Thrive Impulse HR Consultancy is a pioneering business organization that was setup with a unique mission to deliver world-class HR Solutions and Strategic Coaching Programs to unlock the full potential of people and match their global talents with market opportunities. To cater to the varied requirements of their clients, the company has also created a diversified portfolio of services under different brackets. The first one is HR Solutions under which the firm offers HR management and consultancy services, psychometric assessments, change management, succession planning, learning development, career exploration and development services, HR recruitment services and HR outsourcing such as payroll. The second vertical for Thrive Impulse is coaching services where they focus on women empowerment and the importance of diversity in a workplace.

Other than that, the company also offer Mentoring, Workshops, Webinars and Speciality Services like NLP, NLP Coaching, Hypnotherapy and Time-Line Therapy.

Nasreen Bashraheel is the Founder and Executive Coach at Thrive Impulse HR Consultancy and her domain expertise and business acumen have helped the firm to break new business frontiers and strive for greatness in the corporate realm.

In an exclusive interview with Women Entrepreneur, Nasreen talks more about her professional journey and the unique business operations of Thrive Impulse.

Can You Talk More About Your Educational And Professional Background?

I am a Master’s holder in Human Resources Management from Middlesex University, UK and I believe in continuous learning throughout by academic and professional life. So, I have constantly developed techniques and methods related to my field of work in order to be a better professional.

I am a Certified Business Psychologist from The Association of Business Psychology, UK, a Chartered Member of the CIPD, Certified ACC & PCC .

Coach from ICF (International Coaching Federation) and Team Coaching Foundation Certified Coach from the Global Team Teaching Institute. I am also a Licensed MBTI Step I & II practitioner, a Certified NLP practitioner, Certified and Registered Hypnotherapist, EMCC accredited Coach and Practitioner and CACHE Level 2 Practitioner in Introducing Caring for Children and Young People. Apart from all this, I am a Licensed User and Trainer for The Mental Toughness Assessment as well and to put the cherry on top, distributing and promoting the Resilient Hedgehog Books and Resources in MENA region which educates parents, teachers on the importance of Mental Toughness and helping parents with the development of very young children.

I have worked in different industries over the years starting starting from Banking, FMCG, Real Estate and HR Consultancies. I have expertise on the different facets of a business such as Marketing Communication, Finance and Accounting as well. And I can confidently say that all my prior experience helps me to bring unique value propositions for our clients

Can You Talk More About Your Life Beyond Profession And How That Journey Has Been?

I am a French/Yemeni, I was born in Dubai in the late 70s. As a child I was interested in fun adventures, gardening and sports. Growing up in a happy environment with lots of diversity around me which led me to have an open mindset, creativity and curiosity. I was always admiring my father who was a role model to me and always gave me the confidence to make my own decisions and believe that I was always enough. I come from a very large Yemeni family which society believes a woman plays a big role in the family. I had the privilege of studying in good schools & universities, however I never really enjoyed school due to the fact that I just wanted to play with my younger sister Riham, in our neighbourhood. I have started to explore my passions and interests when I started my career, I was working in different fields while I was studying and I found myself in love with the world of understanding human behaviour. I have had the support from my elder sister Reem who stood beside me to encourage me in pursuing my studies which I would always be grateful for.

Gradually, I have shifted my career and focused on how to become an HR Expert with the help of my academics and career advisor. I have taken up lots of challenges in my life which made me realise success is only in my hands. I truly believe no one can take your knowledge away from you. I can describe my life as a roller coaster, where the most important thing is to always remember that 'the sky's the limit'.

Today, I have a beautiful daughter Marianne who is 4 years old, a future French champion in Rhythmic Gymnastics, I am trying to learn how to be her best friend, listen to her and understand her. As a Mental Toughness Practitioner, I encourage all parents to learn about Mental Toughness and how useful it is for the development of their children. We have beautiful books that teach parents and children about Mental Toughness through short stories, to illustrate important ideas such as resilience, dealing with setbacks and being positive.

Impulse? Also, How Are You Looking At The Changing HR Landscape?

We are one of the fastest growing HR consultancy firms in the MENA region. We work alongside our clients going beyond their expectations through the quality of our services. We offer an array of innovative HR tools for companies of all sizes and help them manage their people more efficiently. We help our clients to get the best possible HR solutions to take the company forward as well. Apart from HR solutions, we also offer Coaching Services to our clients.

As an HR leader, I believe that I should have a unique balance of empathy, curiosity, passion, courage, connection, technical know-how, business acumen, and legal knowledge. For me, people are the primary facet to make key changes in the workplace and to make these changes, I also need to have knowledge regarding current and future business challenges. Therefore, I encourage team coaching which is one of our services where we will look at the wider system, the stakeholders and try to understand the organizations’expectations.

"My guiding philosophy is to be curious and turn that curiosity into self-improvement. The only limits in your life are those that you set for yourself"

As an HR professional, I have constantly been stressing on collaborative working which includes building shared understanding and purpose. For me, transparency is yet another important facet to our operations and apart from open communication I also help our clients by guiding their employees to share their expertise with one another much more efficiently. I believe that HR experts should consider the implications of hybrid working on work-life balance and its potential to increase connection between global teams through virtual working.

According To You, What Are The Major Factors Behind The Success Of Thrive Impulse?

The quality of our services and the experience of our team have been cornerstones of our success. We use a regular feedback system to analyze where we  stand, what are our strengths and which all are the areas that we need to improve on. This regular assessment allows us to strive for consistent improvement which is crucial if you want to strive for sustained success in the industry. I also believe that the ‘one-size fits all’ approach is not an effective way to offer HR solutions for our clients. To avoid this, we first listen to the issues as well as requirements of our clients. Then, we formulate custom solutions that will offer our clients the best results on a consistent basis.

According To You, What Are The Major Milestones In Your Professional Career?

My entire professional journey has been a learning curve for me and the overall experience I had working on different functions and different industries have helped me to have a holistic view on the industry. It has helped me to understand the importance of collaboration and that is what I intend to do by bringing people together. The opportunity I had to work under and alongside great professional and mentors is something that I take great pride in. And this experience has helped me to be not just a better HR professional but also a better business leader.

What Trends Do You Foresee Developing In The Global Human Resource Industry Going Forward?

Talent marketplaces & Talent allocations, one of the biggest lesson learned from the pandemic is the fact that companies can no longer solely rely on buying their talent externally. Instead, the tight labor market has forced them to make better use of the talent they already have internally. Workplace diversity, equity and inclusion stays at the forefront, 2022 HR trends  focus on elevating workplace diversity and to adopt an inclusive company culture. It’s becoming an essential piece to an attractive employee experience. Workforce diversity, equity, and inclusion are essential to any company culture that wants to thrive in the next economy. Not only because it empowers employees to proudly bring their life experiences to the workplace. It also makes businesses more competitive in the MENA labor market. In 2022 and beyond, workplace diversity will continue to play a critical role in retaining valuable talent.

"I believe that the ‘one-size fits all’ approach is not an effective way to offer hr solutions for our clients"

The digital transformation also plays a key part in bringing diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies to life for HR professionals. With mobile tools and technology, businesses can give their employees the platform they need to tell their stories & listen to their voices. Expanding the use of big data in HR has been on the rise for quite some time. Especially given the digital transformation seeping its way across all aspects of human resources. With businesses doing more with less in the talent arena, people analytics is getting the spotlight it deserves. However, HR professionals need tools and education at their fingertips to make data-driven decisions that make a positive impact.

As A Seasoned Industry Veteran, What Would Be Your Advice To The Coming Generation Of Women Entrepreneurs?

My guiding philosophy is to be curious and turn that curiosity into self-improvement. That is what I want to tell to the young generation as well. Apart from that, make sure that you are present and enjoy the now. Also, don’t compare yourself with others, we are all different with our own unique strengths and weaknesses. Follow your passion and stick to your strengths like many other pioneering women have done previously. With that said, make sure that you work on your weaknesses and develop at the same time. Find time to participate in mentoring or coaching sessions. This will help you to be a better professional and identify your true potential. More importantly, celebrate your success and don’t let the losses take you down.

Nasreen Bashraheel, Founder And Executive Coach

She is a pioneering business professional that advocates the importance of collaborative working. As a passionate learner, she strives to ensure that both her and her team are learning and reinventing themselves constantly.