Helen joined Chwarae Teg as a Client Partner, having previously owned a business and a background of CIPD and Management experience.
What attracted you to working for Chwarae Teg?
I was attracted to Chwarae Teg as I am passionate about SME businesses committing to gender equality. Having worked for businesses, where that has not been high on the agenda, I have first-hand experience of fighting for my rights as mother of a son who has autism.
As a previous business owner myself, coupled with my CIPD and management working experience, the Agile Nation2 Business Programme seemed to allow me to use all parts of my working life to come together to be a Client Partner at Chwarae Teg.
What do you like most about working for Chwarae Teg?
I enjoy the 100% agile working. It allows me to juggle my caring responsibilities, which now include elderly parents, around my work commitments. It also means I can weave in my volunteer life in the Scout Association where I sit on the Appointments Advisory Panel for new volunteers. All my skills are being utilised, without the 9 – 5 working ethos - allowing me to be the best version of me.
I love the research that Chwarae Teg carry out and that I learn so much from others in my team, sharing best practice and keeping up to date with HR issues.
What do you love most about your role?
The role as Client partner allows me to meet the most wide ranging types of businesses you can ever imagine, from marketing , IT, Legal to manufacturing, hotels and bakeries! I enjoy learning about the differences of each business, challenging them to put equality at the heart of their people systems and leaving them with a firmer foundation on which to develop their business through their people.
I particularly enjoy seeing the positive changes in the businesses as a result of working with us e.g. saving several thousand pounds by having the skills to recruit themselves and not having to pay Agency fees, or saving several hundreds of pounds each month by bringing a previously outsourced HR element of the business in house.
What do you find to be the most pressing issue when working with businesses in your area?
Having been in the role for 18 months I see the most common pressing issue with SME businesses is a culture change towards people orientated culture, rather than a process focus.
Businesses that focus on the process, without the “people” angle, tend to experience high turnover, poor attendance, become rigid with rules, which becomes costly and time consuming to enforce.
Those that focus on the people, the team building, the trust of working from home, the adjusting of hours to suit a work life balance etc are the businesses that see exceptional performance and that’s when the “great stuff” occurs. This is when a business will naturally see staff - going above and beyond, offering ideas to save money/cut costs/save time, natural succession planning occurs and the business culture shifts.
To find out more about our fully funded Agile Nation2 Business Programme and how Helen can help your business, get in contact:
0300 365 0445
agilenation2.org.uk/contact-us