Diane Sanford, Chief People Officer for On the Border Mexican Grill & Cantina, is lending her more than 20 years of human resources knowledge and experience to two upcoming events: CHRO Executive Roundtable on February 7 and the 2018 CLM & Business Insurance, Retail, Restaurant & Hospitality Conference on February 8. Sanford joins other business leaders to share insights for improving business practices with a special focus on current affairs.
“I’m honored to represent On the Border at these two conferences. I’ll be touching on two critical issues that have permeated through a number of professional circles, ethical behavior and workplace bullying,” said Diane Sanford, Chief People Person for On the Border Mexican Grill & Cantina. “HR is about more than hiring and firing. A foundational responsibility is to ensure our team members have a great work experience, part of which includes ensuring team members feel good and safe about the environment in which they work. Expressing empathy and taking the time to understand the team members’ perspective, helps us create an employment experience that makes everyone proud. The upcoming conferences will help us shed some light on this.”
Sanford is scheduled to join a panel of other human resources leaders at the CHRO Executive Roundtable on Wednesday, February 7, 2018. The roundtable will take place at Le Méridien in Dallas. Amidst the corporate scandals- including abuses of power- that have been splashing headlines these past few months, the panel will be discussing the CHRO’s role in helping drive ethical behavior in the workplace.
She will then be speaking at the 2018 CLM & Business Insurance, Retail, Restaurant & Hospitality Conference, also in Dallas on Thursday, February 8. The three-day conference will take place at the Renaissance Hotel and aims to connect industry professionals with leaders in the field to share their expertise and open up opportunities for partnerships. Sanford is scheduled to speak on the issue of bullying in the workplace.
Sanford joined On the Border in 2014 and has since initiated major programs resulting in notable improvements to the brand’s culture. Some of those initiatives include peer-to-peer recognition cards, incorporating workplace planning that constantly measures team members’ performances to help them improve, and opening up communication channels among team members through focus groups.
“At On the Border, we’ve created a culture, where we let our team members know how valuable they are to our organization. This approach has allowed us to boost morale and help us obtain and retain team members,” added Sanford. “We’ve established ourselves as a ‘people company’ and are serious about that commitment. Our guests will never have a better experience than the one we create for our team members.”
Prior to On the Border, Sanford served as Senior Vice President of HR/Training at Texas Land & Cattle/Lone Star Steakhouse. She was also the Senior Director PeopleWorks – Western Region for Chil’s Grill & Bar and held HR leadership positions for Brinker International, one of the world’s leading casual dining restaurant companies.
She studied Business Administration and Management at Mount San Antonio College and is a member of the Society For Human Resources Management.
On The Border Mexican Grill & Cantina is the world’s largest Mexican casual dining brand. Known for its award-winning Margaritas, house-made salsa, and sizzling mesquite-grilled fajitas, On The Border is a fan-favorite destination for authentic, contemporary Mexican food and vibrant good times. With 158 restaurants in 32 states, Puerto Rico and Asia, there’s always a fiesta waiting at On The Border. Owned by Border Holdings, LLC. Follow and ‘like’ On The Border on Facebook at www.facebook.com/OnTheBorderMexicanGrillandCantina, become a fan on Instagram @ontheborder and @OnTheBorder on Twitter. For more information, visit www.ontheborder.com.
