Like many in the early 1960s I left school at 16. I spent the next 10 years in a variety of secretarial roles before taking A-levels. I received some good careers advice while working at Imperial College. This, and my desire to work with people, led me to studying personnel management at Slough College. My first real personnel job was a generalist full-time role in a factory.
In 1984, I gave birth to my daughter and decided to continue my career solely on a part-time basis. This was to achieve the work-life balance I wanted and ensure that Hannah had all the chances I had never had. I have had some really great jobs, including my present one, and my daughter has done me proud: she is due to qualify as a doctor later this year.
It takes perseverance to have a successful part-time career but it can be done. It’s difficult to be accepted as a serious professional and it is harder to climb up the career ladder. You also have the disadvantage of not being part of the action for all of the time. But for me these are simply additional challenges you need to overcome.
Organisations have traditionally tended to think in blocks of full time rather than assessing what they actually require. But the downturn in the economy presents an opportunity for employers to take a long hard look at what they need from staff and realise that it won’t always need a full-time salary.
The only job I have not enjoyed was at GEC. On my first day I realised it probably was not for me – the work was too routine.
At the National Archives I am part of the HR department’s employee relations team and responsible for staff welfare, occupational health, disability, well-being and first aid. This involves providing a confidential advice, information and counselling service for all 650 employees, and staff come to me with a wide range of personal and work-related problems. I also do occupational health referrals and work closely with people with disabilities, on long-term sick leave and those on phased returns. I find it both interesting and challenging – you learn a lot about people.
In welfare and health-related work you can really make a difference to people’s lives, something that gives me more satisfaction than the mainstream HR work of my career.
Many welfare roles are changing to encompass areas such as occupational health and well-being. All HR departments should have someone taking care of these areas – staff well-being is so important.
My sense of humour has kept me going at work. Some of the situations I deal with can be quite distressing and you need to be able to laugh to get through the day. I’m passionate about what I do and believe I always go the extra mile.
I have been in HR for 30 years now and have seen a lot of change for change’s sake. I believe all HR professionals should recognise what works well, stay with it and then channel resources into what needs to be changed. The wisdom is to be able to differentiate between the two. In the downturn, HR needs above all to be cost effective.
I’m getting towards the end of my career now but am still enthusiastically promoting welfare, health and well-being at The National Archives. For the past four years I have been a director of the Institute of Welfare and enjoy writing for and editing its newsletter. There is still much for me to do.
The CV
Education: Slough College of Higher Education (Certificate in Personnel Management)
Previous roles: Personnel officer, Policy Studies Institute (1995-98); Personnel officer, Institute of Cancer Research (1994-95); Personnel officer (temporary), St Mary’s Hospital Medical School (1993-94); Personnel and administration officer, Geest Convenience Foods (1986-93); Staff officer, GEC Hirst Research Centre (1985-86); consultancy project work, Dowty Electronics (1984-85); personnel officer, UKO (1979-84); computer management information services administrator, Citibank Trust (1979); Admin assistant, Imperial College of Science and Technology (1975-78)
Personal: Married with one daughter
Hobbies: Running, netball