Ampersand HR manager Elodie Queen Cyuzuzo builds supportive workplaces and adapts leadership for a changing workforce. She shares her journey from consulting to internal management and building workplace culture through policy awareness and adapting to different generations.
Elodie Queen Cyuzuzo oversees human resources at Ampersand, a Rwanda-based electric mobility company whose workforce designs and assembles electric motorcycles, batteries, and battery-swapping infrastructure for commercial moto-taxi and delivery riders. Her career began as a recruitment intern at a regional consulting firm, where she connected job seekers with employers across different industries.
The experience sparked her interest in human resources and exposed her to the impact that meaningful work can have on people's lives.
“I enjoyed helping people find opportunities, whether it was securing their first job or moving into a role they could grow. There was also satisfaction in helping clients find the right talent. It felt like I was creating a win-win outcome for both sides,” Elodie says.
After six years in consulting, she sought a different challenge. Having worked across multiple clients, she wanted to experience HR from inside a single organisation and gain a deeper understanding of the employee lifecycle.
“I felt I had reached a point where I needed in-house experience. I wanted to understand what it means to support one organisation and its employees over the long term,” she recalls.
Today, Elodie applies lessons from her consulting years to create an environment where employees feel valued, supported and able to grow. She believes retention is driven by recognition, development opportunities and effective leadership.
“The reason I stayed with my previous employer for six and a half years was the environment. Every year there was an opportunity to learn, take on new responsibilities and grow. I had leaders who coached me and invested in my development,” she says.
Building awareness through policy
One of Elodie's early priorities at Ampersand was reviewing HR processes and workplace policies alongside colleagues across the region. The exercise revealed communication gaps, outdated policies and areas where employees lacked awareness of existing frameworks.
Rather than treating compliance as an administrative exercise, she focused on ensuring employees understood the policies that governed their work environment.
“Some policies existed, but employees were not aware of them. Others needed to be updated to align with changes in labour laws and business realities. We started by reviewing and updating those policies, then making sure employees understood them,” she explains.
To strengthen communication, Elodie works closely with managers before rolling out information to the wider workforce. She believes managers need sufficient HR knowledge to address everyday employee concerns and provide consistent guidance to their teams.
“You first equip managers with the key HR principles they need to understand. That makes it easier for them to support their teams. After that, we engage employees through departmental meetings and communication materials that help reinforce the message,” she says.
Organisational culture and leadership adaptation
Elodie explains that Ampersand embraces flexible working arrangements where operationally possible.
“Employees in office-based roles can work remotely with approval from their managers, while technicians and assembly teams remain site-based because of the nature of their work. To maintain fairness, the organisation provides alternative benefits for employees whose roles require physical presence. We ensure there are other forms of support, including overtime compensation,” Elodie says.
Managing a workforce that spans different generations has also shaped her leadership approach. She notes that younger employees often expect faster communication, greater transparency and more direct access to leaders than previous generations.
Rather than resisting those expectations, she believes leaders must adapt while preserving the structures that keep organisations effective.
“As leaders, we have to adapt to what is changing around us. Employees want openness and flexibility, but they also need to understand the processes and responsibilities that make the organisation work. The goal is finding the right balance,” she says.
Technology and AI
Like many HR leaders, Elodie is exploring the use of artificial intelligence to improve productivity and support employee development. She views AI as a valuable tool for learning and efficiency, but one that requires clear safeguards.
“We encourage staff to use artificial intelligence because it is also a tool that can help you to learn and upgrade your skills. But then there are parameters and ways we can also use it to align to the Country’s data protection and privacy policy,” Elodie states.
For Elodie, effective leadership also requires maintaining boundaries outside the workplace. She intentionally separates her professional responsibilities from her personal life and values an organisational culture that respects work-life balance.
“I love work-life balance and I make sure that after work I do not think about anything related. While working as a consultant, I operated in a fast-paced environment that demanded rapid client support and the management of high-volume tasks. This required dedicating extended hours to ensure immediate response times and exceptional service delivery. Now, I make conscious efforts not to carry work into my personal time. One of the things I appreciate about my current environment is that colleagues respect those boundaries. When work ends, people are encouraged to disconnect unless something is truly urgent,” she says.
Beyond spending quality time with her husband and two young children, Elodie intentionally builds social networks outside the corporate sphere. She makes time each week to meet with friends, creating a space to unwind and process the stresses of daily work.
“I am a person of deep faith, and I look forward to my weekly church gatherings which are essential to my spiritual growth. To maintain balance and perspective, I prioritise quality time recharging with family and friends. I also love staying active and exploring life—whether that’s working out, watching football, trying out new food spots, or traveling,” she says.
