In our series of portraits of the people behind our success, the time has come to HR. The human resources function has come a long way from being a purely administrative role. Today, organizations have learned how the recruitment and management of staff truly has become the most valued resource. Therefore, we sat down with Lusya Badiryan, HR director at Swedish Smokeless sister organization GN Group in Yerevan.
Lusya Badiryan is a psychologist by training. She has over 40 years of experience in the field of human resource management. Her work philosophy when it comes to HR is that the most important and irreplaceable resource of any business is its people.
In both Sweden and Armenia, two very different countries, there is a shared common conception of HR as being manly for keeping the staff in line and writing orders. However, the work carried out under Lusya Badiryan’s leadership at GN Group is the strongest counterargument to this. Here, alongside personnel management, priority is also given to human relations, a healthy environment, the psychological well-being of the employee, and strengthening the team culture.
International experience adapted to local reality
GN LLC is the Armenian sister company of Sweden’s Giviton Holding. Giviton owns, among others, Swedish Smokeless Solutions AB. In the operations of GN Group and her involvement in Giviton Holding, Lusya Badiryan is also guided by the same principle: changes must be made in an evolutionary way, without harming people and the business.
As an example of modern HR practices, she mentions that the Swedish legislation often grants employees the possibility of long-term absence in cases of extreme stress or psychological overload. To reduce the risk of psychological stress and health issues, employees can request counseling from a company psychologist during working hours.
“This approach will simultaneously ensure the psychological stability of the employee and the uninterrupted work of the business,” she notes.
Uniting differences
The company emphasizes a corporate culture that unites different nationalities. Since many nationalities work in the Swedish teams, the main goal is to create an atmosphere of unity.
“Therefore, a corporate culture based on respect, inclusivity, and fairness is being actively developed,” she adds.
The same principles are being implemented in the Armenian teams as well. Lusya Badiryan emphasizes that in Armenia, one of the strongest factors for an employee’s motivation is the right attitude, valuing the person. This is often more important than a salary or position increase.
Both in the Swedish and Armenian companies, a number of programs are being developed to ensure employee growth. Language training, professional courses, clear career advancement systems are being implemented, and team events are held to boost employee integration. These are especially important for immigrant employees, who often face communication or language barriers.
At GN, the person is valued
Lusya Badiryan highlights an important point: at GN LLC, people are not chosen by chance.
“I work in an organization where the human resource is valued. This is the most important thing for me. I hope my work also contributes to the employees feeling most important and valued. GN LLC is a family business. The human resource management structure is under the direct supervision of the owner to maintain the principle of fairness. The company has an environment where the person is at the center, and teamwork is the foundation of success.”
The HR department led by Lusya Badiryan continues to chart a course where business and people walk side by side, with mutual trust, fairness, and common goals.
New experiences, new results
Lusya Badiryan also shares that, being a smoker, she became acquainted with snus, while working at GN. In a short time, she understood it to be a suitable solution for people with nicotine dependence, especially in places where smoking is prohibited. She fully shares the owner’s view that it is necessary to transform the global stereotype of tobacco use. We should try to redefine the concept of ‘freedom of choice,’ which includes our product range as healthier alternatives.
As GN Group and Giviton Holding continues its development, the world around us is developing very rapidly. Business, politics, health management, technology – all of these areas are transforming partly as a result of the globalization. But in the center of this movement is people. Persons living their lives, with their families and obligations, their dreams and hopes. And under the guidance of Lusya Badiryan and all the HR people at GN Group, Giviton Holding and its subsidiaries like Swedish Smokeless, will continue to grow and be successful.
