'The museum sector has all kinds of opportunities from a people practice perspective'

For Manuelita Cherizard, the decision to pursue a leadership role in HR was driven by her innate curiosity and love for business. A career in HR provided the perfect blend of opportunities to engage with both people and business strategy.

"I found that HR was always involved in all aspects of a business. So, because there's a lot of support for the people, and the people are part of the business, it meant that there was exposure to a number of different areas,” says the CHRO at the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) in Toronto.

“And I was very interested in that. I'm someone who's very curious, who likes to learn, who loves business. So, the ability to combine all of that in a career was of interest to me.”

Cherizard thrives on learning and understanding the intricate levers and objectives that drive organizations, which “always have a people impact,” she says.

HR’s expansive role in strategy

While Cherizard knew that HR would provide insight into various facets of the business, the extent of its strategic influence exceeded her expectations.

“It's been… more than I expected, because I've had so many opportunities to participate in business strategies and planning and building people strategies and contributing to organizational objectives,” she says.

Cherizard’s background includes HR leadership roles at the CBC, Toronto French School and Groupe Média.

Her experience spans various industries and project types, from talent management and succession planning to global recognition events and complex organizational transformations.

“It’s really given me that wide portfolio of ideas and potential solutions that I can adapt and implement in different places,” she says.

Building trusted relationships with leadership

One of the hallmarks of Cherizard’s career is the relationships she has built with senior leadership teams. She has worked closely with several CEOs, becoming a trusted advisor on not only people-related challenges but also business and personal matters.

“That’s been something that I’ve been very, very grateful for,” she says.

Her ability to work on large-scale, cross-functional projects — such as acquisitions, outsourcing, and insourcing initiatives — has further demonstrated her strategic value. These projects have required her to collaborate with both internal teams and external partners, a challenge Cherizard finds particularly rewarding.

“Those are the types of projects that have an impact across the organization, that are complex, and where I’ve worked with cross-functional teams,” she says.

ROM: ‘A cultural icon’

Taking on the CHRO role at the ROM in early 2021 was a natural next step for Cherizard, given her desire to work for mission-driven organizations – especially one as beloved as this employer.

“ROM is a cultural icon — I mean, top museum in Canada, top 10 in North America.”

The museum opened in 1914 and is home to a collection of 18 million artworks, cultural objects and natural history specimens, featured in 40 gallery and exhibition spaces.

Cherizard was also sold on the “huge opportunity” to advance the people agenda.

“The museum sector has all kinds of opportunities from a people practice perspective… and ROM is undergoing a transformation.”

“We've got a strategic direction that is really focused on becoming a center, a community hub, an open and inclusive environment where people feel that they can come and see themselves reflected, but also discover. So, the opportunity to contribute to that transformation was also a very strong attraction.”

Leading HR to foster engagement, drive culture change

Cherizard has long focused on employee engagement and sees it as a critical element of organizational success. Having worked with engagement surveys for over 25 years, she understands the importance of digging into the data.

“The engagement survey is a snapshot at a point in time of what's going on for the employee, how they're feeling at a point in time... and it is critical that that tool and the data that is provided through that tool be used in various ways,” she says.

For Cherizard, engagement is about more than just gathering feedback; it’s about involving employees in shaping the organization’s response to that feedback.

“What are some actions that we can take that are short, medium, long term? How can all of us contribute to moving the needle, if it's an area that is [deemed] as needing improvement?”

Then it’s about communicating back to everyone about the findings, and actions being taken “to help all of us have a better employee experience,” she says.

And finally, it’s critical to check back later and assess the trends, says Cherizard: “What are the things that have gotten better over time? What are the things where there still needs to be improvement?”

Prioritizing DEI amid polarization

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) remain top priorities for Cherizard, particularly as ROM seeks to reflect the communities it serves. While the conversation around DEI has evolved differently in Canada compared to the U.S. — which has a “whole different mindset,” she says — Cherizard is unwavering in her commitment to the cause.

“From a ROM perspective, this is a priority. We see DEI as being key to our success,” she says.

Cherizard also recognizes the issue of polarization.

“We’re not immune to that. World events are having an impact inside organizations, and even more so when we think about the GTA and our diverse population, our diverse employee population – everybody’s got someone involved or is impacted in a different way by a lot of the world events. So that’s a big challenge for HR.”

This focus on DEI is central to ROM’s broader strategic direction, which includes positioning the museum as both an inspiring place to work and a welcoming space for visitors. Cherizard is keenly aware of the need for ROM’s workforce to embody the diversity of its audience.

“We want to reflect our community, the communities that we serve,” she says.

Supporting employees with wellness

In the wake of the pandemic and with ongoing economic challenges, employee wellness, especially around mental health, has emerged as a major priority at the museum, according to Cherizard.

“Employee wellness, since COVID, has come to the forefront. It’s become something that’s very important, timely, and critical — especially around mental health.”

“There's a lot of uncertainty, so supporting organizations through that is a big challenge for HR, and supporting employees themselves during these challenging times.”

People are dealing with the issues of economy uncertainty, a high cost of living and affordability, she says.

“Employees will come and ask for support in various ways. So, it's important to be able to provide tools, information, education, support to managers and employees as they're dealing with all of those things.”

Some of the benefits offered by the ROM include: an Employee Assistance Program with medical, dental and vision benefits; a pension plan; a health spending account; three weeks of vacation entitlement; fitness facility discounts; and free entry to the museum.

Balancing HR leadership with community spirit

Despite her demanding role, Cherizard remains dedicated to non-paying work.

“Volunteering has always been something that is a priority for me,” she says, explaining how she manages to balance her HR leadership role with her commitment to giving back.

By scheduling activities in the evenings and on weekends and receiving support from both her family and her workplace, Cherizard is able to continue making a difference in her community.

And she hopes to do the same with the ROM.

“We're looking to play a more central role in the community,” she says. “If we're looking to engage visitors in ways that are relevant to their own experience, that will definitely have people impacts, it means that we must ensure that our employees are equipped with the skills, with the knowledge, to be able to help the organization deliver on that.”