Veteran HR Professional Ventures into Entrepreneurship: Empowering SMEs for Growth

Full Article in Chinese

• Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Teaching English as a Second Language
• Founder of Elsyung Consulting Limited

Elsie Yung, with over 20 years of experience in human resource management, majored in Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Teaching English as a Second Language at City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK). She applied her knowledge in employee training and, during the pandemic, courageously ventured into entrepreneurship, transforming into a “corporate doctor.” Subsequently, she provided career guidance services for institutions including CityUHK, helping the new generation realize their career aspirations.

Human resource management is a critical success factor for businesses, encompassing recruitment, employee affairs, training and development, performance evaluation, and more. Elsie highlights that her extensive experience has given her the confidence to help businesses navigate challenges across various economic environments and development stages. This led to her decision to establish a consulting firm, taking on the role of a "corporate doctor." Her focus is on providing comprehensive "corporate health check-ups" for resource-constrained SMEs, diagnosing and addressing HR management issues effectively.

“In the early years, we didn’t have the concept of career planning, and I had no concrete ideas about my future employment. Choosing to major in Teaching English as a Second Language was largely driven by my interest, coupled with the confidence I had in my English proficiency from studying at an English-medium school,” she recalled. Later, during her time at CityUHK, she gained an internship opportunity in the training department of a subsidiary of a large airline. This first encounter with a new field revealed that the teaching skills and knowledge acquired from university courses were applicable to everyday tasks, leading her to decide on a career in human resource management after graduation.

Having served as a human resources department head at several internationally renowned companies, Elsie now speaks fluently and confidently with corporate clients and frequently shares her insights on talent training. While she appears outgoing and articulate, she humorously refers to this as a beautiful misunderstanding. Before entering CityUHK, she was a full-fledged “I” (introvert), but her involvement in diverse campus activities, such as being a choir conductor and performing solo in drama courses, helped her grow, embrace new challenges, and set the stage for a career path starkly different from her academic studies.

The HR department is a crucial bridge between employers and employees, and Elsie candidly admits that she has faced numerous challenges and unexpected events over her career. For instance, she had to provide immediate counselling and support for team members and colleagues when an employee tragically passed away. She also professionally and empathetically communicated job transfers or layoffs during corporate restructurings and mergers. “In handling these affairs, you inevitably receive a lot of negative emotions, so knowing how to alleviate stress is extremely important.”

After over 20 years in the industry, Elsie decided to start her consulting firm in 2019, only to be met with the onset of the pandemic. She noted that the positive thinking and flexible adaptability honed in her job proved invaluable during this time. A year later, she officially established her business consulting firm, named ELS after her English name's initials, and quickly expanded its operations internationally. Her previous connections with the Japanese market while working for multinational corporations, along with a Japanese-proficient partner, enabled ELS to offer training and development services and support to local businesses and female employees in Japan.

Elsie is not only a forward-driving career woman but also a mother of three daughters. “In their eyes, I might be a workaholic! But I am grateful that my career keeps me youthful, continually learning, and able to communicate better with young people.” As a dedicated alumna, she maintains close ties with CityUHK classmates and professors. “Having experienced an era without career planning guidance, I started providing career counselling at CityUHK and other institutions in 2022, sharing workplace insights to help students prepare for different industry roles, especially fostering a positive work mindset like not fearing setbacks, keeping an open mind, and actively learning new things.”

She is also deeply involved in community service, having joined Rotary Club of Hong Kong six years ago with the vision of supporting youth development. In July 2024, she became the club's president, planning projects that promote mental health for children with special learning needs and their caregivers, as well as animal-assisted therapy, benefiting more communities in need.

（Published at 16 January 2025）