American Express Company

08/15/2022 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 08/15/2022 11:11

Human Resource Executive: Colleague Experience is Close to Monique Herena’s Heart – and at Center of American Express’ Strategy

Photo: Courtesy of American Express

"There have been many times I had leaders who took a chance on me, based on my business and leadership results, and even though I didn't feel 100% ready, I pushed myself out of my comfort zone," American Express' Chief Colleague Experience Officer, Monique Herena shared in a recent interview with Human Resource Executive. "Those were the times I experienced the most learning and growth-and was able to deliver with my teams."

The wide-ranging interview touched on the career path Monique would have taken if she hadn't pursued HR, her biggest influences and how Amex focuses on making the colleague experience great every day.

After earning a master's degree more than 25 years ago, Monique "stumbled" into HR. "There was no going back," she said, once she got her feet wet in the field. She later went on to pursue a second master's degree while taking on HR leadership roles across companies such as Quaker Oats, Honeywell, PepsiCo and BNY Mellon.

On her career path not taken: If she hadn't pursued a career in HR, Monique said, "I would have been a teacher or a professor. Many of my family members were teachers or entrepreneurs and they worked really hard every day." Through her family, she learned "the value of hard work and bringing out the best in others."

On her biggest influences inside and outside of work: Monique credits her family for being the biggest influence in her life: "My husband and three children-we are a team. The decisions I've made and the risks I've taken in my career and life have all been decided as a family."

On driving the colleague experience: Monique touched on her role and how her team focuses on driving deeper connections with colleagues to understand and improve their experience. She said, "We pride ourselves on offering a compelling colleague value proposition that includes meaningful work and many opportunities to grow throughout their career, a flexible and inclusive culture with a strong sense of belonging, and competitive pay and benefits to support their holistic wellbeing-their mental, physical and financial health. At its core, our value proposition places our colleagues at the center of everything we do."

To read Monique's full interview on Human Resource Executive, visit here.