By Business & Finance 
Pictured: Jim O’Dea, Vice President of Operations, Workhuman
Jim O’Dea, VP of Operations at Workhuman, takes the Business & Finance 60-second interview.
What was your first job? I started working as a manufacturing engineer after completing a degree in engineering. After a few years I realised that a full-time career in engineering wasn’t for me and I started to look for alternatives. What would you regard as your greatest achievement to date? I have always liked to work for companies where I can feel I am making an active contribution toward the growth and success of that company. I am incredibly lucky to be doing so at Workhuman, where we have a workplace full of positivity and employees can do their best work. In three words or fewer, how do you define success? Make Work Human. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given? I think the best advice I was ever given was to acknowledge your own personal weaknesses and recruit people who can fill those voids. At times in my career I have been frustrated at not being an expert across the board, but I have come to appreciate the value in hiring a diverse team who are experts in varied fields. What’s your motto? We can always do better! How do you relax? Nothing like a good walk on the beach with my headphones on, irrespective of the weather. If you could step into the shoes of one business person for a day, who would it be? There are many people I admire in business but if I had to pick one it would probably be Sir Richard Branson. He overcame many challenges early on in his career, but he always kept the customer at the centre of everything he did and ensured they had a world class experience. He also has an ability to inspire all those who work with him. How do you motivate yourself and your team? I love working with people and I have found that giving employees continuous feedback and recognition leads to instant gratification. Giving people recognition is very rewarding for me and those who feel gratified in their role are typically happier, more productive and ultimately more successful. This all feeds into a healthy workplace culture which Workhuman is famous for – as demonstrated by our multiple Great Place to Work award wins. What are your aspirations for the future of your business? We have enjoyed great success to date, and I hope to help Workhuman continue to grow and prosper. Our people are the power behind Workhuman. My aim for the future is to continue to hire the best and create an unrivalled workplace experience and culture for our people.
