Prof. Christine Naschberger
Christine Naschberger is professor in Human Resource Management at the Department of Management, Audencia Business School in Nantes. Her research is based on Career aspects, Women and Career, Disability and Equality in the Workplace, Work-Life Balance and Networks and their impact.
Having lived for years in different countries (Austria, Germany, France), Christine is passionate about “Cultures in line with Diversity and Inclusion”. Her teaching areas are Organisational Behaviour, Human Resource Management, Diversity and Inclusion, Gender Diversity, Disability, Intercultural Training and Cross-Cultural Communication.
Christine is involved in the MaastrichtMBA programme as instructor at the Online MBA course on Human Resource Management.
WHAT IS YOUR CONNECTION WITH MAASTRICHT?
My professional connection to Maastricht is a quite long one. I started to teach online for the former EuroMBA consortium back in 2003. I feel very happy and honored because the programme allowed me to get known wonderful people, both colleagues as MBA participants. I have also visited several times the city of Maastricht and I felt in love with the city. I love the “flair” of this city with the Maas river. You can easily walk around and also the night life is attractive. For those who do not know yet, I like to dance.
WHAT MOTIVATES YOU TO BECOME A PROFESSOR?
This is a good question. Many reasons, but above all the contact with students. I love to exchange and talk with students and MBA participants. They learn from me, but I also learn from them. I also love the international dimension of working in a cosmopolite business school in France. Another reason is research: the freedom to think, to write, and to create. I also enjoy to exchange with HR professionals of various organisations. I like to see how HR is developing, what kind of challenges HR professionals do face, etc. There are plenty of reasons to start and to stay in an academic career.
WHAT IS YOUR ROLE WITHIN THE ONLINE TRACK?
I do have the pleasure to be the tutor of the Human Resource Management course. I will guide the participants through this learning experience.
YOU WILL BE THE INSTRUCTOR FOR THE NEXT ONLINE MBA COURSE ON HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT. CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT YOUR LESSONS DURING THIS COURSE?
We will touch upon classical HR topics like recruitment, selection, on boarding, compensation, training, assessment and expatriation. Moreover, we will discuss contemporary HR topics like the impact of the COVID-19 crisis, health in the workplace, hybrid management, working from home, strategic dimension of HR and employment relationship and it’s challenges.
SINCE THE CURRENT CRISIS HAS LOCKED DOWN THE WORLD, ORGANISATIONS CHANGED RAPIDLY. HOW DO YOU THINK THIS NEW WORLD WILL BE FOR THE NEXT FEW YEARS ON THE TOPIC OF HR?
Yes, the pandemic is definitely a game changer for organisations. First of all, it pushed HR into a strategic position. Many corporate decisions during the pandemic had been taken with the Vice-Presidents of HR. Second, definitely employees do not want to go back to a 100% on site job. Employees have more autonomy and freedom when they work from home (WFH). Therefore, organisations need to regulate home office (HO) and train their managers on hybrid management. Recently, I wrote an article on this topic for the Association of MBAs organisation, which you can look into via this link.
WHAT ARE YOUR LESSONS LEARNED DURING THIS PANDEMIC CRISIS AND WHICH CHANCES DO YOU SEE THE NEAR FUTURE FOR COMPANIES ON THEIR ORGANISATION OF THEIR HR STRUCTURES?
My first personal lesson learned is to take care of myself. Self-care is key in today’s fast changing world. If you take care of yourself, you can take better care of others. Self-care is also especially in today’s working world as the majority of us run behind a busy schedule. For some organizations self-care had even become a recruitment criteria. Second, I feel that the crisis pushed my personal empowerment. Another lesson is the importance of our soft skills like adaptability. “The only constant in life is change” as the Greek Philosopher Heraclitus said. Which leads me to my fourth lesson that is about more trust in my daily life. The crisis helped me to be more resilient in my daily life.
Regarding the chances in the near future for companies and their HR structures, I hope that the HR department will keep its strategic dimension that had been offered during the pandemic. Organisations will certainly revise and reorganise their HR structures but not only due to the pandemics. Also digitalisation, the impact of Artificial Intelligence, etc. will have an impact on the way we organise HR in the future.
WHAT ARE YOU PARTICULARLY PROUD OF PROFESSIONALLY?
I am proud of my students who find jobs that suit them and of the MBA participants who question managerial practices and who are eager to learn. Next to that, I am proud of my academic achievements. Finally, I am proud of business schools that adapt and reinvent themselves.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SHARE SOMETHING PERSONAL WITH THE READERS?
Something personal? Really? I thought academics do not have a personal life.
Of course I am joking! Yes, I love sports, especially running and RPM courses in my sports club. I love nature, mountains, forests, lakes. Next to that, I really love my family and my friends. And as I said before I love dancing … so please “Mr. DJ turn the music up”!