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Colleague Spotlight
Lily Yacoub
  • Position: Global HR Advisor

  • Country: UK, Europe

  • Number of Years in the Refractories: 3 years

  • Mayerton Department: HR

The Interview

What does “going the extra heat (mile)” mean to you and what motivates you to go the extra heat in your role?

It means working to make something better – not just doing things because it’s always been done like that. One thing that I have started using in my role is AI tools – you can’t trust them to be correct if you are looking for information, but they are an amazing starting point if you are researching, you can create process maps with screenshots and all manner of things in a fraction of the time. Learning new things, trying to overcome challenges and the team in general keeps me motivated.

What’s a challenge you’ve faced recently, and how did you overcome it?

We do get challenges in our department, as we all do but the best way I have found to overcome them is to do your research and then talk about them – Beki and David are always ready for me to bounce ideas from, and it creates a better solution than if you just try to come up with something yourself!

What do you enjoy most about being part of the Mayerton team?

The people. You can have a conversation with someone halfway across the world about anything, and being a mid market business means that you actually get to know each other as individuals, not just by their department and job title.

How do you approach keeping up with industry changes and improving your skills?

The amount of information you can get from scrolling through LinkedIn is amazing, and just talking to those around you – I have learned more about the steel making process than I ever thought I would because it helps me understand what the teams are doing on a daily basis.

Is there a particular value or aspect of Mayerton culture that resonates with you? How does our company culture inspire you to take on challenges?

Everyone works hard and is willing to help so you just naturally do the same.

What advice would you give to others who want to make a difference in their roles? How do you think your efforts make a difference to our customers or team?

Making a difference is not as hard as you think – generally when you think of making a difference you think of these massive acts but really it is all the small things you do in a day, like checking in on people or giving a heads up before something comes their way, especially if it will seem out of the blue. Taking that extra 5 mins goes a long way.

What skills or qualities do you bring that you feel enhance our team’s performance?

When I find something I haven’t heard before I look into it – I like to understand what is going on, and it means that we can have the information ready for when it is needed. I also quite like computers so if there is an issue, I can do a bit of troubleshooting prior to having to call IT.

What’s a memorable piece of advice or experience that shaped how you approach your work?

Things take longer than you think – it is always good to remember that things aren’t immediate and that isn’t a bad thing, so there is no need to stress if you have done your part!

What part of your role do you look forward to each day?

Finding out the new thing for the day – each day is different, and the differences is what keeps things interesting.

What’s the best part of your day, and why?

Because each day is different, I don’t think I have a set thing I do everyday, but I look forward to speaking with people I usually don’t and when I get to call with good news about something.