Life at Arlo
Minh Ngo joined Arlo in January 2022. In case you are wondering, his full name is pronounced like the fish – minnow. As our Director of Human Resources and Office Operations, Minh plans, leads, directs, and develops policies in the Human Resources (HR) department and manages compliance and engagement in programs for the overall organization.
You may have already met Minh, as it is part of his job to connect with all employees throughout their time at Arlo. We sat down with Minh to learn more about his perspective on building company culture and to discover what excites him outside of work.
Why did you choose to work at Arlo?
When I first had a conversation with Arlene and Lonye, I was happy to see the authenticity, inclusion, and culture that the owners are trying to create because it aligns with my HR philosophy. You typically hear people think about HR as an admin function, sometimes in a negative or punitive way such as, ‘If HR is here, I must have done something wrong.’ But HR is so much more than that. I want to put the human back into human resources. Great companies know that employees are capital assets and if you treat your employees right, your company will trail along the way.
What upcoming projects excite you?
Being the head of HR at a small organization, you have the autonomy to add your personality into the processes and policies. I’m especially excited to build a comprehensive infrastructure for employee lifecycle processes. This will be a multi-faceted effort that will include things such as setting up employees’ first impressions of the company, onboarding, educating about the company’s brand and policies, managing milestones, and more.
We’re also looking into investing money and resources into developing a rewards and recognition program. In a world of remote, it’s different than in person, and we need to go above and beyond to make sure employees know that they are valued. Having a method for affirmation, appreciation, recognition, and incentivization goes a long way.
What makes Arlo different from your previous workplaces?
At Arlo, it’s refreshing to see that the leaders get it. I’ve worked with small, medium, and large companies. Larger companies can be more siloed – and they sometimes create swim lanes or separations of duties. At Arlo, it’s different because we’re all on the same page and working together. The owners and leaders understand the function of HR, and their support allows me to use my creativity and insight into best practice standards to make our company a center of excellence.
I plan to be an advocate for employees here and believe that will bring Arlo to greater heights. There can sometimes be a bad profiling of what HR is – people think about reprimanding, termination, improvement plans, etc. That’s not the picture we are trying to paint here. We’re creating a more supportive approach and a workplace that puts the employee in an environment of success.
What is your favorite thing to do outside of work?
I’m obsessed with trying new food, especially seafood. One time I scrolled through Tik Tok and saw a shrimp and grits recipe. I made the exact same thing for my husband, and it was delicious! I do that all the time now.
Beyond eating and cooking, I also love experiencing culture, traveling, sitting at a coffee shop, enjoying what the locals experience. Humans are social creatures and having the ability to tap into someone else’s shoes is a privilege and a blessing.
What hobby have you never tried but you would like to try?
I would not mind trying ski diving when and if the right time comes.
What song is currently on repeat on your playlist?
There are a lot of people copying/remixing the Celine Dion song, “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now.” It always plays on my Spotify list, and we lip sync to it in the car.
In a previous life, what animal were you and why?
I’m very in tune with land and I feel like foxes are very majestic. If I had a spirit animal, I hope it would be a fox. They are independent, beautiful, intelligent, and regal.
If you could have one superpower, what would it be?
I would love to have the power to control plants and nature. I have failed my house for over seven years and all the flowers are wilting. This year my goal is to finally do some successful landscaping. Hopefully that will go well!