This is the third interview in our series — we delve into the importance of building communities in 2024, their potential benefits for members, and strategies for discovering and expanding a network of like-minded people.

When massive layoffs shook the job market in 2022, senior talent acquisition manager Daria Logvinskaia recognized an urgent need for a supportive community for HR professionals. This realization led to the creation of HRFull, a community now boasting over 2,200 members dedicated to networking, knowledge sharing, and mutual support. In a Community Talk with Maria, the founder of Maramio, Daria shared insights on shifting from toxic competitiveness to collaboration and the “HR for HR” strategy.

I founded HRFull more than a year ago. If you remember, 2022 and 2023 were filled with massive layoffs, and the job market was unstable overall. I was working as a senior talent acquisition manager and saw almost all of LinkedIn flooded with news about layoffs. It was such an uncertain time, and I was looking for a meetup or community to join where I could discuss with other HR professionals what was happening in the market, what we could do, how we could improve the situation, and support each other.

When I couldn't find anything, I decided to write a message in a large HR group: "Hi, do you want to meet in Berlin? I have an office where we can get together, drink wine, eat something, and discuss what's going on." I received such a huge response that I started organizing these meetups regularly. HR professionals began inviting their friends and colleagues, and the group grew. Eventually, I decided it needed a name.

II named it HRFull because it represents connection, and because my heart is full of HR, whether in my private or professional life. HRFull has grown significantly: now we have over 2,200 members, and I'm super proud of it.

Firstly, it's the networking and support for those times when someone needs help and doesn't understand what to do. Being in HR is tricky. We're not just handling documents, as some might think. It involves very tough, nuanced topics.

There are often very conflict-filled situations. Sometimes you just don't know what to do or how to automate something because there are so many HR tools, ATSs, and so on, and you're basically overwhelmed and want to find the best solution. You need advice, and my community solves this problem by connecting you with someone who can advise and help you. So basically, it's HR for HR.

That's true. HR is usually the first to leave the party.

The main insight is that everyone is super open to connecting, whether it's a simple community member or a company. As the founder of the community, I was networking with so many people and businesses. For example, Maramio was also open to collaborating and supporting us. So, it's basically about that: collaboration is possible.

There are plenty of opportunities. The first one is, of course, networking. It's always good to have someone who can help you in various ways. This is one of the main reasons we have the community. Additionally, there's constant knowledge sharing.

Another significant benefit is the simple act of helping one another. Nowadays, we're moving away from a competitive mindset where we don't like to help anyone. Instead, we're shifting toward collaboration. So, having a community is important, because you can collaborate with others and ask for help. Overall, this is the main purpose of a community.

I am a member of at least seven communities myself.

I understand that it might seem overwhelming that communities are popping up everywhere with many people starting them. But if you have an idea and want to create your own, don't be scared.

If you want to do it, you have to be open yourself. Attend other events, see how they operate, understand what's going on, and be ready to invest a lot of your private time into it. It's not just about creating something and expecting people to come. You need to be the best and offer something unique that others cannot. So, if you have an idea, just do it. But be mindful that you need to invest your own time. It's not a business, but you will spend a lot of time on it.