HR leader profile: Cheryl Skiba of Nutrien

Like many industries, Nutrien is challenged by attracting and retaining employees.

But what’s unique about the agriculture industry is the fact that the retail group is dispersed into small communities that are often located far from major urban centres, says Cheryl Skiba, director of human resources, global retail operations, at Nutrien — the largest producer of potash and the third largest producer of nitrogen fertilizer in the world.

“A lot of the candidates want to be in or near a major center, for whatever reasons that they have. So, drawing them to the small, rural communities is a major challenge for us,” she says.

“But, on the flip side of that, as Nutrien, we need to show up in these communities, support the communities, build our brand in those communities, and you know that old saying.... ‘Build it and they shall come.’ And I think that's something that we always have to be mindful of.”

The other side of the recruitment and attraction piece is finding a way to make job candidates aware of the great opportunities in agriculture, says Skiba, who is based in Regina.

“If you were born in the city [and] don't have a tie to the rural communities, sometimes you don't understand the opportunities that the ag industry can provide… and the feel-good nature of the global impact the ag industry has on feeding the world — we're all responsible for that, in the ag industry, so it is an exciting environment but it's showing those folks the opportunity in our small communities.”

Plus, there’s the seasonable aspect of the agricultural industry, she says, which creates both opportunities and challenges.

Law, finance lead to HR leadership

Skiba is more than familiar with opportunities and challenges, having worked in human resources for 20 years.

Originally, she says she tried to follow the paths of her mother and sister, working in law firms and then finance in the manufacturing sector.

As a default, HR was thrown onto her list of responsibilities, says Skiba.

“And then I shifted out of finance and I proved to that organization the benefit of a strong HR strategy and structure and what that provides to an organization.”

Married with children, Skiba went back to school to study HR — and says she has never looked back.

“I have absolutely loved this field. It [has been] challenging… but also immensely rewarding. And I’m grateful for the opportunities I was given — in an organization [where] HR was just on the side of your desk — to be able to find a long-term career in the HR group.”

And that background in finance and law has helped when it comes to human resources leadership, says Skiba.

“HR is definitely about people but when you look at the data-driven components behind HR, it removes a lot of emotion when you're trying to make some of those tough decisions,” she says.

“So, from a financial perspective, I can inherently attach to the business strategies and the business initiatives because I understand that financial impact; and from a legal perspective, it really sets me on a solid footing. I mean, I sat in all the other wrongful dismissal cases on those sides as well — so, I've gotten to see those on both sides of the coin.”

Skiba’s experience in HR has included three years at Brandt Engineering Products, followed by three years at agricultural company Viterra.

And in September 2013, she joined Nutrien as senior manager of human resources for the Canada region, where she progressed to assume her current role in December 2022.

Skiba oversees a dynamic team that supports 1,100 Nutrien employees focusing on global solutions and capabilities in supply chain, manufacturing, proprietary product brands, procurement, and corporate customer strategy. Her team's efforts span multiple regions, including North America, LATAM, EMEA and APAC.

Overall, Nutrien has 26,000 employees across the globe.

Global opportunities highlight of career

When it comes to personal accomplishments, one of the highlights for Skiba has been the global opportunities she has been given.

“Being able to work with the various international teams, learning their cultures, gaining those insights, and perspectives of their various needs and dynamics… in those countries, their perspectives and practices that we've had to implement into their workplace… has really set me up in my environment for today, where we're entering into countries that we haven't done business in before.”

Those opportunities have involved finding those niche markets for Nutrien and placing people in countries where the company has not existed before, she says.

“I'm very, very appreciative that I've got to experience and the ability to continue to grow in that area. Working in a global role doesn't happen often in one's career, but when you get to work in it, it's really a special space.”

 In handling HR for global operations, Skiba is providing support to the retail field.

“We provide the procurement supply chain and the underlying support system in those areas.”

‘Culture of care’ takes hold at Nutrien

A further highlight for Skiba? Prioritizing mental wellness in a male-dominated industry, she says.

“I have been able to break down some of those barriers, and… helping leaders and employees prioritize their mental wellness and wellbeing in this organization has been very key and a moment that I take a lot of pride in, because there was a fundamental shift in how we looked at this.”

That focus on wellness aligns with Nutrien’s overall focus on a “Culture of Care,” a program that’s “near and dear” to Skiba.

“This goes across our organization — this just simply isn't an HR initiative, but HR supports it.”

The Culture of Care empowers all employees to lead, collaborate, challenge and trust as it relates to their physical and emotional wellbeing at the organization, she says.

“It is simple to understand, it's simple to communicate, and all employees own this. So, a Culture of Care to take care of others. And... you don't need to be a people leader just to lead this through — our expectation is that you lead on this as perhaps an individual contributor.

“So, I think that helps us integrate a lot of our programs and our culture into those smaller locations.”