As the Deputy Director of Human Resources at Michelmores, I am responsible for shaping and implementing all aspects of the Firm’s talent agenda and people activities, including operational HR, Talent Development and Talent Acquisition, Wellbeing, Inclusion, Reward and HR Strategic Projects.

I joined Michelmores in 2008 and have over 20 years’ experience of working in HR within the legal sector. Prior to that I worked within the retail sector.

I am passionate about creating and implementing positive business change which enhances people’s experiences at work and motivates them to perform at their very best. I strive to maintain a working environment where everyone feels valued, supported, happy and able to flourish whilst being their authentic self at work.

Recent experience

Leading on the development and delivery of our approach to inclusion and wellbeing

Awarded ‘Achieving’ status for our first CMHA Thriving at Work Assessment, reflecting on the significant investment and focus we have placed on employee wellbeing since we joined the Mindful Business Charter in 2019. The launch of our Wellbeing and Menopause Champions will bolster this further which we hope will improve our score by the 5% need to be awarded ‘Exceeding’

Creating a working environment where everyone feels physiologically safe and fully supported to talk openly about personal situations affecting their mental and physical health. This includes implementing new policies and team leader guides on Fertility, Pregnancy loss, Domestic Violence, Premature Births and Menopause

Leading on the launch of our school partnership programme, Momentum. A focus of our approach to inclusion is to build a socially diverse, early careers pipeline to widen access to law, support social mobility and create opportunities for colleagues across the Firm to have a positive impact in our local communities. Momentum is an important step towards furthering our ambitions when it comes to diversity and inclusivity

Leading on the total reward strategy to remain competitive and agile in attracting and retaining the best talent in a fiercely competitive market, where transparency, fairness and meritocracy are core values of the process

Working in conjunction with our L&D Specialist, overseeing the relaunch of our Lawyer Development Programmes which provide our lawyers with a clear career pathway from Trainee to Partner, as well as improving individuals’ personal contribution and growth

Overhauling our approach to performance management by introducing Continuous Conversations. The emphasis is on frequent 121 conversations, focusing on strengths to fuel performance and increase engagement rather than the one-off annual appraisal and performance rankings