Sharon Jautz has spent over 25 years in Human Resources within the media industry.
Starting with Fairchild Publications, Sharon grew to become the Vice President and Director of HR, overseeing all global HR functions for this major fashion publisher. She staffed the original Jane magazine with founding Editor, Jane Pratt and worked with Editor, Clay Felker to launch M magazine.
When W magazine opened an office in Paris, Sharon was there to guide the Company through the labyrinth of HR intricacies that go with international employment and establishment of a business.
Moving to Reed Business Information in 2000, Sharon handled HR in New York for 26 media titles including Interior Design, Publisher’s Weekly and Variety magazines. Sharon’s next move was to Playboy Enterprises where she oversaw the global HR function for Playboy magazine and the licensing division.
In 2006, Sharon was recruited by CEO Jim Spanfeller to help grow the Forbes.com brand and oversee all global HR functions for the rapidly expanding Digital Division of Forbes Media.
Sharon is currently the Head of HR, North America for Ascential, Inc. in New York City and oversees the HR function for Ascential’s brands including WGSN, Cannes Lions, Money2020 and WARC.
Sharon studied at the University of North London, UK and graduated with a degree in History from Marymount College, Tarrytown.
More from Sharon…
Sharon understands what it means to make sure employees are doing well. In a time where many people are working remotely, she knows this requires a proactive approach.
But for anyone who has remote workers, pandemic or not, her philosophy is well worth following.
“It’s just managing people and managing them now from afar, so you can’t see them. You can see someone in the office struggling, right? When they’re having personal issues, are struggling to cope. I can’t see that. And so I’m being very proactive and active in touching base with my managers every week. Be in touch with your teams. How is your team doing? How are you doing? What’s going on? How can I support? Because I want to be proactive about that and not have people wondering who can I call? How can I get help?
That’s been I think a big struggle for people is all of a sudden the faucets turned off and they’re away from people and families, family members that they love and can’t see and can’t be with.
Ellen DeGeneres took it on the chin when she said she felt like she was in prison. But you have to remember, everybody’s prison is described differently.
I live in Manhattan in a 500 square foot apartment. And I don’t have any outdoor space, but I got plenty of food. And I’m with someone who loves me. So my prison is different from somebody else who doesn’t have food, or from somebody else that doesn’t have a nice apartment. As small as it is. So everybody struggles different.
You look at somebody, ‘Oh, he lives in New Jersey in a nice house. He’s fine.’ Well, maybe he’s got elderly parents, maybe he can’t see or get to or make sure that they have medicine.
These food lines. I mean, the people that are in these food lines, who are they? I mean, like it’s just shocking to me. So everyone has a struggle. And not everyone is forthcoming about it, but they will be or can be, if you provide them with a safe one to one space.
When you come to Human Resources you’re opening up because there’s a problem. If you want to vent, you call your mother, you call your best friend, then to HR, right? HR is to get something done. So when you come to me, I will help you get something done.”
