Maresa Safrit’s strategic leadership in implementing HR Shared Services drives continuous improvement at JELD-WEN.
“I wanted to work at a company that would show me growth and allow me to grab onto new and different opportunities,” said Maresa Safrit, VP of HR Operations and Shared Services.
Over the past six and a half years at JELD-WEN, Maresa has worn many hats, embracing change to the fullest in four different roles. “You have to learn to be able to shift because the industry demands change, so I’ve taught myself to be nimble and adjust, which I think has transferred into my work and leadership,” Maresa said.
It’s not only Maresa’s willingness to take on change that has shaped her career path. Her commitment to the JELD-WEN value to invest in people has been a key piece to her success. “Investment in people is essential to the success of a company. It helps all stakeholders agree on a common set of goals, which drives output,” said Maresa.
Maresa is a believer in creating relationships with business leaders and working to translate goals into reality – a reality that will benefit all JELD-WEN employees and in turn generate positive business results. Through her leadership, she keeps the value of invest in people top of mind, ensuring her team’s strengths are developed and celebrated when spearheading a project.
Employees in our corporate headquarters had the opportunity to take part in a pumpkin decorating contest. Maresa and her team created an HR Transformer.
Recently, Maresa had the opportunity to put both her relationship building and transformation leadership skills to work on the launch of a new HR Shared Services Model at JELD-WEN. The HR Shared Services Model is a transformation initiative that will change the way employees interact with Human Resources and create a more efficient HR business model.
“Creating HR Shared Services for JELD-WEN was an important, strategic decision for the company,” Maresa said. “It will give employees around the world more opportunity to understand their benefits and address issues, really focusing in on our values of invest in people and improve every day.”
Transformation initiatives like the HR Shared Services Model improve everyday company functions which allow JELD-WEN to make progress toward driving business value and improving performance. During 2025, when employees across the globe have access, the transformation initiative will use insights gained from the implementation to improve the employee experience. “We’re positioned to grow as the needs of our employees grow,” Maresa adds.
“Each transformation initiative is a step in the right direction – every time we complete a project like the launch of HR Shared Services, we’re contributing to the future success of the business,” said Maresa. Always up for the next challenge, Maresa is using her work philosophy and adaptability to drive strategic change for JELD-WEN.