Dr. Anjanetta “Anne” Williams, Metcam’s Human Resources Manager, earned her Ph.D. one year ago.
During Women’s History Month, she talks about making history in her family, Metcam’s team dynamic
and resiliency during the pandemic, and the inspiration that is the underdog.
1) Who is your biggest inspiration?
My biggest inspiration comes from the “underdog.” Anyone who has succeeded beyond the odds or against adversity is an inspiration to me. Everyone is not born rich, healthy or mentally stable; many people are at a disadvantage. When people are placed in positions that cause them to fight for survival and they give it their all, those are the people that have inspired me to accomplish my goals because I overcame being a possible “statistic” like many minorities.
2) What do you like most about working in HR?
I like working with people to solve problems and create solutions. Setting up guidelines and training people on employment law, policies and procedures always have appealed to me. If you are in the right setting, HR can be a support to help people turn a job into a career, by assisting individuals on the correct path to achieve their goals within an organization.
3) What is your idea of a “best day” at work?
Since I am a list-maker and sticky note collector, a “best day” is one where I have completed every task on my list, addressed all my sticky notes, and acknowledged and resolved every question that has been directed to me by employees, external sources, etc. If I do not carry those situations or issues into the next day, then I have been successful, and my day is good!
4) How would you describe Metcam’s team dynamic? And how did the pandemic affect that and your HR mission?
Metcam’s team dynamic is one of collaborative effort. The teams are divided up by customer or work centers and it is fast-paced, ever-changing, chaotic at times, and every day there could be a surprise. Everyone understands that they work together to produce “the highest quality products, delivered on time.”
[During the pandemic,] HR and EHS were working together continuously day and night to document, train and find supplies and solutions to all the issues we did experience. We were updating the employees, keeping lists and working with management to follow the protocols set forth by the CDC. Keeping track of how to pay the employees and what laws were being enacted and enforced was exhausting in the beginning, but it has gotten better and we must continue to monitor all situations.
5) What was your experience of earning a Ph.D. like?
My motivation for a Ph.D. was my checklist and being the only person in my family to have Master’s degrees and a Terminal Degree. Since being a young kid, I knew that I would end up with a Ph.D. or a Law degree or both. I completed multiple Master’s degrees, then decided to start the Ph.D. program, then stopped because I kept thinking about law school… but ultimately I persevered.
My biggest surprise was completing the dissertation defense and explaining the statistics part of the dissertation as if I were a born statistician. I defended my dissertation sick with pneumonia, respiratory and sinus infection at the beginning of COVID-19, on March 25, 2020. To my surprise the information that I presented sounded as if I knew what I was talking about. I sounded like a Ph.D. My other surprise was that IT WAS OVER!!
After completing the dissertation… I mentally floated for a few days before it dawned on me that under 2 percent of Americans possess a Ph.D. People can take away many things from you, but they can not take away your dignity, knowledge and education.