Christiana Papailia
A short interview with
Christiana Papailia
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Ι am working in CORE Group the last 3 years as an HR Generalist.
In Core Group we have cultivated a culture of fairness, transparency and inclusion. Through my job position, I am dedicated to creating a workplace where every employee feels supported, valued and empowered to reach their fullest potential. More than that, I provide guidance and support on employee relations and performance development, ensuring that each individual has access to the resources he needs.
A core part of my professional mission is advocating for gender equality. Drawing on my experience as volunteer member of WAGGGS (World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts) in the Europe Region some years ago– an organization deeply committed to empowering girls and women through various programmes and advocacy campaigns- I bring strong values-driven perspective to my HR job.
Working in a company that already supports inclusive policies, practices and a supportive culture, my role focuses on further strengthening and sustaining this positive environment, across daily operations. My aim is to ensure that diversity remains a core value and that all employees -regardless of gender- continue to feel empowered, respected and fully supported in their professional life.
Can you tell us about your professional journey and how you got started in this field?
I started working several years ago.
In my first job in a Consulting company I undertook the first HR tasks and combining with the fact that I always liked the communication with people, I felt that doing a job that is human oriented will be the field of my interest.
So, I started my Master’s degree in “Human Resources Management” and continued working in different positions, always with HR functions.
Along the way, there were times that I met difficulties in my career path, for example due to high unemployment rate in some years, which finding the right position was much more difficult.
Now, thankfully, I am here in CORE Group, in my 3rd year, in a working environment that empowers people to feel valued. I like my field, and I'm still developing, as I believe that everyone has potential that can be further improved.
Have you ever doubted your abilities and why?
Yes, it has crossed my mind, not necessarily because something went wrong, but more possibly from the aspect of the human need to become better. So, yes, there have been times when I have wondered: "Did you do this correctly?" or "Should I have done something else or different?". I am a bit of perfectionist, so, I always try to evaluate myself to become better.
Did you ever have the impression gender was an important factor on a raise, promotion, or key assignment?
The truth is no, I have not felt any discrimination related to my gender, even though I have generally heard about it from friends, in other working environments.
During your career, have you ever been mentored?
Yes, I did. My manager (woman) in my first job, who was responsible for the HR functions and had also studied the same Master. So, it was a very good starting point for me to begin in this field. Later on, there were other people, in the same or in similar field to mine, but we did not work for the same employer. They gave me some significant advice to move forward.
If you could give some advice to your younger self or other girls, what would that be?
To believe in themselves, to see how they can overcome difficulties, to have self-confidence, and to seek help or advice. In today's world, there is a lot of help available, either from online seminars, or from other resources. Moreover, people are sharing their knowledge more easily. There are many resources to refresh your knowledge. They should strive for their dreams, not give up, and certainly not feel that just because they are women, they won't succeed. If they encounter such an obstacle, they should definitely fight against it. Hopefully, a lot of big steps have been made towards gender equality and inclusion, but there are still cases and space for improvement.
