International HR Day is an opportunity to recognize the people who help shape the everyday experience behind every successful company. Their work is often quiet but deeply important, building trust, supporting growth, improving communication, and helping teams stay connected as companies evolve.
At Galeyo, that work is led by Nina Hasanbegović, Head of Human Potential & Employer Branding, and Irina Ćatović, Human Potential Specialist. Through their dedication, empathy, and strategic approach, they help create an environment where people feel supported, heard, and motivated to grow. Their work goes far beyond processes and policies. It shapes culture, strengthens collaboration, and helps teams do their best work together.
To mark International HR Day, we asked them a few questions about leadership, culture, collaboration, and what employees truly value in modern workplaces.
Here is the conversation.
- Nina Hasanbegović
Good leadership is not defined only by authority or results, but by the ability to inspire, support, and develop people. From an HR perspective, effective leaders create an environment where employees feel valued, motivated, and empowered to perform at their best.
Strong leadership is built on clear communication, trust, accountability, and the ability to make decisions with both business goals and employee wellbeing in mind. Great leaders listen actively, provide constructive feedback, and encourage collaboration across teams. They are adaptable in times of change and lead by example through professionalism, integrity, and consistency.
In today’s workplace, good leadership also means recognizing the importance of emotional intelligence, inclusion, and continuous learning. Employees are more engaged and productive when they feel supported by leaders who genuinely care about their growth and success. Ultimately, strong leadership creates a positive culture that drives both organizational performance and long-term employee satisfaction.
- Irina Ćatović
People stay in a company today when the overall work experience feels meaningful, supportive, and sustainable, not just well-paid.
Beyond salary and benefits, employees are more likely to remain where they feel their work has purpose and aligns with their values, where they have opportunities to grow and develop new skills, and where managers are supportive, fair, and communicative. Flexibility and autonomy also play a major role, as people value having control over how and when they work.
A positive workplace culture is equally important, including psychological safety, inclusion, and a low level of toxicity.
Regular recognition and constructive feedback help employees feel valued, while a healthy work-life balance ensures they are not overwhelmed or burned out. Additionally, having opportunities for internal mobility, whether through lateral moves or new challenges, keeps employees engaged.
People stay where they feel valued, respected, and able to grow, not just where they are paid well.
- Nina Hasanbegović
Human Resources in tech companies has evolved significantly over the years, shifting from a primarily administrative function to a strategic business partner that plays a key role in organizational growth and culture.
In the early stages of many tech companies, HR was mainly focused on recruitment, contracts, payroll, and basic employee administration. As the technology industry became more competitive and global, companies realized that attracting, developing, and retaining talent was critical to long-term success. This led HR teams to become more involved in employer branding, employee experience, leadership development, diversity and inclusion, and workforce strategy.
The rise of remote and hybrid work models has further transformed HR, requiring new approaches to communication, engagement, performance management, and wellbeing. In recent years, data analytics and AI have also become increasingly important in HR processes, helping companies make more informed decisions about hiring, retention, and talent development.
However, despite technological advancements, the human aspect of HR remains essential, particularly in maintaining culture, trust, and employee connection in evolving work environments. Today, HR in tech companies is expected not only to support employees but also to drive innovation, adaptability, and business performance through strong people strategies.
- Irina Ćatović
Maintaining a humane company culture as teams grow requires maintaining connection, trust, and authenticity.
As organizations expand, culture must be designed and reinforced.
Culture remains human when organizations scale connectivity, not just operations, prioritizing empathy, communication, and authenticity as they grow.
This starts with leaders who consistently model the culture, not just by talking about values but by demonstrating them in everyday decisions and behaviors. Equally important is maintaining open, two-way communication, where employees feel heard through regular check-ins, feedback loops, and transparent updates.
Fostering personal connection through team rituals, informal moments, and space for individuality helps prevent the workplace from becoming transactional.
At the same time, processes should remain people-centered and not overly bureaucratic, allowing for flexibility and autonomy instead of rigid structures. Recognizing contributions, celebrating wins, and acknowledging challenges keeps the environment grounded and human.
- Nina Hasanbegović
Strong collaboration between HR and engineering teams is built on mutual understanding, trust, and alignment around common business goals. In many tech companies, HR and engineering departments can sometimes operate with different priorities and communication styles, which makes cross-functional partnership especially important.
Successful collaboration starts when HR takes the time to understand the technical environment, team structures, hiring challenges, and the day-to-day realities engineers face. At the same time, engineering leaders benefit from recognizing HR as a strategic partner rather than only a support function.
Clear and consistent communication is essential, particularly in areas such as recruitment planning, performance management, employee engagement, career development, and organizational change. Collaboration becomes stronger when both teams are involved early in decision-making and work together to build processes that balance business needs with employee experience.
Trust also grows when HR provides practical, data-driven solutions while maintaining transparency and responsiveness. In fast-growing organizations, strong HR and engineering alignment helps improve hiring quality, retention, team culture, and overall productivity. Ultimately, the most effective partnerships are those where both sides share responsibility for building high-performing and people-centered teams.
- Irina Ćatović
The small thing with the biggest impact is consistent, genuine recognition.
Clear and timely feedback, not just during formal reviews, helps build trust and direction.
A simple “thank you,” specific feedback, or acknowledging someone’s effort regularly makes people feel seen and valued. Over time, that builds motivation, trust, and a much better overall employee experience.
Respecting focus time by avoiding unnecessary meetings also improves the daily work experience, while small check-ins from managers help employees feel supported and prevent burnout.
It also strengthens relationships between managers and employees. Even small, regular moments of appreciation can shape how people feel about their work every day.
Strong workplaces are not built only through strategy or growth plans. They are built through everyday relationships, thoughtful leadership, and environments where people feel trusted and supported.
At Galeyo, Human Potential is not separated from business success. It is part of how teams collaborate, grow, and create long-term impact together.
On International HR Day, we celebrate the people behind that work, the ones helping companies stay human as they evolve.
