Annebell Diergaardt’s people-first approach to HR

For Annebell Diergaardt, a junior HR business partner at SanlamAllianz Namibia, human resources is about far more than policies and processes.

It is about understanding people, supporting their growth and helping create workplaces where employees can feel valued, motivated and empowered to perform at their best.

Diergaardt is a graduate of the University of Namibia (UNAM) with an honours degree in industrial psychology. She began her professional career in May 2025 as an HR generalist.

The role provided her with broad exposure to recruitment and selection, onboarding, employee relations, performance management, training and development, disciplinary processes and HR administration.

Her experience also included coordinating interviews, supporting managers with HR-related matters, maintaining employee records and ensuring compliance with company policies and procedures.

Today, as a junior HR business partner at SanlamAllianz, Diergaardt's responsibilities span several core HR functions, with a particular focus on talent acquisition for entry-level positions, onboarding, transition management and employee offboarding.

Receiving the opportunity to join SanlamAllianz marked a pivotal moment in her career.

“When I received the email from SanlamAllianz, I was both excited and grateful for the opportunity,” she says. “As a recent industrial psychology honours graduate, securing a role with a reputable organisation like SanlamAllianz was a significant milestone in my career.”

She said her previous experience as an HR administrator at African Marketing also played an important role in shaping her career, giving her a strong foundation in HR administration, recruitment, employee support and offboarding.

Making HR more human

At SanlamAllianz, she has been able to build on that foundation while gaining greater exposure to the strategic side of human resources.

One of the developments influencing her approach to HR is the growing emphasis on creating people-centred workplaces. She believes organisations are increasingly recognising the importance of employee wellbeing, engagement and positive workplace experiences.

“This has encouraged me to focus not only on HR processes, but also on understanding and supporting employees, building strong relationships and helping create an environment where people can thrive and perform at their utmost best,” she told Careers.

For her, innovation in HR lies in finding better ways to ensure employees feel supported, engaged and valued.

Her new role represents growth, stability and the opportunity to build a meaningful career in a field she is passionate about. Professionally, it challenges her to continue learning while developing into a well-rounded HR professional.

Looking ahead, she hopes to become someone employees and leaders can trust and rely on.

“I want to continue building my expertise and contribute to creating positive workplace experiences where employees feel heard, supported, motivated and empowered to succeed,” she says.

She believes that treating people with respect and following through on commitments can leave a lasting impact.

Outside the workplace, she has a relatable habit: “I always say I'm only going into a store for one thing and somehow come out with five.”

And when it comes to her preferred drink, she will choose coffee anytime of the day. Her daily motivation is: “Do something today that your future self will thank you for.”

With that mindset, she looks forward to continuing to learn, contribute and help shape workplaces where both people and organisations can succeed.