Meet Zalaikha, our Resource Manager for the North

What has been your biggest achievement at work in the last year?

Securing the resource manager role after such a short time at HQC. I often get imposter syndrome, but when I look back, I’m quite proud of myself for having already progressed in such a new industry and environment. The resource team just keep growing stronger and I’m super grateful to be achieving such great things with the amazing people I work with. Big shoutout to Beth (our Resource Manager for the South)!

Do you have any comments about being a woman working in a male-dominated industry?

In my previous role in logistics, I managed a team of 40 people. They were all male. This in itself presented challenges as there were certain mindsets I had to battle on a daily basis, particularly  as someone quite young for a role in management. I became very aware of my own mannerisms and behaviour, often toning down certain personality traits to feel respected within that environment.

Additionally, as the only female within the leadership team, I often landed myself in more of the HR side of management. I think this came as a result of the imposter syndrome I was feeling, and as a result of what I assumed others expected of me as a woman. Slowly but surely, I learned that this wasn’t the case, and was massively empowered by my team. It really didn’t matter who I was or how I presented myself – I had earned the job in my own right and had the tools to perform. Realising this made me feel more confident to get involved in the more operational and technical side, which I massively enjoyed, and I even stopped fighting the urge to sing Abba to myself whilst replenishing pallets. I will always be thankful for this job and for the confidence the experience afforded me.

In my current position at HQC, I work with a lot of amazing women in the office. Most of our on-site staff are male, and over the last eight months I have built some great relationships with them and learned a great deal from them.

Which woman is your biggest inspiration in life?

This is probably quite a common answer, but my sister. As people with sisters understand, she’s my best friend and also the bane of my life…! My sister has always worked extremely hard and has achieved some amazing things. The way in which she’s managed to achieve her success with her driven mindset is something I’ve always looked up to. I specifically felt very inspired by her when she qualified as a doctor in 2020 and worked throughout Covid.

I also want to give a special mention to my teammate Rachael – she inspires me constantly with what she achieves in terms of work and her career, but also with the kind of mum she is to her little girl. She really does do it all!