HR Grapevine 2015 Speakers - Stephen Moir, Chief People Officer, NHS

Stephen Moir, Chief People Officer, NHS, will be speaking at this year’s HR Can Change the World conference. He talks to HR Grapevine about his motivations and inspirations…

What have been the highlights in your career journey that have enabled you to sit where you are today?

I’ve had some amazing experiences working with some great leaders. For example I worked at a local authority in the North East, one of the most deprived areas of the country - lots of social deprivation and lots of health poverty and inequality. I was part of the team that helped change that organisation from being a failing council to being an excellent one in two years. It was all about the people agenda, so it was all about reconnecting staff and managers to why they were there, the people they serve, the difference they can make and recognising that one contact with a member of the public could make a material difference to somebody’s life.

What motivates you and drives you?

Working in organisations that really live their values. And that’s why I’ve stayed uniquely in the public sector. I grew up in a household where my Dad worked in the Private sector and Financial Services for the entirety of his career, while my mother worked in the public sector for the entirety of her career. Dad left on early retirement leaping for joy, Mum we had to drag out of her job kicking and screaming. I tried the private sector for six months and didn’t see the connection to what I was doing and what the customer was getting. Whereas, when I went into the public sector I could immediately see what I’m doing has a real impact on people, on communities and making a difference - even if I’m not personally the nurse, police officer etc. So those are the things that matter to me; the real values piece.

How do you know when you’ve done a good job, what gives you satisfaction?

I love working as part of, and leading, teams and I love seeing people I work with progress and develop. One of the best things that ever happens is when you recruit and work with, or inherit, a great team of people and help them be better at what they do. Unlike some HR Directors, I think seeing someone progress, move on and leave the organisation is one of the best things you can ever see happen. So job satisfaction for me is about seeing the people I work with, whether it’s in the broader organisation or my immediate team, develop and grow.

Who inspires you?

Nelson Mandela has always been a figure I’ve found fundamentally inspiring, partly because I really believe in diversity in the broadest possible sense. People being able to be individuals at work, people being able to bring the whole of themselves into the workplace, and the difference that makes. What Mandela did to change a country and culture, and frankly change the world - what a great inspiration in terms of how you can make change happen. And how he went from being a bit of a rebel to being part of the accepted establishment - there’s something about change in that sense of culture that’s really compelling for me, what an amazing inspiration.

Why does the NHS matter to you?

The NHS is all about values, the reason most people work in the NHS is because they believe in it, they believe in the values and believe in delivering care with compassion.  All the coverage you see in the media about bad care or horrible care experiences, yes it regrettably can happen, but what doesn’t get as well reported is the fantastic care millions of people receive day-in day-out. You get really committed to the NHS. For me, from a HR perspective it’s all about making a difference. So that’s why the NHS and public service matters to me. I work in organisations where I can make a difference for the people I work with, and make a difference to the people within society.