If you had to describe your HR job in three keywords, what would they be?
Context. Connection. Enablement.
Context comes first because good HR decisions begin with a clear understanding of the business. When we understand the commercial reality, the challenges and the direction of the organisation, HR can make a meaningful contribution.
Connection is what makes the role particularly interesting to me. HR brings people, structures and business needs together and helps them work in harmony. Much of the real value is created in the relationships between these elements.
Enablement describes what I ultimately want HR to achieve. We create the conditions in which people can contribute at their best, teams can thrive and the business can move forward with confidence.
Which skill from your personal life helps you surprisingly often in your day to day HR work?
Sport, and team sport in particular. I have played floorball (Unihockey) for many years, and it has taught me a great deal about how teams really function.
A group of excellent individuals does not automatically become an excellent team. Roles need to be clear, people need to understand one another and the team needs to stay connected when the pressure rises.
I use this perspective regularly in HR. When a team is struggling, I look closely at how it is set up, how responsibilities are understood and how people interact. Team sport has given me a good instinct for these dynamics and often helps me identify the real issue more quickly.
Many of the high performance team models discussed in organisations today reflect these same principles, and one of the best ways to practise and experience them for me is through sport.
Was there an HR trend you were initially sceptical about but now view differently?
AI in HR, honestly. My first reaction was rather dismissive. I had seen several waves of technology arrive with ambitious promises, while the practical improvement for HR and employees often remained limited.
My view changed when I began using AI and saw how much time it can create for work that benefits from human attention. Thoughtful conversations, organisational judgement and trust all require presence. HR also has a key role in shaping how AI is introduced, ensuring that the human perspective remains part of the technology and the decisions it supports.
Since completing an HR AI programme, my curiosity has grown considerably. I see AI as an opportunity to improve the quality of our work, protect time for the human side of HR and help organisations use technology responsibly and effectively.
What question do you almost always ask managers when discussing people related topics?
I often ask: “What does this person need from you right now to do their best work?”
The question is simple, yet it often changes the direction of the conversation. Discussions about people can quickly focus on performance concerns, behaviour or perceived gaps. Asking what the person needs encourages the manager to consider their own role and influence.
The answer usually reveals something important. Expectations may need to be clarified, the working relationship may require more attention or the person may need a different kind of support. It is a question that creates reflection and usually moves the conversation somewhere useful.
What advice would you give your younger self at the start of your HR career?
Listen to the business more than you listen to HR theory.
Early in my career, I concentrated heavily on HR processes, frameworks and best practices. Over time, I learnt that their value depends on how well they fit the organisation, its people and the situation it is facing. Understanding the business gives HR work relevance and direction.
I would also encourage my younger self to become comfortable with uncertainty. HR deals with complex human situations in which several perspectives can be valid at the same time. The desire to provide a quick answer can prevent us from understanding the wider picture. Taking a little more time to listen, observe and ask questions usually leads to better decisions.
In your view, where should HR be significantly bolder in five years’ time than it is today?
HR should take greater ownership of the connection between people strategy and business strategy. I would like to see HR involved earlier in shaping where the business is going and what will be required to get there.
This calls for HR professionals who understand commercial outcomes, feel comfortable discussing the P&L and recognise the capability implications of strategic decisions. A new market, a transformation or a change in the operating model always raises important questions about leadership, skills, capacity and culture.
HR should bring these questions into the conversation early and speak openly about readiness, risk and the practical demands placed on the people delivering the strategy. For me, bold HR is commercially grounded, consistently present and willing to contribute an honest perspective.
What almost always makes you laugh in your day to day work?
The difference between what a job description says and what a role eventually becomes.
We write job descriptions with great precision. Then someone joins, the organisation evolves and the role develops in ways nobody could have fully predicted. The actual job is usually richer, more surprising and far more dependent on context than the original document suggests.
I sometimes wonder whether traditional job descriptions will eventually disappear. As roles and challenges evolve faster, hiring will increasingly focus on the skills, expertise and experience someone brings to address the challenges of a role. Curiosity and the ability to grow with the organisation will be equally important.