HR has the ability to facilitate massive change within the workforce; instilling confidence in employees, improving their working conditions and taking a considerate approach to curating company culture will not only improve output but also empower employees to bring their genuine selves to work and invest in their companies on a deeper level.
This deep and essential topic will be discussed in detail by a host of innovating HR leaders at the upcoming HR Grapevine Live event, which will come to London for one day only later this week (March 12 2020). The event is set to bring together some of the most innovative HR practitioners from the UK’s biggest brands, including giffgaff and Ella’s Kitchen, to give the audience an exclusive insight into their own successes in this area.
Speaking to HR Grapevine recently, Ella’s Kitchen’s Head of Keeping People Happy, Catherine Allen, gave a brief insight into her views on employee empowerment – the session that she will be participating in. She stated: “Everyone’s definition of happiness is different, but I’ve found that people perform best when they are working for a company with a purpose, they feel they are making a difference and they have the autonomy to do their job well with support built around them when they need it. All these things are part of the employee experience at Ella’s Kitchen.
“Ella’s has and always will be a company with a purpose – our mission is to improve children’s lives through developing healthy relationships with food and this is baked into everything we do,” she added. “The whole team is given Mission Day volunteering opportunities at Ella’s to keep people close to the mission – this includes farm trips with little ones, (often those who come from underprivileged backgrounds) cooking with them in schools and helping at a local food bank.”
giffgaff’s Head of People, Alistair Gill – who will also be taking to the stage at HRGV Live – recently told HR Grapevine that he believes empowerment is about keeping HR on its toes and ensuring that it isn’t left behind. He previously said: “When I say that [the people function needs to] rewrite the rules it is deliberately provocative. If we don’t then other people will and [the people function] will just be playing catch up. We have to rewrite the rules for people experience in the workplace. The most important thing [in business] is people. That’s the reason we need to reinvent the rules of how people are treated at work and create the conditions for them to find purpose, meaning and do their best work.”
Gill, who will take to the HRGV Live stage at The Brewery in London, will discuss the concept further. As Gill sees it, innovation is not just a bonus, but an essential part of workplace culture. He previously explained that rewriting the rules is a core part of the HR function. “When I say rewrite the rules, I mean look at how it affects those [employees],” he added.
“We should rewrite the rules of hiring, everything we know about interviewing, everything we know about interview questions. Why does it have to be a telephone interview, a face-to-face interview and then a job?” Gill probed.
See both Allen and Gill speak at this year’s HR Grapevine Live conference, which takes place at The Brewery in London on March 12 2020. For ticket information and a full list of speakers from companies including Leon, Monzo, Just Eat, Molson Coors, HSBC and John Lewis, click here.
