what are the main responsibilities and tasks you handle on a day-to-day basis?
In my day-to-day I am responsible for ensuring that the company, and its policies, are in compliance with federal, state, and municipal law in Mexico. I advise and accompany the Human Resources team in matters related to contracts and employee discipline. Furthermore, I collaborate with the area team and the security department on investigations related to ethical issues.
As the employee relations generalist, it is also my duty to ensure that our employee well-being is protected and prioritised. As such, my other responsibilities include the execution and follow-up of the workplace climate survey as well as the execution, planning, and follow up of NOM-35 work plans.
What are some of the key challenges you have faced as a rising star in-house counsel, and how have you overcome them?
It has been a great challenge as the legal system has changed rapidly and profoundly in recent years regarding labour matters. On the other hand, the current digital transition demands that we perform internal and external analyses to identify areas for improvement so we may increase our efficiency and productivity. In this way, we proactively work to prevent and mitigate potential issues, thus ensuring a safe space for our employees and safeguarding the company’s interests before any regulatory authority requirements arise.
What steps have you taken to enhance your professional development and expand your legal skill set?
Mainly to build a strong professional network in the legal field. Attending conferences as well as networking activities has allowed me to meet other professionals with whom I am able to share best practices and acquired experiences.