Moe’s Home Collection has announced that Karla Kochan has been named their first Vice President of People & Culture. With over 16 years in People & Culture/Human Resources, Karla has proven to be a caring leader driven by her values. Known for her thoughtfulness, determination & resilience, Karla is uniquely qualified to drive efficiency, build culture & optimize Diversity, Equity & Inclusion initiatives across a broad range of P&C services.
As a key leadership team member & head of MHC’s Community Engagement Committee, Karla plans to implement P&C policies & programs while managing all aspects of employee relations, management, acquisitions & advancement, as well as play a leading role in local charitable avenues for the company’s substantial donation budget. In addition, she will focus on shaping a high-performance company culture with DEI initiatives that champion the welfare of all employees to effectively uphold the mission, vision, standards & corporate objectives of Moe’s Home Collection.
This critical leadership role comes at a pivotal time in which the needs of a post-pandemic workforce must be addressed. Across all industries, current, new & potential team members are now dealing with depression, burnout & waning feelings of social connection. While unprecedented turnover & labor shortages generate urgency, the company sees it as an opportunity to build upon a new normal.
“Since the very beginning, Moe’s Home has invested in our most crucial asset—our people. The pandemic has given us the momentum to reimagine what this means as Karla’s exceptional experience & expertise come at an incredibly pivotal time,” says MHC Co-CEO Sara Samieian. “We are excited to grow & strengthen our company culture to further align with our values & affect positive change. We welcome Karla to the company & look forward to her guidance through this new phase. She will be instrumental in shaping how we lead, how we operate & how we promote an environment of inclusion, diversity & engagement.”
Karla Kochan comes to MHC with a sound record of success in P&C/HR, cultivating performance & transforming culture. With a background also in journalism, Karla approaches her role with openness, inquisitiveness & fairness, making each strategic decision with kindness, compassion & understanding. Specializing in people strategy & HR remodeling, as evidenced by her previous role as Chief People Officer, she has successfully created & implemented a DEI strategy & formed a DEI council that was ultimately staff run, bringing inclusion to the forefront of organizations.
Karla also spearheaded a mental health strategy that began to normalize the conversation. She saw small group training with clients as imperative because she wanted to address the exceedingly high suicide rates within the industry. Karla points to a 2018 report by the medical journal The Lancet that estimates that the global mental health crisis will cost $16 trillion by 2030. “Mental health & wellness is a huge personal passion of mine & I hope to bring a higher level of awareness through strategies with a holistic perspective. Emotional intelligence & leading with empathy has completely changed the leadership landscape. It is important to recognize how emotions factor into productivity, performance & innovation. I’m eager to empower our team to achieve our goals as we celebrate our true, authentic selves.”
In this way, Karla is particularly adept at identifying the needs of the employees in any given sector & pinpointing what is missing from an organization. Her relentless pursuit of continuous improvement allows her to find efficiencies predicated on the quality of the work being done, often asking how this is beneficial to the person & the company.
“I believe that each person can make a difference & have a positive impact while feeling valued. I also believe that a thriving workforce is one that learns from each other. Moe’s has such a great culture & family history already,” says the new VP of People & Culture. “So, let’s build on that & ask ourselves, ‘what are we contributing as human beings beyond our work? What is it that we as an organization can offer to our people that they can apply to their everyday lives?’”
The new VP of P&C comes at a time of high growth & a foreseeable positive trajectory in which scalability, cohesion & support will be paramount. In Karla Kochan, Moe’s Home Collection has found a VP of People & culture who will implement practices that bolster its principles & goals. The company is confident that Karla will revitalize its employment branding & enrich its culture by fostering futureproof initiatives that elevate diversity, equity & inclusion for many years to come.
