Mai-Liis Niit

I’m responsible for 170+ employees and 45+subdivision managers. My first Estonian public sector job (at the U.S. Embassy I worked under USA labour law and rules).

Main responsibilities: recruitment of department managers, advisors and managers. Implementing and maintaining the new salary system I made in cooperation with Figure Baltics OÜ (previously known as Fontes). Advising managers in different HR related topics. Hearing people out, being there for them, being neutral and not judging.
Main achievements:
• Lowering the staff rotation (2023 voluntary rotation 13,3%; 2024 6%) by implementing a new salary system and pay bands.
• Adding new elements to the employees motivational package – extra paid vocation days, gift cards for birthdays etc.
• Finding extra funding and outside resources to buy different HR systems/services/trainings that are needed for everyday work.
• Implementing a new onboarding-offboarding system. I also started to make exit interviews which made a huge difference – employees stated to feel that someone takes interest and tries to change the reasons they are leaving.
• Implementing yearly review systems and 1:1 meetings.
• Creating a career page for the municipality’s homepage. Conducting interviews with our employee ambassadors (https://www.saaremaavald.ee/tule-toole).

Main goal was to transfer company's stores in Estonia and Latvia from Finnish sales market to Polish sales market – new culture, new HR guidelines, new staffing schedules and expectations. Constant work with changing the general mindset of employees.
Main responsibilities: Workforce planning in Estonia and Latvia (a total of 20 stores and almost 600 people). Continuous development of new talent to secure store management positions. Quick and mass recruitment for sales associates (I also had part-time recruiters working under me, but it was a limited option). Training of in store mentors, managers and department heads. Continuous monitoring and assessment of store and market needs. Working side by side with a Business Controller. Adjustment of personnel policy according to changes in the market. As HR manager, I was a business partner to our regional manager.
Main achievements:
• Managing challenges of COVID crisis and keeping stores open and staff safe.
• Successful recruitment, complete staffing of store teams.
• Maintaining flexible staffing and hours system hand in hand with local labour law.

Main responsibilities: Developing employees and overseeing their training. I also conduct some of the trainings like customer service and sales. Planning future training needs. Recruitment and selection via Facebook and different media channels. Onboarding and offboarding. Workforce planning. Drafting all the necessary documents and manuals. Organizing daily and monthly workflows. Payroll. Giving weekly feedback to new employees. Organizing events. Managing company’s Facebook, IG and webpages.
Main achievements:
• Changing the work environment. Creating a pleasant atmosphere.
• Improving recruitment process by improving the candidate selection tests.
• Constantly working towards lower retention rates among our student employees.

Main responsibilities: Payroll and taxes, keeping track of attendance. Recruiting all local staff members. Onboarding. Being the liaison between different local governmental institutions and the embassy. Managing the personnel database and putting together different reports.
Main achievements:
• Implementing performance-based salary system.
• Implementing electronic recruitment system.
• Responsible for 1,45 mil euros in salary and tax payments.

Main responsibilities: Management Assistant responsible for managing the museum store and managing a small 4-member team. Inventory and accounting. In addition, I was responsible for the staffing and recruitment for the museum.
Main achievements:
• Developing my team members (specific trainings and setting future goals) and simplifying work processes making them more efficient (simplifying inventory systems, asking additional help from volunteers etc.)
• Creating an environment where people felt they can talk freely and give honest feedback.